Exploring the critical moments when the Baptist denomination divided: Does revisiting these moments give hope to reconciliation between the ‘Union’ and ‘Convention’?

Luvuyo Ntombana,Adam Perry

doi:10.4102/hts.v68i1.1029

Abstract

This article evaluated interpretations between members of the Baptist Union of South Africa (BUSA) and the Baptist Convention of South Africa (BCSA), revisiting a particular moment, the merger talks of 1980s, at the time when the Baptist Church further entrenched these divisions. The Baptist Church has a crippling historical relationship to the present, particularly as members of the faith interpret their sides of the story as being the ‘right’ ones. This article grew out of the ethnographic work undertaken by the primary author, Luvuyo Ntombana (2007), and his involvement with the Baptist Church. It is felt that in order to create a sacred Church, congregations ought to move away from arguing about past events toward a more positive rethinking of what lessons can be learned from the past. Therefore, this article argued that by revisiting critical moments for the Church, such as the period of reconciliation between denominations within South Africa, conversations can be reinvigorated to help reconcile and unite current factions which currently harbour animosity and weigh down the faith through unnecessary infighting.

Highlights

In every country one cannot divorce the Church from the context in which it exists
The relationship between the Baptist Union of South Africa (BUSA)1 and Baptist Convention South Africa (BCSA) is a reflection of the colonial past which was guided by the policies of apartheid and racial discrimination (Hale 2006:754)
Arguments stemming from individuals within the BUSA and BCSA are very much driven by sentiments of moral rightness, which goes beyond historical interpretation, reliving the past and continuing to divide people in the present moment

Summary

Introduction

In every country one cannot divorce the Church from the context in which it exists. This is so because Church members are an integral part of the broader social structure, which is informed by the socio-economic and political conditions. The discussions of merging the BUSA and BCSA that took place in the 1980s has to be understood in light of a political awakening in South Africa, which stirred the Church not to be silent but to take a stand against apartheid (see the section below entitled ‘The merger discussions of 1982–1987’).

Results

Conclusion