Abstract
The entire Bible is full of themes calling humans to live justly with one another and fear God who is the author of justice. The first book of the Bible, Genesis, carries the story of God’s relationship with his people. Their relationship is bound by social justice and mutual love in reciprocity. This article argues that African Ubuntu has an affinity with the Bible’s message of justice and mutual caring for one another. Ubuntu presupposes that humans were created in God’s image and indicates that characteristics such as kindness, charity, equality, love of one’s neighbours and voluntarily dispensing justice to others are present in human life. God created humans to be bound to one another in caring love, coexistence and total dependence. In today’s world, social justice requires good judgement from those who are in privileged positions to implement it.
Highlights
Description: This research is part of the project, ‘The role of German Churches in the demise of apartheid in South Africa’, directed by Prof
Because of white racial supremacy and dominion over black people, the ‘civilisation’ of Africa was seen as the ultimate development of the human race in South Africa; more harm than good was done in the area of social justice (Johnson 1994:2)
This article proposes that biblical relationships premised in social justice should help to create a new community that is transformed and empowered to embrace equality and justice in South Africa
Summary
Relationships are building blocks to social justice: Cases of biblical justice and African Ubuntu. Because of white racial supremacy and dominion over black people, the ‘civilisation’ of Africa was seen as the ultimate development of the human race in South Africa; more harm than good was done in the area of social justice (Johnson 1994:2). Christianity, as it came to be maintained and understood by most white people in South Africa, had nothing to do with social justice and coexistence. Because of the dominant religion and culture that controlled access to prosperity and a means of production, had to conform for fear of repression and ridicule They were ridiculed as ‘heathen, barbaric, backward and uncivilised’ if they did not embrace the white http://www.hts.org.za
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