Abstract
Christian-nationalism as the core of Afrikaner identity and ideology was introduced by Dopper intellectuals. It was used by them as early as the late 19th century. The two components of this concept were, in fact, an oxymoron. Christianity represents universal values, whereas nationalism focuses on the particular identity and interests of a particular group, the nation. Consequently, there was a built-in tension in this identity and ideological construct. For Dopper intellectuals, the Christian was clearly paramount. Nationalism had to be submitted to God’s universal moral values.
Highlights
Until the 1948 electoral victory of the National Party (NP), the potential contradiction between Christian universal morality and Afrikaner nationalism rarely surfaced
As Afrikaner nationalism in power became increasingly tainted by apartheid, Dopper intellectuals began to distance themselves from it
The reality shaped by their government and its conception of Christian-nationalism and of apartheid became too sharp for them
Summary
Until the 1948 electoral victory of the National Party (NP), the potential contradiction between Christian universal morality and Afrikaner nationalism rarely surfaced. The literature pertaining to the evolution of the Afrikaners during the 20th century attributed to Dopper intellectuals a very important role in the history of their people through 1948 Their main contribution in the ideological field was the articulation of the ideology of Christian-nationalism. Van der Walt, a philosopher, was another young intellectual who made a significant contribution to the Dopper http://www.indieskriflig.org.za intellectuals’ moral discourse, mainly in the second half of the 1980s He viewed the social and political reality through the lenses of the scriptures. The particular ethnonational identity that had been the bedrock of Afrikaner political world view was under strong attack from both the universal (God’s word) and the particular individual (born in the image of God) This enabled, forced, Dopper intellectuals to seek new meanings and new foundations for their individual and collective identity and self-perception. As Lourens du Plessis said unashamedly, ‘I feel Afrikaner more than before’ (interview with Lourens du Plessis 2011)
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