Abstract
This article seeks to contribute to the process of reconciliation in South Africa. This is achieved by firstly exploring the meaning of ubuntu as a common culture or religion under a large percentage of South Africa’s people over the borders of language and other cultural values. In the second part of the article two concepts that play a major role in Christianity are explored, namely koinonia and diakonia. Again a large percentage of South Africans believe that the Bible is the Word of God in which the right way of living is described. A comparison is made between the core values of ubuntu and the way of living that emerges from the use of the two concepts of koinonia and diakonia in the New Testament. A way that can contribute to reconciliation is suggested from this comparison.
Highlights
Note: This article is published in the section Practical Theology of the Society for Practical Theology in South Africa
A comparison is made between the core values of ubuntu and the way of living that emerges from the use of the two concepts of koinonia and diakonia in the New Testament
The following questions are addressed as far as possible: Is ubuntu a religion or a culture? What role does ubuntu play in instances of corruption, xenophobia, the Zulufication of the government and nepotism? What role can ubuntu play in reconciliation in South Africa? In the second part of the article, ubuntu is compared to the biblical concepts of koinonia and diakonia
Summary
Affiliations: 1School of Ministers’ Training, North West University, Faculty of Theology South Africa. This article seeks to contribute to the process of reconciliation in South Africa. This is achieved by firstly exploring the meaning of ubuntu as a common culture or religion under a large percentage of South Africa’s people over the borders of language and other cultural values. In the second part of the article two concepts that play a major role in Christianity are explored, namely koinonia and diakonia. In the second part of the article, ubuntu is compared to the biblical concepts of koinonia and diakonia These two concepts are explained by considering New Testament texts and juxtaposed with the conclusions reached in the first section of the article. Can these two concepts be brought into harmony with ubuntu? The authors believe that it is possible to find enough common ground to formulate values that can be propagated as values of the rainbow nation and that can contribute to reconciliation
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