Oom Bey for the future: engaging the witness of Beyers Naudé

2015

2005

This paper attempts to identify some ethical dimensions in the preaching of Beyers Naudé, as being representative of a structural-contextual-ethical mode of moral discourse. Cognisance is taken in particular of sermons preached shortly before the first general elections were held in South Africa, and sermons preached in the aftermath of this historical event. This is done to determine whether any fundamental changes took place in Naude's thinking on justice during these times of transition. A brief discussion of different theological discourses on restorative justice in South Africa is given. The paper concludes with some observations on the continuous relevance of Naudé for the current debate on restorative justice in South Africa.

Verbum et Ecclesia, 2012

Dr Beyers Naud�s ministry to the victims of apartheid between 1960�1994 was of missionary significance. His mission challenged the conservative or stereotype mission approaches of the church which were in line with the thinking of Edinburgh 1910. Dr Beyers Naud� in contrast, applied the spirit of Tambaram 1938 supporting what Saayman termed a �comprehensive ministry�. His ministry challenged the mission of the church in post-apartheid South Africa during which the prophetic voice of the church has diminished and Ministers of Religion who were vocal against government injustices during Beyers Naud�s ministry are supporting the current post-apartheid South African government.

The aim of this article is not to write a comprehensive thesis on every possible sub theme relating to women in the theological anthropology of Dr Beyers Naudé. What follows is an exposition, done against a post-structural background, of the question of women in the theological anthropology of Beyers Naudé. This will be done with specific reference to three important sources of his life and thought: his autobiography, My land van Hoop – Die lewe van Beyers Naudé and his interview in 1985 for IKON Television, a Dutch ecumenical broadcasting company, with German theologian Dorothee Sölle, and his famous farewell sermon to his DRC congregation of Aasvoëlkop, Johannesburg on Acts 5:29, Obedience to God. I will use the insights of Michel Foucault and post-structural feminists, amongst others Pamela Milne and Elizabeth Castelli deconstruct the theological base of Beyers Naudé with regard to women. I hope thereby to illustrate with reference to Beyers Naudé, how one might come to a deeper understanding of a theologian’s theological anthropology and his/her theological presuppositions concerning women and how this continues to issue a challenge to churches in future.

Beyers Naudé was a well-known anti-apartheid Afrikaner clergyman, who spent seven years in the 1970s and 1980s under a banning order that was instituted against him by the South African government. Today he is revered as a model of racial reconciliation. However, in the 1960s he lost his status as minister in the Dutch Reformed Church because of his political stance. He then served as director of the Christian Institute, and as editor of the progressive journal, Pro Veritate. He also became an advocate of Black Consciousness and the black liberation movements in their struggle for equal rights. In all of this, the concept of violence was an underlying theme, and this article describes, from the point of view of his writings, how his understanding of the legitimate use of violence developed during the course of his public career. It is shown that the role of memory, particularly the transferred memory of his father’s participation in the Second Anglo-Boer War, was demonstrably influential in the son’s decision making, with special relevance for his evaluation of the role that violence might play in the process of liberation.

1993

Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, 2016

THE CATHOLIC VOYAGE: AFRICAN JOURNAL OF CONSECRATED LIFE, 2025

This edition of "The Catholic Voyage" (TCV-Africa) reflect on a theme “around the jubilee of Consecrated life. The Jubilee Year calls on Consecrated persons as faith-filled pilgrims to undertake the journey of hope, promote holiness of life and, therefore, encourage peace through reconciliation, solidarity, works of charity, mercy and justice, joy and celebration. The general theme of this volume is "Pilgrims of hope on the way to peace: Consecrated Life as a journey of reconciliation, mission and celebration". CONTENTS Editorial - Oseni Ogunu, OMV 1. Hope Founded on Justice: A Critical Reflection on “Spes Non Confundit”, Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of The Year 2025. - Sr. Dr. Rosemary Olisaemeka, DDL 2. The Jubilee: its Spiritual, Ecclesial and Social Significance in the Life of the Church. - Sr. Dr. Margaret Fagbamigbe, SsMA. 3. Transcending Despair and Embracing Hope - Rev. Sr. Eugenia Ijeoma Ejiogu, HHCJ Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus 4. Consecrated Persons and The Jubilee: Embracing Hope, Conversion and Reconciliation - Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu, PhD 5. The Teaching of Consecrated Life in Major Seminaries in the African Context: Its Needs, Challenges, and Prospects. - JudeMary Amgbeye, CMF 6. Priestly and Religious Vocations in the Light of Genesis (2:5-9): Insights and Actions for The Jubilee Year. - Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu, PhD & Michael Paul Pilani, PhD 7. The Practice of the works of Mercy as a sign of Hope and gratitude. - Fr. Daniel Chukwuemeka Ugwu, MDM 8. Serving the Common Good of Society: Reflections for the Socio- Political Transformation of Nigeria. - Efeturi A. Ojakaminor, OMV

2015

This essay explores commonalities in the faith and political spirituality of Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961) and Beyers Naude (1915-2004) on occasion of the hundredth birthday of "Oom Bey", as Beyers Naude was called by those who knew him well. It presents the theology of Naude and the spiritual dimensions of Hammarskjold in the context of political engagement taking forms of empathy and commitment towards social justice and respect for otherness. Using their statements, it shows the parallels in their thinking, which understood faith as politics and, at the same time, politics as a matter of faith. Thereby, this essay suggests that, despite their different roles as pastor in South Africa and as Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) during the times of decolonization on the African continent respectively, both converged to a large extent in the values motivating their active roles played also in the political arena of their times.