30"x 48" Diptych Oil on Canvas (2002) $2485
Faith Communitiies
Most South African faith communities lived a lie at variance with their
pronouncements. Being themselves segregated by race they betrayed their
own stated principles of transcending social divisions. Thus they
reinforced the idea that South African society was normal.
“The same contradictions that are prevalent in society are present and
often reflected in the teaching and life of the church.”
TRC Special Hearings, written testimony. Final Report, 1998.
“The Afrikaner churches, universities and other institutions acted as no
more than the limbs, hands, feet and brain of the volk and the State.”
TRC
Special Hearings, written testimony. Final Report, 1998.
“The failure by religious communities to give adequate expression to the ethical teachings of their respective traditions, all of which stand in direct contradiction to apartheid, contributed to a climate within which apartheid was able to survice. ...the failure of the churches contributed to the perpetuation of the myth that apartheid was both a moral and Christian initiative in a hostile and ungodly world.”
TRC Special Hearings, Findings in Final Report, 1998.
“Faith communities overall need to take responsibility for the
undermining of African cultural and religious identity.”
TRC
Special Hearings, Findings in Final Report, 1998.
“All non-Christian faith communities were victimized by an aggressively
‘Christian ‘ State.”
TRC
Special Hearings, Findings in Final Report, 1998.
“The military chaplaincy gave moral legitimacy to a culture
characterized by the perpetuation of gross human rights abuses. It
served to filter out dissenting voices, to strengthen the resolve to
kill and to reassure the doubting soldier that he/she was serving the
purposes of God.”
TRC
Special Hearings, Findings in Final Report, 1998.
“It was noted with appreciation that all the religious groups who
appeared before the Commission acknowledged their complicity with
apartheid. ...As such, churches must accept moral accountability for
providing religious sanction and theological legitimization for many of
the actions of the armed forces.”
TRC Special Hearings, Findings in Final Report, 1998.
