Sowing in Tears : A Documentary History of the Church Struggle Against Apartheid 1960 - 1990.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lamola, John.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Church and social problems--South Africa--History--20th century.

Church and social problems.

Apartheid--Religious aspects--Christianity.

Apartheid.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (271 pages)

Other Title:

Sowing in Tears

Place of Publication:

Oxford : African Perspectives Publishing, 2021.

Summary:

A historicist interpretation of how the Christian religion, whose theology had notoriously been used to foster coloniality and explicitly nurture apartheid philosophy, had transformed itself into an intellectual force and an organisational bulwark of the struggle for freedom in South Africa. This is presented through documents and statements of the ecumenical movement which attest to the development of successive theological positions that were being arraigned against the apartheid regime. The reflection covers the period from the year 1960, which signaled the beginning of an identifiable Christian tradition of protest against political oppression and repression in South Africa, that is, from the Cottesloe Conference following the Sharpeville Massacre, to the 'Standing for the Truth Campaign' on the eve of FW De klerk's February 2 1990 Speech in Parliament. The gallant resistance of the people and the churches of South Africa is presented here as both a living record of the tumultuous past, and an inspiration for new local and global struggles.

Contents:

Prologue: Why the church failed to resist apartheid before 1960

Chapter 1. The resurrection at Sharpeville

Report of the World Council of Churches mission in South Africa: April-December 1960

Statement of the Cottesloe Consultation, 14-17 December 1960

Statement from the Third Assembly of the World Council of Churches, New Delhi, 1961 [excerpts]

Chapter 2. The challenge of the apartheid republic

All-In Africa Conference, Pietermaritzburg, 25-26 March 1961

A Programme of Action for the Christian Institute

Attacks on the Christian Institute: statement by the executive committee of the CI, 9 November 1963

Statement from the WCC Mindolo Consultation on Christians and Race Relations in Southern Africa, 4 June 1964

Press statement by iNkosi Albert Luthuli on the Rivonia Trial verdict, 12 June 1964

Chapter 3. Trimphant apartheid

Statement of the Christian Council of South Africa on the Bantu Laws Amendment Bill, February 1964

Bantu Laws Amendment Bill: a press statement of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of South Africa, July 1964

Statement on the End of Session Legislation, June 1964

Declaration of Church Principles as accepted by the Christian Council of South Africa, August 1965

Message to Overseas Partners, June 1965

Chapter 4. Liberalism and race relations

World Conference on Church and Society: 'Christians in the Technical and Social Revolutions of our time', Geneva, July 1966

The Woodstock Theses, October 1967

Statement from the Fourth Assembly of the World Council of Churches, Uppsala, 20 July 1968

The Reformed Ecumenical Synod, Lunteren, August 1968

Message to the People of South Africa, 20 September 1968

Chapter 5. Black consciousness and Black theology

"Black anger and White power in an unreal society" / Dr CF Beyers Naude

Statement of the Black Theology Conference, Wilgespruit, 1971

Black priests solidarity group: principles and aims

Desmond Tutu's Open Letter to John Vorster, 6 May 1976

Resolution on the Black Confessing Church, SACC Consultation on Racism, Hammanskraal, 11-15 February 1980

Chapter 6. Church support for armed resistance?

Statement of the WCC Executive Committee, Arnoldshain, West Germany, September 1970

SACC Resolution on Conscientious Objection to Compulsory Military Conscription to the South African Military Forces, National Conference, August 1974

South Africa: what hope now?, December 1977

Chapter 7. The state versus the Christian Institute: Schlebush Commission

A pilgrimage of confession

Divine or civil disobedience: statement declaring refusal to testify before the Schlebusch Commission by the staff of the Christian Institute, 22 June 1973

Statement by the Christian Institute on the 'police state'

Report of the Schlebusch Commission: conclusions and recommendations

Statement of the SA Council of Churches on the Report of the Schlebusch Commission on Inquiry on the Christian Institute

Chapter 8. The state versus the SACC: Eloff Commission

SACC statement of theological principles

SACC 1978 National Conference resolution: call for a national convention

The Eloff Commission Report: official summary and recommendations

SACC response to the findings of the Eloff Commission

Chapter 9. The demise of Afrikaner civil religion

NG Kerk: human relations and the South African scene in the light of scripture, 1974 General Synod

Alliance of Black Reformed Christians in Southern Africa, 1981, ABRECSA Charter

World Alliance of Reformed Churches, Ottawa, 1982: statement on racism and the South African Afrikaans Churches

A statement on rejection of apartheid theology by 123 ministers of the NG Kerk, 8 June 1982

Nederduitse Gereformeerde Sendingkerk, 1982 Synod statement on apartheid: Belhar Confession of Faith

Chapter 10. Call to prayer for an end to unjust rule

Pastoral letter of the Southern African Catholic

The Kairos Document: official summary

A theological rationale and a call to prayer for an end to unjust rule, 16 June 1985

A memorandum to the State President, P.W. Botha, 17 March 1986

Urgent message to the State President from the Southern African Catholic Bishop's Conference, 20 August 1986

Belhar Confession of Faith, drafter in 1982, adopted in September 1986

Chapter 11. Sanctions: the world's moment of truth

SACC National Conference Resolution on Disinvestment, 28 June 1985

The Harare Declaration, WCC World Church leaders emergency meeting on South Africa, 4-6 December 1985

United Church of Christ (USA): 1985 General Synod Resolution

British Council of Churches, November 1985 General Assembly Resolution on South Africa

Chapter 12. Pilgrimages to Lusaka

A communique of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, jointly with the African National Congress, 16 April 1986

Lusaka Statement, 8 May 1987

Theology and violence: a working document of the ICT Theological Conference, Cape Town, 26 November 1987

Chapter 13. Standing for the truth

Statement by the leaders of South African churches, 25 February 1988

Church leaders' Petition to Parliament, 29 February 1988

Statement by the SACC on the State President's invitation to churches, 31 January 1990.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781990931307

1990931308

OCLC:

1259592366