A Postmodern epistemology in the context of South Africa

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Introduction

What did apartheid take from us? Friendship, each other’s friendship – that we can know, understand and be involved with each other… Anton, a research participant: October 2015. The relationship between the Dutch Reformed Church1 and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa2 is closely connected to the history of South Africa, including 150 years of separation along racial lines between the two churches. The DRC’s involvement in the practice of apartheid, especially the theological argument which the church had over many years developed and defended, was painful to URCSA and often put relationships between the churches under severe strain. Eventually in the 1990s the DRC did come to the point of recognising the error of its ways, confessing the sin and heresy of apartheid, and apologising for the pain and humiliation the church had caused. But that the road to reconciliation and forgiveness would be long and demanding, was clear for all to see. South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994 officially marked the end of apartheid and the beginning of a new era for the country. As a white minister in the DRC, I have been ordained shortly after that. I grew up in a white church, and as a child of apartheid, I did not have much contact with black people – I did not know how black people lived, or how they experienced life. Although things are different now – white and black children go to school together, and white and black people work together on equal terms – in many Dutch Reformed congregations not much has changed.
The DRC and its black sister church, URCSA, are still two separate churches in spite of many attempts to heal the sins of the past, and to reunite the church into one body. It means that in the DRC and URCSA, black and white Christians seldom have the opportunity to share their faith, to pray together and to get to know one another on a spiritual level. For both black and white members, this causes an obstacle to fully experiencing God, and also impedes an understanding of each other. In 2000, I did narrative research with white DRC members who had to adapt to the new South Africa after apartheid. My research 3 had a narrative, pastoral approach. The participants experienced despair and shock after confronted with the revelations before the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission about the gross atrocities committed in the name of apartheid.
They also felt guilt for not knowing, or not wanting to know, about the violations of human rights that occurred in order to secure a privileged life for white people in South Africa. During the research, the DRC members were challenged to work through these issues in order to take responsibility for the past and to reach out to black South Africans. After completing the above research, I decided to continue with the process, by conducting narrative conversations in a pastoral way between black and white members of URCSA and the DRC, in order for them (us) to come to a better understanding of each other. In 2006, I attended a joint discussion between members of the DRC and URCSA in Ohrigstad. Prof Julian Müller (my promoter for thís research) facilitated the conversation in a narrative manner. During the conversation, I was struck by the trusting relationship between the respective members of the group, which benefited the poor, black community.
I also noticed a number of challenges that had to be faced, especially the unwillingness of a conservative group within the DRC to enter into a new relationship, as well as the issue of financial inequality, which hindered an equal relationship between URCSA and the DRC. Participants in the discussion were eager to overcome these challenges. After six years, Prof Müller contacted me, impressing upon me the need for further research, to study and evaluate the evolving relationship between the DRC and URCSA in Ohrigstad. Correspondence he had with the then minister of the DRC, showed that the efforts of co-operation between the two churches were ongoing, but that a conservative group in the DRC put strain on the relationship. I decided to conduct individual and group narrative conversations with members of both churches in Ohrigstad to explore the relationship. Prof Müller also invited me to become involved with the Ubuntu Project of the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Institutional Advancement. The project did research on the meaning and value of ubuntu in human and social development in Africa. I joined the theology research cluster, under leadership of Prof Müller, and the possibilities of ubuntu gave me a perspective from which to commence the research conversations.

Need for and significance of the study

In the South African context, the questions of racism, inequality, distrust and misunderstanding are as important as ever. Discussions in the media, events on campuses and political discourse in an election year led to numerous projects on enduring racism in the country being launched. For the church, it is important to challenge the discourse of racism and cultural hegemony on grass roots level, if the church and its members want to be part of the solution. In addition, the relationship between the DRC and URCSA has often been a relationship of haves and have-nots. One-sided financial aid – although well intentioned – engendered inequality and feelings of inferiority among the disadvantaged. Likewise, diversity in South Africa, with different cultures and languages, is celebrated for its vibrancy, but it often leads to distrust and misunderstanding. The DRC and URCSA, which represent both these groups, may play a significant role in confronting these issues.

Table of Contents :

• Chapter 1: Introduction
  • 1.1 Need for and significance of the study
  • 1.2 The Research question
  • 1.3 The secondary research questions
    • 1.3.1 Research questions regarding the theoretical framework
    • 1.3.2 Research questions regarding the historical context
    • 1.3.3 Research question regarding bridging gaps
  • 1.4 Objectives of this study
  • 1.5 Description of the research approach
    • 1.5.1 A qualitative study with co-researchers
    • 1.5.2 A narrative approach
    • 1.5.3 Interpretations of experiences are made with co-researchers
  • 1.6 Validity and ethical considerations
  • 1.7 Research procedures
  • 1.8 Chapter outline
• Chapter 2: A Postmodern epistemology in the context of South Africa
  • 2.1 A Postmodern approach: revising objective truth, knowledge and reason
  • 2.2 Discourse
  • 2.3 A Poststructural view on discourse
    • 2.3.1 Discourse and power in South Africa
    • 2.3.2 Deconstruction of power and knowledge
  • 2.4 Social construction discourse
  • 2.5 Cultural domination, race and poverty as social constructions
    • 2.5.1 Cultural domination
    • 2.5.2 Race as a social construct
    • 2.5.3 A discourse of poverty
  • 2.6 Conculsion
• Chapter 3: The contextual and prophetic consequences of a postmodern practical theology
  • 3.1 A spirituality of wholeness
  • 3.2 Communities of knowledge, contextual practice and human participation
    • 3.2.1 Communities of knowledge
    • 3.2.2 A contextual, practical theology
    • 3.2.3 Human participation and narrative practice
  • 3.3 A Prophetic stance
  • 3.4 Intercultural and interdisciplinary conversation
  • 3.5 Conclusion
• Chapter 4: Ubuntu language
  • 4.1 The meaning of the term ubuntu
  • 4.2 Ubuntu language as a discourse
  • 4.3 The way people talk about ubuntu language: past, present and future
    • 4.3.1 Ubuntu language as past tradition – restorative nostalgia
    • 4.3.2 Ubuntu language as present and future – reflective nostalgia
  • 4.4 Possibilities of ubuntu language
    • 4.4.1 Ubuntu language as vitality
    • 4.4.2 Ubuntu language as identity
    • 4.4.3 Ubuntu language as solidarity and humanity
    • 4.4.4 Ubuntu language as widening community
    • 4.4.5 Ubuntu language and individual responsibility
    • 4.4.6 Ubuntu language in dialogue with Christianity
  • 4.5 Conclusion
• Chapter 5: The Dutch Reformed Church and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa in the context of apartheid South Africa
  • 5.1 The role of the DRC since
  • 5.2 Voices of protest – Cottesloe, December
    • 5.2.1 The period after Cottesloe
    • 5.2.2 Critical voices from within the DRC Family
    • 5.2.3 Rustenburg – November
  • 5.3 After 1994 – a new era
    • 5.3.1 The DRC’s submission to the TRC
  • 5.4 After the TRC – new challenges
    • 5.4.1 Different experiences and different challenges
  • 5.5 The reunification process in the DRC Family
• Chapter 6: Conversations with members of the Dutch Reformed Church and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa in Ohrigstad: Narratives of trust and distrust
  • 6.1 A longstanding relationship
  • 6.2 The recent past
  • 6.3 The narratives of DRC and URCSA members in Ohrigstad
  • 6.4 Concluding remarks
• Chapter 7: Ubuntu language – helping us move forward
  • 7.1 Ubuntu language and discovering identity
  • 7.2 Ubuntu language – unleashing potential
  • 7.3 Ubuntu language as widening community
  • 7.4 Ubuntu language as solidarity and humanity
  • 7.5 Ubuntu language and taking responsibility
  • 7.6 Ubuntu language – bridging gaps between members of URCSA and the DRC in Ohrigstad
  • 7.7 Deconstructing subjugating discourses
    • 7.7.1 The discourse of race and otherness
    • 7.7.2 The discourse of rich and poor
    • 7.7.3 The discourse of language
    • 7.8 Summary
• Chapter 8: Reflections and final remarks
  • 8.1 Participants’ reflections on the narrative conversations
  • 8.2 Interdisciplinary reflection
  • 8.3 Final remarks
    • 8.3.1 The research questions
    • 8.3.2 Validity of the research
    • 8.3.3 Contribution of the research
    • 8.3.4 Possibilities for further research
  • Bibliography
  • Addendum
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