How do white Afrikaans Christians live in post-apartheid South Africa? This is the
question that is investigated in this longitudinal research. The co-researchers are
white members of the Dutch Reformed Church (Welkom South congregation).
Over a period of fourteen years (1998-2012) they were twice given the opportunity
to tell their self-narratives. The study uses the Trust and Reconciliation
Commissionâs (TRC) revelations as a backdrop for their stories. The themes
include white peopleâs idea of apartheid, guilt and confession of guilt, reconciliation
and the role of the church in all of these. The report is presented according to the
ABDCE narrative research model.
Chapter one is a story of action. This tells of the 1994 political transition and the
following TRC. The report is placed within practical theology and specifically in a
postmodern paradigm. Social construction discourse is discussed as well as the
methodology used. The method used in the initial and follow-up research is
explained as well as the origin of the transcriptions that is included as
attachments.
The second chapter is a story of the background and focuses on the background
and origins of apartheid as seen through the eyes of the co-researchers. Then the
fourteen years before the follow-up research is examined. The opinions of the coresearchers
are given under the headings of uncertain, disillusioned, excited and
dishonest. The role of the church are portrayed in two sections: first the period
before 1998 and the time since 1998. Lastly two models are suggested as lenses
through which transformation can be viewed.
In chapter three (a story of development) the co-researchers are given a bigger
voice. With the use of longer and shorted extracts from the transcription the
position of each is described. The pertinent question is how they viewed apartheid
through their white eyes. The co-researchers then react to the TRC disclosures. Five typical reactions are described. In the final part of the chapter the role of the
church up to that stage is discussed.
Chapter four is a story of a climax. Here we hear the co-researchers in 2012. The
same themes as in the previous chapter are discussed. The participants give their
opinion regarding the two worlds we still live in as well as the racism that is still
part of their daily lives. Guilt, reconciliation and affirmative action is discussed. The
same themes are the discussed from a church point of view.
The last chapter is a story of an ending. First the impact of the TRC is discussed.
The focus then falls on the heart and legacy of apartheid. Then the path of guilt
and reconciliation and the role the church need to play, is examined. The liberating
forgiveness is highlighted in contrast to the paralysing guilt that many seems to
have. The chapter ends with a look at the road ahead for white Afrikaans
Christians. The hope and the challenges are presented.
This research looked at how white Afrikaans Christians live in post-apartheid
South Africa. The TRC is used as an alternative story to the one usually told by
white people. The co-researched unfortunately show little insight into the effects
apartheid had on black people and therefore issues of guilt, confession and
affirmative action remains controversial.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-07162013-154847 |
| Date | 16 July 2013 |
| Creators | Foot, Leon Michael |
| Contributors | Prof J-A van den Berg |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-07162013-154847/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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