Abstract
This article pays tribute to Vuyani Vellem’s work on the relevance of Black theology of liberation (BLT) post-1994 in South Africa. Firstly, this article provides a synopsis of the political and economic ‘transition’ of South Africa before and after democracy. Secondly, the article seeks to provide a candid ‘reflection’ on the BLT trajectory, especially its critique of white racial theology. Thirdly, the article attempts ‘rethinking’ the location of the Bible and the black interlocutor in the post-liberation context. Fourthly, the article attempts to ‘reimagining’ the relevance of BLT post-1994 with a focus on proposed contemporary theologies. Contribution: The manuscript is responding to a special issue honouring the legacy and scholarship of the late Prof Vuyani Vellem who contributed immensely to Black Theology of Liberation (BTL) in the South African context. The manuscript attempt to dialogue with Vellem on key issue that he raised, especially racial issues and the role of the recognition of the black interlocutor. The VukaniBathoTsohangBatho special issue is dedicated to this great son of the soil who distinguished himself through research in the area of BTL challenging issues affecting the majority of black people, issues like racism, land, unemployment and economic inequalities in South Africa. This manuscript engages with some of these issues hence its relevance to the journal. The manuscript argues that as long as social and economic injustices exist, Black Liberation Theology (BLT) will remain relevant post 1994 dispensation.
Highlights
This article recognises the existing scholarship on the question of the relevance of Black Liberation Theology (BLT) post 1994 in South Africa (Maimela 1994; Tshaka & Mabathoana 2010; Adebo & Godfrey 2013; Hankela 2014; Kgatle 2018)
As Vuyani Vellem would argue, BLT is relevant today as it was during the apartheid era
The pertinent question is, what is the role of BLT post 1994 in South Africa?
Summary
This article recognises the existing scholarship on the question of the relevance of BLT post 1994 in South Africa (Maimela 1994; Tshaka & Mabathoana 2010; Adebo & Godfrey 2013; Hankela 2014; Kgatle 2018). The ‘non-person’ is the ideal interlocutor in the South African experience of economic exclusion, chronic unemployment, abject poverty and huge income inequalities affecting the black poor working class. Tshaka and Makafane (2010:538) argue from a black theology perspective that when one considers the contemporary socio-economic position of the people in South Africa, it is evident that an old system clothed in a new garment continues what colonisation and apartheid began centuries ago. Transformational theology finds expression in the ‘Invented spaces’ of interpretive resistance that mobilises the poor and marginalised social movements (Zwane 2020:18) to challenge the dominant narrative of domination and oppression Each of these contemporary theological trajectories – solidarity theology, prophetic theology and transformational theology – finds its place within the work of the Ujamaa Centre for Biblical and Theological Community Development and Research.. Black liberation theology has to underscore the importance of social change in the transformation project post-1994
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