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The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University 11 The Influence of Fundamentalism on Evangelicalism in South Africa with Special Reference to the Role of Plymouth Brethrenism amongst The Cape Coloured Population Town Cape By Alan Lance Jansen of Thesis Presented for the Degree of UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in the Department of Religious Studies Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town APRIL, 2002 Abstract This dissertation is a study of Christian fundamentalism in South Africa looking at its character, history, major influences, development, resilience and resurgence. The study focuses on the Plymouth Brethren who thrived among the coloured communities of the Cape in the early decades of the twentieth century. The Brethren provide more than a useful case study on a subject which is complex and multi­ faceted, because their influence has been significant in the rise of fundamentalism in this country as has been the case in North America and Europe. This influence arises from their distinctives: dispensationalist millenarianism, literalist hermeneutics, ecclesiastical separatism, and their lay- based governance structure. Part One commences with a brief overview, in chapter one, of the character of fundamentalism showing that it has distinguishable features Townvis a vis evangelicalism. The second chapter shows that fundamentalism, influenced by millenarianism, found a ready breeding ground in the deprivation and marginalistion experienced by the disenfranchised coloured community at the Cape.Cape Fundamentalism especially as expressed by the Brethren offered certainty in the face of chaos, hope of a bright, eternal future, and empowerment throughof the non-hierarchical leadership structures. This leads to a discussion of the earliest fundamentalist influences on evangelicalism in South Africa. Some of these stem from an unlikely source, namely the ministry the Dutch Reformed minister Andrew Murray Jr, who was steeped in the revivalist influences of one of the proto-fundamentalist personalities in the United States, D.L.Moody. University In Part Two the focus moves to the Plymouth Brethren and commences with an overview of their history, theology, behaviour and the influence they exerted on the rise of fundamentalism in North American and Europe. The study then addresses the emergence of the movement in South Africa and the role they played in shaping a fundamentalist worldview, particularly at the Cape. Primary evidence shows that, as was the case in both Britain and North America, the influence of this group far out­ weighed their smallness in number. The last section of Part Two is in the form of an excursus and introduces an aspect of fundamentalism that has become the subject of· ABSTRACT CONT. many recent scholarly works, namely its resilience and resurgence. Here the focus is on two small Brethren church fellowships in the Cape Town area that demonstrate that while the socio-political realities have changed and upward mobility is being experienced and enjoyed, the new generation of Brethren believers remain committed to the ideals of fundamentalist Christianity. The argument that social anomie or deprivation gives rise to fundamentalism no longer holds true for them. These believers choose to join fundamentalist churches or continue their allegiance to fundamentalism because of the benefits they derive from it. fu Part three we consider the fact that 20th century fundamentalism in South Africa underwent a resurgence and revisioning process and shed much of its earlier separatism and isolationism, entering the public space, which it had once scorned, through the formation of lobbyist groups and even political parties. At the same time others, especially black and coloured fundamentalists during the last two decades, moved to what can be described as a nco-fundamentalistTown position. They remain biblicists, and retain their views on women and leadership, but they are more comfortable with a social gospel message, something which fundamentalists originally rejected. Paradoxically, fundamentalismCape in South Africa is now both world denying and world affirming. of University Acknowledgements In some ways I became a student of John de Gruchy long before I had the honour of meeting him. I read his work The Church Struggle in South Africa with great enthusiasm in the early 1980s and it became, along with many of his other early writings, a challenge and an encouragement to me as I began my journey of grappling with my faith and its relevancy to the political struggle in South Africa. It has therefore been an enormous privilege to benefit from his wisdom and his seemingly endless source of information and insights over these past years as he took on the task of supervising my thesis. His encouragement particularly over the last year probably more than anything else gave me the courage to persevere. I want to acknowledge the assistance given by the faculty and members of various graduate seminar groups that I have been part of over the Townyears. I appreciated the insights, the friendships, the camaraderie but most of all the encouragement to keep going. I want especially to express my appreciation to Steve Martin and to Lynne Holness. Lynne deserves special thanks for her Capewarm encouragement when having to face Professor de Gruchy with another draftof was the last thing I felt like doing. I wish to thank my wife Zelda for her love, support and patience these past years. My children Alonya, Josh and Ariana also deserve special thanks as they had to put up with a dad who sat for long hours behind a computer without being able to explain what he was attempting to do. I hope my late nights and early mornings have not discouraged them fromUniversity attempting to pursue doctoral studies in time. My Personal Assistant Ms. Jane De Chazal needs to be thanked for her tireless efforts from the very inception of this project when she was my unremunerated research assistant. Jane has kept with the project over these many years and must take the credit for the editorial and layout enhancements. I am grateful to the Overseas Council for Theological Education for their financial assistance that helped to fund my sabbatical time overseas during the early phase of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CONT. this project. I also want to acknowledge my gratefulness to the Board of Trustees of Cornerstone Christian College for granting me two periods of sabbatical leave. The financial assistance of the Centre for Science Development towards this research is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed in this thesis and conclusions arrived at are those of the author and are not necessarily to be attributed to the Centre for Science Development. Finally I wish to pay tribute to my late parents Andrew and Charlotte Jansen whom despite the fact that they had very little education gave me the opportunities and the desire to pursue advanced studies. Town Cape of University Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 Part One: The Emergence ofFundamentalism in South Africa CHAPTER 1 UNDERSTANDING EVANGELICALISM AND CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISM .............. 7 Deftning Evangelicalism ........................................................................................................................ 8 Deftning Fundamentalism .................................................................................................................... 17 The Historical Roots of Christian Fundamentalism ............................................................................. 20 The Consolidation of Fundamentalism ................................................................................................ 24 A New Focus: 'Save the Youth' ............................................................................................ 26 Utilization of the Media ..........................................................................................................Town 26 Relating Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism .................................................................................... .30 CHAPTER 2 Cape EVANGELICALISM AND FUNDAMENTALISMof IN SOUTH AFRICA ................................. .38 Preparation of Soil for Fundamentalism amongst the Cape Coloured Community............................... 39 Political Upheaval and Change at the Cape .......................................................................... ..40 Implications for the Cape Coloured Community .................................................................. .49 The Cape Coloured Community in Search ofIdentity .......................................................... .53 The Development of Fundamentalism in South Africa ......................................................................... 59 Pre-fundamentalism: Revivalism and the Emergence of Fundamentalism ........................... 61 Public Engagement ................................................................................................................ 83 Isolationism and Institutionalism: 1900 1980 ....................................................................
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