THE SOUTH AFRICAN CHALLENGE
SA
1993. As the last remaining laws of apartheid are repealed, as warring parties
seek common ground, a great uneasiness hangs o’er the land. We are entering the
unknown.
The
time may signal the end of the long wave of decolonisation that has rolled
through Africa, the introduction of a bill of rights and a constitution, the
emergence into the light of maturity and nationhood, yet there are fears. There
are fears of another African disaster. Zimbabwe and Namibia may have stabilised
after independence, but will we be able to deal with calls for retribution and
affirmative action? How will the economy fare alongside the burgeoning wealth
of North America and Europe, while Africa is increasingly marginalized? Will we
cope with the onset of AIDS?
This
uneasiness provides the backdrop to the question "What is the role of the
Christian?"
Indeed,
what is the role of the Christian Worldview Network? Do we learn to speak
Australian, or do we grit our teeth and hope for the best? Perhaps we should
avoid the issue altogether. We have been guilty of this in the past; choosing -
and with the best intentions - to grapple with the truths of the gospel while
remaining oblivious to the consequences of their application in the South
African context. At times the Christian voice seems to have been barely audible
above the actions committed in the interests of apartheid Yes, there has been
condemnation from the rest of the world: from a permanent display of protest in
the United Nations headquarters, to songs by Jackson Browne and U2, to legal
debates drawing comparisons with Nazi Germany. Yet how quiet has been the voice
of the community that has prided itself in being called a Christian nation.
This calls for some sober reflection. It needs to be dealt with by our own
Christian consciences.
We
find ourselves at a watershed in history, much depending on the actions and
attitudes adopted by those of us caught in the process of change and
transition. We can of course simply give up on South Africa, relegating it to
the list of war-torn and destitute nations which litter this continent,
secluding ourselves within a laager of self-protection and self-sufficiency, or
we can recognise ourselves as European Africans, Xhosa Africans, Sotho
Africans, Zulu Africans, speaking a multitude of languages and following a
variety of habits and customs, descended from ancestors separated by thousands
of kilometres and holding entirely different worldviews. We are ultimately
thrown together to share the same present and future of South Africa. Like it
or not, we remain Africans.
Nation
building is the catchword at the moment and it is to this which we should draw
our attention. The role of the Christian, of the Christian Worldview Network,
is influenced to a fair extent by the task of rebuilding this nation. At the
same time, we ought not to confuse nationalism with the striving for the
application of Christian values. Our primary motivation is not a flag, an
anthem, a national identity, but rather the preservation of the ideals offered
by Christ within a multicultural community of which we find ourselves as
integral members. That means recognising and upholding human dignity, being
peacemakers in a society stretched taut by hatred, taking light into the
darkness where there is no meaning and where there is no hope.
It
is difficult to define die Christian role more precisely. Although we are
united under one banner, we each have our own battlefield; we each have our own
fears and weaknesses to conquer, our own techniques in our own work or
profession, but we share the freedom and hope that comes from having met with
Christ.
It
is helpful to realise that we may not witness too many results, too many
victories. In his autobiography, “Towards the Mountain", Alan Paton remarked
that it took him a lifetime to realise that the implementation of Christian
ideals is not a matter of winning or losing, but of waging the battle
incessantly. That would seem a good thing to bear in mind.
The
moral initiative lies with Christians. We are supposed to possess the
compassion and motivation to proceed with the hefty task of nation building.
Certainly, we can acknowledge the contributions of European and American
thinkers, their effort to apply Christ’s teachings to society, yet as CWN members
in the Cape, in the Transvaal or wherever, we need to realise our African-ness,
carrying with it specific circumstances and specific needs. As South Africa
struggles into a post-apartheid reality, I believe that a large portion of the
leadership role lies with us.
Justin
Laing
Many to Many Issue 3 February 1993