“WIT TEOLOGIE”? - RESPONS: D J Smit, Departement Dogmatologie, Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland

• Johann Kinghorn Stellenbosch University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7833/12-0-2023

Keywords: DRC, Dutch Reformed Church, Apartheid, White Theology

Abstract

“white theology”?In this paper the position is defended that the DRC is not fundamentally bound to the system of apartheid.  Although it can be shown that the DRC aligned herself with racist tendencies and feeling of superiority during the formative year of the politics of apartheid, this alignment should be seen against the colonial and rural social codes prevailing at the time.  Furthermore, quotations can be advanced to show that the DRC considered apartheid to be a political means of escape from these social codes, I e that apartheid would be the political mode of social freedom and equality.  It is argued that the fundamental intention of DRC was in fact to create a society in South Africa based on justice.  Apartheid was seen as the embodiment of the Christian drive towards real justice.  The reason why justice was not achieved lies in the dramatic and fundamental change in the substructure of South African society that took place during the past three decades.  At the moment the DRC is still applying the former solutions (with the best of all possible intentions) to a society which has totally different needs.  Thus, in fact, although unintentionally, the DRC is guilty of abetting an oppressive situation.