South African Council Of Churches Research Articles

From advocating to attending: The shifting role of the South African Council of Churches during the COVID-19 pandemic

The South African Council of Churches (SACC) has been on the receiving end of criticism from scholars since 1994. This article contends that the 2020 national lockdown at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was the pinnacle of the renewal of the SACC. Churches had to contend with the question of “the new normal for churches”, as they grappled with, among other issues, distant communication, social and economic relief, law enforcement brutality against citizens, domestic violence, encouragement of frontline workers, and the place of faith, science, and traditional medicine in combatting the deadly virus. Analysing primarily e-mails to member churches, media coverage, and documents from the SACC between March, 17th and September 2020, this paper undertook a systematic approach to the SACC’s response to the national lockdown. The SACC analysed its context through consultation with external bodies and member churches. It also prayed and reflected on the immediate challenges faced by the country. The paper concludes that the SACC took a more pastoral posture, with a shift from “advocating to attending” reminiscent of the pre-1994 church.

The role of ecumenical bodies in curbing abuses in New Prophetic Churches in South Africa

The proliferation of New Prophetic Churches within the broader Pentecostal movement in South Africa has come with the challenge of the abuse of religion and people’s beliefs. These abuses have attracted the attention of the government through the Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities (CRL) commission with calls for the regulation of religion to deal with the abuses. This article worked within the context of Christian ecumenism and explored the role of ecumenical bodies in curbing the abuses in New Prophetic Churches as opposed to the regulation by the government. In this article the ecclesiastical freedom theory is used to argue that ecumenical bodies are better positioned to deal with these challenges facing churches than the government and its commissions. It is suggested that, for New Prophetic Churches to be active in national ecumenical bodies such as the South African Council of Churches, they should be allowed to establish their own bodies to assure accountability. This will be achieved by defining the theory of ecclesiastical freedom, a discussion of the ecumenical bodies in South Africa and their relationship with New Prophetic Churches. In the last section the role of ecumenical bodies in dealing with abuses in New Prophetic Churches will be explored and recommendations made.Contribution: This article makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing discourses on the regulation of religion in South Africa through an ecclesiastical freedom theory. It is argued that churches can self-regulate and therefore suggests that instead of regulating churches, the government should rather rely on ecumenical bodies in dealing with abuses in New Prophetic Churches in South Africa. In addition, New Prophetic Churches should be allowed to establish their bodies that will ultimately become part of national ecumenical bodies to assure accountability.

Women’s statement at the 1990 Rustenburg Church Conference: Still an important voice from the past

The Rustenburg Conference of churches that took place in 1990 was a critical turning point for Christianity in South Africa. Besides the important declaration at the end of the conference, a statement was also made by the women at the conference. Although this statement is lesser known, it was and still is of utmost importance because it addresses the plight of women in South Africa. The focus of this article is the relevance of the statement made by the women more than 30 years later. The article is written from a church historical perspective. To achieve this objective, the research in this article is based on qualitative literature search. It focuses on relevant literature that includes books, scholarly articles, online articles and scientific data provided by Statistics South Africa. It starts with a brief overview of the conference and important events that took place; it then moves on to the statement by the women at the conference before arguing that the content of the statement still is an important voice from the past that reminds us of the plight of women in South Africa. The role of the church as an important agent of change is then discussed briefly before concluding with an example of a programme by the South African Council of Churches (SACC) that is aimed at change in society.Contribution: In the conclusion, the author proposes a South African conference for women where current programmes can be synchronised and planning for the future can be done.

Saving the rainbow nation: Education as challenge to the churches in South Africa

Education in Africa is in a crisis. Some scholars go as far as to say that it is broken. This was also noted when the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, linked to the Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, were developed. One of the goals was defined as to ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’. This article explores the important role of education in transforming societies. To achieve this objective, the research in this article is based on a qualitative literature search. It focuses on relevant literature that included books, scholarly articles, online articles and scientific data provided by Statistics South Africa. It starts off by describing the brokenness of education in South Africa through the latest statistics that provide a very dark picture of education in the country. In the second place, the article revisits the Reformation to indicate that the church can and is called to play an important role in the improvement of education. The article concludes with two examples of how church organisations and specific churches in South Africa take up the challenge to transform societies through specific educational programmes.Contribution: Specific mention is made of the programme of the South African Council of Churches called The South Africa We Pray For and Little Seeds, which is a combined programme in Early Childhood Development. As such, what happens in South Africa can be an example to the rest of Africa.

“We are what we are”: Christian identity in conflict with powers and principalities

This article argues that Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s submission to the apartheid government’s Eloff Commission of Inquiry in 1982 is his most important, most thorough theological achievement. It was foundational for the work of the South African Council of Churches of which he was General Secretary. As such, its contribution to ecumenical theology and the work of ecumenical organizations globally remains invaluable. It also still stands as a singularly important testimony in the areas of political responsibility of churches, Christian organizations, and Christians individually. The issues Tutu raises in his submission, Christian identity, of obedience to God, justice, compassion, and solidarity are crucial matters as powerfully relevant today as they were at the time of the inquiry, and they are of universal import.

Poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic: A challenge to the church

This article addresses the challenge to the church in the struggle against poverty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It starts by giving an overview of the enormity of poverty in a post-apartheid South Africa. It also indicates how the pandemic has enlarged the problem to extreme proportions. After looking at poverty through the lens of the Bible, the article attempts to define poverty as different forms of deprivation on the one hand and inequality on the other hand. In South Africa, deprivation and inequality are the two sides of the same coin, which serve as important indicators for the local church in the struggle against poverty. This article thirdly refers to the history of the church to describe how the church, as an agent of change, is called to react to the challenge of poverty. The fourth part of the article introduces the action plan that was developed by the South African Council of Churches through Local Ecumenical Action Networks. This serves as an example of how different churches can work together in communities in the struggle against poverty in a holistic way. The article concludes with the emphasis that the struggle against poverty in South Africa is an ongoing struggle that has been accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Contribution: This article examines the devastating effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has on communities in South Africa with specfic reference to poverty. The focus is on how the church as agent of change is in the perfect position to rise to this challenge to make a difference by means of Local Ecumenical Area Networks.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation in the Life and Work of Desmond Tutu

AbstractThis article explores how mission, forgiveness, and reconciliation have shaped the ministry and work of Desmond Tutu. As much as space permits, it tries to glean the ways in which Tutu has lived out his understanding of mission, forgiveness, and reconciliation in his various roles as lecturer of theology, as Africa director of the Theological Education Fund of the World Council of Churches, as the general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, as president of the All Africa Conference of Churches, as archbishop of Cape Town, and more recently as chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Through a close reading of seminal publications, the article will attempt to draw as complete a picture as possible of his views on forgiveness and reconciliation. To conclude, the essay shall refer to the work of Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice.

“Sangomas Are after People’s Money”: Family and Community Discourses around the South African Youth

In 2012, Bishop Joe Seoka of the Anglican Church in South Africa, and former president of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), dismissed claims that young people in Marikana (where 34 mineworkers were massacred by the South African police during a protest for better wages on August 16, 2012) used muthi (traditional medicine provided by sangoma/inyanga) to protect themselves against bullets—reasoning that they were too well educated to believe such. His contention provoked social observers, who further raised questions not only on the views of the educated and non-educated towards traditional belief systems, but on how sangomas are talked about in families and across communities. This study looked at whether young people in Chiawelo, Soweto, think sangomas are helpful within their community or not. In addition, it looked at whether young people think or believe sangomas can improve or depreciate the lives of community members (expressly during sicknesses). Findings in the literature suggest that socialisation helps shape young people’s views and expressions towards traditional healers within their families and communities. Through in-depth interviews with 11 young men and four key informants in Chiawelo, a site in Soweto (South Africa), evidence about different types of socialisation and its influence on young men’s lives is drawn out in this article. The study suggests that although both primary and secondary socialisation helped shape young people’s views towards traditional healers, observation and interpretation often dictate in the way young men in Chiawelo view traditional healers. The study contests “socialisation” and “habitus” as theoretical frameworks.

The Bantu Presbyterian Church in South Africa and Ecumenism, 1940–1999

From 1940, ecumenical developments in the Presbyterian/Congregational corpus in Southern Africa became more tortuous and complex, with an expansion of the number of denominations involved in union negotiations to include the Bantu Presbyterian Church of South Africa (BPCSA, from 1979 the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, RPCSA), the Congregational Union of South Africa, later the United Congregational Church of South Africa, the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa and the Tsonga Presbyterian Church (TPC, later the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa, EPCSA). The problem statement centres around the complex situation that despite substantial similarities in doctrine, liturgy and polity, as well as involvement in the Church Unity Commission and the South African Council of Churches, the union proved to be elusive. The aim of this article is to investigate the dynamics of the developing relationships and hindrances to closer relationships in the wider South African context. This study is conducted from the perspective of the BPCSA and RPCSA, and the methodology is based predominantly on archival research.

Religion and Social Justice: A Critical Analysis of the South African Council of Churches in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Within the South African context, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) played a constructive role in the formation of a democratic society. The SACC was the united voice of the church, and its relationship with civil society made it a major role-player in the dismantling of apartheid and the establishment of democratic rule. While post-apartheid is a time of hope and achievement, the country is facing serious social injustices more than two decades into democratic rule. This shift from apartheid to democracy has resulted in a different relationship between church and state. The relationship between church and state has moved from antagonism and polarisation during the apartheid era to “critical solidarity,” and finally to “critical engagement.” This paper will analyse and evaluate the role of the ecumenical church for social justice in post-apartheid South Africa. It will investigate the reasons for the presumed turning point in the relationship between the church and the state, the impact that the relationship between the church and state has on the role of the church, as well as the contribution the church can make to social justice issues, with particular reference to those at the margins of society.

The SACC since 1994: Ecumenism in Democratic South Africa

Prior to 1994, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) was a major role-player both globally and within South Africa, fulfilling a vital role in the struggle for justice in South Africa. Yet, since 1994 the SACC has all but disappeared from both the global as well as the popular South African ecumenical scene. The history of the SACC since 1994 is relatively unknown and sparsely documented. This article attempts to fill in some of that missing detail and to explore what has happened to the SACC since 1994. Working predominantly from news articles and documents from the SACC, the authors have endeavoured to piece together the state of the SACC since 1994. This article shows how the SACC emerged from the brink of closure and has once more started to function as a prophetic voice in South Africa. This movement from almost extinction to a rejuvenated function has been designated into three stages, namely survival, discernment and regeneration. However, the challenges are not over and this article concludes by highlighting two main challenges that the SACC is currently facing.

Reflections on the development and use of non-violent activism in the South African Council of Churches : a social movement theory approach

Reflections on the development and use of non-violent activism in the South African Council of Churches : a social movement theory approach

The prophetic voice of the South African Council of Churches: A weak voice in post-1994 South Africa

One of the factors that dismantled the apartheid system in South Africa was the prophetic voice of many religious leaders who emerged from ecumenical formations and fought the system by speaking truth to power. However, many scholars agree that the attainment of democracy in 1994 caused the prophetic voice to become silent. This article argues that the prophetic voice is not silent but rather weak in post-1994 South Africa. There are three reasons for this weakness: (1) the prophetic voice became part of the democratic government system, (2) the system swallowed it, and (3) the prophets retired without passing the baton. The article also seeks to highlight some of the recent events and national challenges in South Africa like Marikana, #FeesMustFall, State Capture, Life Esidimeni and Expropriation of Land, where the prophetic voice has been weak. Ways to strengthen the prophetic voice are proposed here as part of the recommendations.

THE DECOLONISATION OF THE MIND AND BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS COMMUNITY PROJECTS BY THE LIMPOPO COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

The article is a narrative account of examples of community projects of the Black Consciousness Movement as part of an attempt to decolonise the black mind as undertaken by the South African Council of Churches (SACC) in the former Northern Transvaal of South Africa (now the Limpopo province). During the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, this area was regarded as the most conservative Afrikaner settlement as reported in The New York Times of 25 April 1991. The article recounts the role played by the SACC in solidarity with the victims of apartheid on route to the decolonisation of the black mind. It briefly starts by describing the concept of the colonisation of the mind and then locates the philosophy of Black Consciousness as an appropriate response to the process of decolonising the black mind. The article relies on archival material from the Limpopo Council of Churches as its primary source.

1968 – Year of Shame, Year of Grace

AbstractThey year 1968 was the year of the student protests; the year when the Vietnam War and the Chinese cultural revolution were at their height; the year of the Prague spring and Christian–Marxist dialogue before these movements were suppressed by the Soviet invasion; the year in which Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated; the year in which Latin American Catholic bishops met in Medellín and broke new theological ground; the year in which the South African Council of Churches issued an anti‐apartheid message to the people of South Africa. Looking back at this patchwork of events 50 years later, so much has changed since then, but so much that was augured in 1968 still remains to be changed.

Editorial

Editorial

Faith and reality: The role and contributions of the ecumenical church to the realities and development of South Africa since the advent of democracy in 1994

Many Christians feel quite disillusioned and disappointed with the church in South Africa today because they assume that the church, in particular the South African Council of Churches (SACC), is not playing an adequate prophetic role in building the democratic South Africa since 1994. This article traces the role and contributions of the SACC and other ecumenical organisations to the building of a democratic South Africa. It establishes that whilst the SACC had lost its focus and vision and has an ecumenical body, largely because of its partnership with government, it does, nevertheless, continue to contribute to the building of the South African nation.

MANAS BUTHELEZI: THE CHURCHLEADER, LIBERATION ACTIVIST AND SCHOLAR IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

This article celebrates and honours Manas Buthelezi’s life by examining his active contribution in the spiritual, political, social and socio-economic spheres. An analysis of his contribution is offered by firstly examining his academic career, church work and his contribution to the recent history of Christianity. Secondly, I provide an overview of his involvement in political affairs and with the Lutheran community.Finally, I focus on Buthelezi’s service in the South African Council of Churches (SACC).

THE MAKING OF A BISHOP: PERSONAL REFLECTIONS BY A COMPANION ALONG THE WAY

With this text a German missionary, originating from the Lutheran Hermannsburg Mission, describes his way of service in southern Africa through which he is getting ever closer to Dr Manas Buthelezi. From the outset of Lüdemann’s ministry in KwaZulu-Natal he got to know the young but already widely acclaimed theologian (Buthelezi) in the same diocese. The intensive involvement of Buthelezi in the Black Consciousness Movement gave Lüdemann a deeper insight into his own challenges in apartheid South Africa, and at the same time he understood the critical position in which he had to see himself as a foreigner from Europe.Buthelezi ─ through various positions in his own Lutheran Church (Bishop of ELCSA-Central Diocese, Lutheran World Federation) and in the ecumenical context (Christian Institute, South African Council of Churches) ─ deepened his theological expression in view of the endangered society, and at the same time formulated the specific prophetic message of a relevant Christian gospel. This meant that he was severely challenged in conflicts between various interest groups. More and more he realised that he could with his ministry only survive through a clear scripture-related spirituality as part of the work of the Holy Spirit.

DeGruchy, John W.I Have Come a Long Way. Cape Town: Lux Verbi2015.

DeGruchy, John W.I Have Come a Long Way. Cape Town: Lux Verbi2015.