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Prophetic Theology in the Kairos Tradition: a Pentecostal and Reformed Perspective in Black Liberation Theology in South Africa

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Prophetic Theology in the Kairos Tradition: a Pentecostal and Reformed Perspective in Black Liberation Theology in South Africa PROPHETIC THEOLOGY IN THE KAIROS TRADITION: A PENTECOSTAL AND REFORMED PERSPECTIVE IN BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY IN SOUTH AFRICA by ALLEN WILLIAM MORRIS submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in the subject THEOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROF L J MODISE CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF E VAN NIEKERK NOVEMBER 2018 DECLARATION I, Allen William Morris, student no. 32065825, declare that PROPHETIC THEOLOGY IN THE KAIROS TRADITION: A PENTECOSTAL AND REFORMED PERSPECTIVE IN BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY IN SOUTH AFRICA is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Signature……………………………… Date………………………… i SUMMARY This study focused on the ‘silence of the prophets’ in the post-apartheid era. It sought to understand why the prophets, who spoke out so vehemently against the injustices of apartheid, did not speak out against the injustices of the government after 1994 even when it became blatantly apparent that corruption was beginning to unfold on various levels, especially with the introduction of the so-called Arms Deal. Accordingly, the study singles out Drs Allan Boesak and Frank Chikane who were among the fiercest opponents of the apartheid regime before 1994. The study traced the impact of the ideological forces that influenced Boesak and Chikane’s ideological thinking from the early Slave Religion, Black Theology in the USA and Liberation Theology in Latin America. Black Theology and Black Consciousness first made their appearance in South Africa in the 1970s, with Boesak and Chikane, among others, as early advocates of these movements. In 1983, Boesak and Chikane took part in the launch of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. This movement became the voice of the voiceless in an era when the members of the African National Congress (ANC) and Pan African Congress (PAC) had been sent into exile. It also signalled a more inclusive and reconciliatory shift in Boesak and Chikane’s Ideological thinking. Whereas Black Consciousness sought to exclude white people from participating in the struggle for liberation, the UDF united all under one banner without consideration for colour, race, religion or creed. ii After the advent of liberation in South Africa in 1994, it became increasingly obvious that corruption was infiltrating many levels of the new government. But the prophets were silent. Why were they silent? The study presents an analysis of the possible reasons for this silence based on interviews with Boesak and Chikane as role players and draws conclusions based on their writings both before and after 1994. Overall, the study concluded that they were silent because they had become part of the new political structures that had taken over power. To sum up, the study demonstrates the irony of prophetic oscillation and concludes that no prophet is a prophet for all times. Thus, as a new democracy unfolds in South Africa, the situation demands new prophets with a new message. Keywords: Black Consciousness, Black People’s Convention, Black Power, Black Theology, Belhar Confession, Justice, Kairos Document, Liberation Theology, Love, Pentecostal, Prophetic-Oscillation, Slave Religion, Student Christian Association, Student Christian Movement, University Christian Movement, United Democratic Front, World Alliance of Reformed Churches. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. LJ Modise, and my co-supervisor, Prof. E Van Niekerk, for their inspiration, motivation, guidance and support throughout this research study. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to my immediate family – Gillian Morris, Morne Morris, Merise Morris, Keenen Morris and Cuan Morris. I would also like to thank my friends and colleagues – the late Dr Frans Noko Kekana, Dr Steve Mochechane, Pastor Odo Ratshivhombela and Hilda Ratshivhombela – and the Captured by Grace Christian Centre for their love and support. I wish to thank the University of South Africa for granting me a scholarship. The scholarship covered all my tuition fees and the requirements for this research study. This thesis is dedicated to the Captured by Grace Christian Centre, International Assemblies of God for allowing me to preach/teach Black Theology and Liberation Theology. iv Table of contents DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ iv CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION AND ORIENTATION ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ......................................................................................... 2 1.3 THE MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION ...................................................................... 11 1.4 AIMS OF THE RESEARCH STUDY ...................................................................... 11 1.5 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .............................................................................. 12 1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ....................................................... 13 1.6.1 Literature study ....................................................................................................... 13 1.6.2 Interviews ............................................................................................................... 15 1.7 STRUCTURE OF THE RESEARCH ...................................................................... 15 1.8 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 16 CHAPTER 2 .............................................................................................................................. 18 SLAVE RELIGION, BLACK POWER, AND BLACK THEOLOGY ......................................... 18 2.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 18 2.2 THE PARADIGM FROM SLAVE RELIGION TO BLACK THEOLOGY IN THE USA ........................................................................................................................ 18 2.2.1 American slave trade as the point of departure for black theology ......................... 21 2.2.2 The struggle for justice ........................................................................................... 24 2.2.3 The struggle for love ............................................................................................... 27 2.2.4 The struggle for liberation ....................................................................................... 28 2.2.5 The challenge of hope amid suffering .................................................................... 30 2.2.6 By whatever means necessary ............................................................................... 32 2.3 LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC AND PEDAGOGIC INFLUENCES RELATED TO LIBERATION THEOLOGY ............................................................................... 33 2.3.1 Paulo Freire and the Pedagogy of the oppressed .................................................. 34 2.3.2 Eduardo Galeano and the Open veins of Latin America ........................................ 36 2.4 BLACK POWER AND BLACK THEOLOGY IN THE USA AND ITS IMPACT IN SOUTH AFRICAN THEOLOGY ............................................................................. 37 2.5 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................. 41 CHAPTER 3 .............................................................................................................................. 43 THE INFLUENCE OF BLACK THEOLOGY ON ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC FRONT ............................................................................................. 43 3.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 43 3.2 THE ENVIRONMENT THAT SHAPED THE THINKING OF BOESAK AND CHIKANE ................................................................................................................ 43 3.2.1 The development of black theology in South Africa ............................................... 44 3.2.2 Black consciousness as a means to genuine humanity ......................................... 50 3.2.3 The Black People’s Convention (BPC) and its activities that impacted on Boesak and Chikane .............................................................................................. 53 3.2.4 The Student Christian Association (SCA) and the Students’ Christian Movement (SCM) in South Africa ........................................................................... 57 3.2.5 Ideological influences on Boesak and Chikane ...................................................... 59 v 3.2.6 Black consciousness as the trigger for the political activism of Boesak and Chikane .................................................................................................................
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