AllaN Boesak With this book theologian and political observer Allan Boesak once again displays the strengths of his writings that were evident in the seventies and eighties: bringing Christian theology to bear on the political and socio-economic realities of our world. This time the AllaN Boesak emphasis falls on President Thabo Mbeki’s idea and ideal of an African Renaissance and its interaction with globalization, continental politics and the political dynamics in South Africa as they pertain to the burning issues of our time: reconciliation, the role of the church in post-apartheid South Africa, the centrality of religious faith in the struggle for freedom, and Allan Boesak’s assertion that “just as we had a spirituality of struggle, so South Africa needs a spirituality of politics”. The Tenderness of Conscience is a passionate, eloquent and entirely convincing book, not just in its treatment of the issues, but also in its forthright and mind-broadening conversation with President Thabo Mbeki. It is a clarion call for the transformational presence of the religious voice in politics – a voice that speaks up for the the Tendernes well-being of the entire nation. “With The Tenderness of Conscience Allan Boesak is celebrating his return to South African public life – not only as the struggle hero of the UDF or the “turbulent priest” of the anti-apartheid struggle, but as one of our country’s foremost thinkers and analysts. … A serious and open-hearted commentary on the African Renaissance and the Spirituality of Politics, but with the clarity of the deeply embedded Christian message. In many instances in the publication this message is brought to the surface with such clarity that one stands perplexed at how quickly it had become almost completely obscured in our new democracy. … The Tenderness of Conscience comes at a time when there appears to be a particular sensitivity on the part of government, the ruling party and society in general to criticism. It also comes when the discourse on the role of the post-apartheid church is practically one huge void.” s Danny Titus of the “Tenderness of Conscience is a wonderful book. It is wonderful in its passion and in its intelli– gence. Running throughout is the prophetic cry, “This must not be.” It is thus a sobering Conscience book. Yet it is also hopeful; your mood when you put it down will not be despair, but hope. Tenderness A signal contribution of Tenderness, in addition to its acute analysis of South Africa’s political past and present, and its eloquent call for a spirituality of politics that will deliver us from the deadening hand of management politics and possessive individualism, is Boesak’s of articulation of the Reformed tradition of political thought in and for the present situation.” Nicholas Wolterstorff Conscience African Renaissance and the Spirituality of Politics Boesak Nuut FINAAL.indd 1 2010/03/24 09:18:48 AM THE TENDERNESS OF CONSCIENCE African Renaissance and the Spirituality of Politics Dr Allan A Boesak SUN PRESS is a division of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA, Stellenbosch University’s publishing division. SUN PRESS publishes academic, professional and reference works in electronic and print format. This publication may be downloaded or ordered directly from www.sun-e-shop.co.za. The photograph used for the cover design was kindly provided by the Mapungubwe Museum, University of Pretoria. This famous gold rhinoceros (circa 1220 -1290 AD) was discovered in 1934 on Mapungubwe Hill in Limpopo Province in a royal grave as part of a thousand year old collection of artifacts made of gold and other materials. The rhino has come to symbolise the high culture of Mapungubwe, and along with this – that of Africa. As these artifacts were found in the graves of royalty, they also symbolise leadership in Africa and are evident of the existence of an African civilisation long before colonisation. The Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) in 2003. The Tenderness of Conscience African Renaissance and the Spirituality of Politics Published by SUN PRESS, a division of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA, Victoria Street, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa www.africansunmedia.co.za All rights reserved. Copyright © 2005 Dr Allan Boesak No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, photographic or mechanical means, including photocopying and recording on record, tape or laser disk, on microfi lm, via the Internet, by e-mail, or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission by the publisher. First edition 2005 ISBN: 978-1-919980-66-9 e-ISBN: 978-1-919980-81-2 DOI: 10.18820/9781919980812 Cover design by Laura Oliver Typesetting by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch Set in 11 on 13 pt Garamond Printed and bound by US Printers, Ryneveld street, Stellenbosch 7600 Dedicated to Jan de Waal, for whom yesterday has always been a foreign country; and to The faithful people of God, unheard of, unsung, unmentioned, but everywhere; without whom the struggle could never have been won, and who, in having become heroes of the struggle have always been heroes of the faith. Tomorrow belongs to us. Dr Allan Boesak, major national and international fi gure in South African struggle politics of the 70s, 80s and 90s, was United Democratic Front leader, ANC politician and human rights activist. He is the recipient of twelve honorary doctorates and several international awards, and author of several books on theology and politics. Theologian and pastor of a local church, he remains an acute political observer and cultural critic of South African life. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In a very real sense an author never writes a book alone. There are always others without whose help no book will ever see the light. I gratefully therefore make use of this opportunity to thank those who have helped to make this book possible. The idea for this book was born in late 1995 when my family and I were privileged to spend some time in the United States as guests of the Presbyterian Church USA. It was a period that gave us the distance, solitude and time for refl ection that were sorely needed. I am deeply grateful to the PCUSA’s Stony Point Conference Centre, the people of Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley, California, its students and staff, Dr J Alfred Smith and the people of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California. I have learned much from discussions with friends and colleagues, especially Prof Nicholas Wolterstorff, recently retired from Yale Divinity School. In South Africa deeply appreciated support came from my long time friend Rev Jan de Waal and Ms Sue Anderson of the New World Foundation under whose auspices the Institute for Theology and Public Life came into being. Especially Jan de Waal believed in this book and pushed hard for the completion of this project. It is with deep gratitude that this book is partly dedicated to him. The Institute afforded me the necessary time for study, research and writing, and without the support of our partner in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Protestant Church and its Department of Global Ministries this project would never have been possible. Prof Danny Titus of Unisa’s College of Law has been helpful and supportive in his reading of the manuscript, and invaluable in his constant encouragement. The Institute for Reconciliation and Justice in Cape Town graciously opened the doors of their library for purposes of research, and the staff has been extremely helpful and professional. Thank you. I thank my publisher, and especially Ms Justa Niemand and Ms Hanli Nothnagel for making this work available to the public. My greatest supporter in life and work, my inspiration for all good things in my life is my wife Elna. To her and our children I owe a great debt of gratitude. Their love, patience and support have been indispensable. The years during which this book was written had not always been easy. But God is gracious and merciful, and it is true: “My grace is enough… my strength comes into its own in the hour of your weakness”. To God be the glory. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . 1 CHAPTER ONE From Uhuru to Black Power . 5 CHAPTER TWO The “African Renaissance” . 39 CHAPTER THREE Called by a Higher Power . 73 CHAPTER FOUR “My Power And The Strength Of My Hands” . 103 CHAPTER FIVE Critical Solidarity? . 133 CHAPTER SIX “A Nation at Peace with Itself ” . 171 CHAPTER SEVEN The Tenderness of Conscience . 213 INTRODUCTION Yesterday is a Foreign Country When President Thabo Mbeki fi rst proposed the idea of an African renaissance, it was like a breath of fresh air blowing through the windows of our mind. He announced it as more than just a political, social and economic programme. He spoke of it as a vision, a dream, an absolute necessity for an Africa “whose time had come”. This vision, for our country and our continent, freed us from the isolationist thinking of the past, placed us without apology or equivocation, indeed with great pride, in the midst of Africa as Africans, challenging us to be done with the self-pitying moroseness and the self-justifying angers of yesterday, and to face with determination the challenges of the new age which has dawned upon, and for, us. Gladly taking up the cry of the young Afrikaners he met, he called on us all to affi rm with them: “Yesterday is a foreign country, tomorrow belongs to us!” This cry, I believe, was, and is not, an unseemly appeal to “get away” from the ugliness of yesterday’s apartheid, cloaking oneself in the false innocence of “We did not know, we did not do it (our parents did) and we do not want to know”.