CAPE TOWN

a new view ISSUE 01 2015 #01
FREE GRATIS
CAPE TOWN
PERSPECTIVE
REVIEWS
SIMUNYE
SAVVY STUDENT
HOW MUCH
ARE YOU
WORTH?
MAJOZI
WHERE DO I
BELONG?
SURVIVING
THE EXAM
SLOG

who are we?
Hello!
Before I say anything else about Scope
Magazine, I want to thank you for taking some
time out of your busy schedule to give it a
read.
It’s fitting for us to launch our first edition
under the overarching title, ‘The Redefinition’
because this is precisely what we’re intending
to do this year. As the printed version is
going out onto university campuses across
the Western Cape, thousands of students
will be picking it up and reading about issues
that are prevalent in our culture today. Young
people will be engaging with issues from a
perspective that they may have never been
exposed to before, and our hope is that they
will consider a new definition of reality.
It’s important for you to know from the outset
that we will never impose a religious agenda
on you, nor force you to accept anything that
we publish. We truly respect your viewpoint
on the things that matter most in life and
would love to hear what you believe. Our
desire is to create a platform where those
with seemingly opposite worldviews still feel
like they can freely dialogue.
It is during these exciting varsity years that
you will start to solidify a framework of
belief that will shape the way you think and
be reflected in the way you live. I would
encourage you to come with an open mind
as you grapple with the questions that we all
need to ask, make time to hear how other
students and older folk around you answer,
and formulate a worldview that is true not
because it is accepted by the masses. You
have been blessed with the capacity to
think and now have ample opportunity to
investigate for yourself where Truth may be
found.
A central aim of Scope Magazine is to try
and show the scope that the Gospel has
to permeate into all spheres of life. Jesus
Christ was the best person to demonstrate
this. He associated with the religious elite as
much as the social outcasts of that day and
claimed to have the authority to deal with
the sin He recognised equally in both groups.
His purpose wasn’t to judge but rather save
sinners who believe that they are loved and
forgiven on the cross and can have eternal
life beyond this world by trusting in their
Saviour King.
There is so much more that can be said, but
that’s why we’ve got a website. Please head
on over there if you want to know anything
more about who we are and what exciting
things are happening online.
Much love,
JONATHAN JUST: EXECUTIVE EDITOR
CAPE TOWN
Issue 01, 2015, #01
d Scope Magazine
f @scopestudents
This copy may be transmitted
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or Scope Magazine.
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www.scopemagazine.co.za
Introducing students to a bigger scope of our world
today through the lens of the Bible.
ON THE FRONT
SIYASANGA HAYI
PHOTOGRAPHER
ANDREW JURIES
team
SEND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO: COMMUNICATIONS@SCOPEMAGAZINE.ORG.ZA
contributors
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MANAGING EDITOR
COPY EDITORS
PROOF READING
DESIGN
PHOTOGRAPHY
DISTRIBUTION
SECRETARY
JONATHAN JUST
MICHAEL JUST
CLAIRE MORRISON
JANELLE ARNOLD, HILARY PRICE
DARLINGTON MUSHAMBI
DANIELA HAMMOND
ANDREW JURIES
RHONWEN MILES
MAX QOYO
MAIN FEATURE JEREMY JAMES BRADFORD
ENGAGE DR. ELISABETTA PORCU & ELLIS H. POTTER
OUTLOOK CHRIS & SOPHIE DE WITT
PARADIGM SHIFT SINMILOLUWA ONYEBILANMA
REASON JOHN-PAUL HARPER
WHAT’S MY STORY? WADE PROFE
INTERVIEW DR. CHRIS WARTON
COMMUNITY BYRON FESTER
HELPFUL HINTS KATELYN MOSTERT

IDENTITY
contents
05
16
18
PERSPECTIVE
TESTIFY
WHO AM I?
03-04
WHAT’S MY STORY? / WADE PROFE
15
ENGAGE BUDDHISM
05
INTERVIEW / DR. CHRIS WARTON
16
COMPARISON & COMPETITION
06-07
HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH?
VARSITY PULSE
08
09
SIMUNYE
WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?
10
PLUGGED IN
17
COMMUNITY / WHERE DO I BELONG?
18
REVIEWS
RESOUND / MAJOZI
NEW TUNE / ANECNOTE
FOR YOUR READING / MIRROR MIRROR
11-12
13
14
SAVVY STUDENT
RHYMES & RECIPES
SURVIVING THE EXAM SLOG
19
20-21
THE FIRST WORD
HEY THERE,
I am so glad you picked up this first
issue of Scope Magazine (you must
obviously have really good taste). It
is a free publication for students that
gets printed and distributed once a
semester.
“
I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE
YOU TO REALLY
QUESTION AND
REFLECT ON WHAT
MAKES YOU, YOU.
As the work mounts up and the
exams are upon us, I hope you have
a little time to take a break from
the pressure and reflect on the
idea of your identity. As you read
through this edition, ask yourself
the question: what do you base your
identity on?
Everyone we see around us is trying
to find who they are as a person,
looking for confirmation from
others. Chris and Sophie de Witt
(on page 6 and 7) outline how we
use comparison and competition
to define ourselves in relation to
others and how this ultimately leads
to dissatisfaction. Byron Fester
looks at how our identity is forged
around our need for belonging in
community and we can find the best
expression of this in church (page
18). In our main feature, Jeremy
James Bradford honestly shows
how we have wrongly dehumanised
others in order to validate our own
importance.
Most of the things we find in our
identity leave us insecure and
unstable, both in ourselves and also
communally with others. You don’t
have to look far to see the effects of
this in our broken and unjust society.
There is one thing, however, that we
can base our identity on that will
never be shaken. “He alone is my
rock and my salvation, my fortress;
I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 62:6)
God offers an alternative to what our
identity can be, found in Jesus.
I want to encourage you to really
question and reflect on what makes
you, you. Are you fulfilled and happy
with who you are, not just with what
you do? God, who is your Creator,
knows your heart and loves you. He
has given you promises that you can
hold onto now, and for the rest of
your days.
SIGNING OFF,
CLAIRE MORRISON
MANAGING EDITOR
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself;
it is thinking of yourself less.” (C.S. Lewis)

PERSPECTIVE
MAIN FEATURE
I
remember walking home from university on a clear
day, pretty typical of Cape Town summer weather.
I came up to an intersection with traffic lights and
pressed the pedestrian crossing button. As I waited
for the light to change, I noticed a man walking between
the cars holding a sign asking for money or some food.
On the rare occasion car windows opened to offer help
while others simply closed. The majority, however, had
come up with a strategy of ignoring the beggar despite
his efforts to make eye contact with them. And while I
was watching this pattern unfold, I began to realise that
this behaviour is something that I do as well. I turn my
eyes away because I understand on a human level what it
means to look at someone. If I made eye contact I would
recognise not a beggar but a human.
This interaction happens on a daily basis. In most
institutions there are invisible people, invisible not to
the eye but to the soul, people with stories and lives,
seen but never heard. The invisibility of these people
is the objectification of them. It is the reduction of
these lives to nothing more than what meets the eye.
Objectification is the determining of people’s values
based on their appearances and how ‘useful’ they are
to you. Objectification makes people invisible because
the only thing one ‘sees’ is an object and not a human.
Objectification, simply put, is the dehumanisation of
someone else – the making of an-other into an ‘other’.
In the Gospel of John we read a story of Jesus
encountering a Samaritan woman at a well. 1 The political
context of the time was one in which women were
considered inferior to men and Samaritans inferior to
Jews. It was against the political and social customs
of the time for Jews to interact with
Samaritans and for women to interact
with men in this particular setting. But
Jesus, who is a Jewish man, does. What
is of utmost significance is Jesus’ ability
to look beyond the woman’s political identity
and see her as more than an ‘other’. He
treated her with humility and empathy, asking
her questions about her life, recognising her humanity.
It might seem strange to use this type of language, but
what is of interest is the dismay of the disciples when
they witness Christ speaking with her. It is this dismay
that points to the political and social objectification of
other people. What Christ did in this instance was, to
quote Rick Turner, “be open to other people and to react
to them and their needs, not in terms of preconceived,
stereotyped ideas and attitudes, but afresh in each new
situation. To be able to love other persons is to be able
to communicate with them, to be open to their
way of seeing the world. It is to go directly
to the person, rather than to the role or
stereotype.” 2
THE SLAVE MASTER WAS
NEVER FREE
What are the ethics
behind objectification?
I wish to continue
to draw on Rick
Turner’s work as
he speaks about
BY JEREMY JAMES BRADFORD
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ISSUE 1, 2015

transcendental ethics over and above
an internal ethics. The latter
refers to a code of ethics that is
determined by relationships and
institutions while the former
refers to an ethic that transcends this. In the case of a
slave-master relationship, internal ethics and morality
“
PRIVILEGE FEEDS PRIDE AND PRIDE
FEEDS PRIVILEGE. PRIVILEGE IS
EXPRESSED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES
OF THOSE THAT ARE HURTING,
THOSE THAT ARE MARGINALISED
AND OPPRESSED.
would be structured around how the master and the
slave interact in relation to each other. The master could
then be seen as a ‘good’ master should he or she treat
the slave well, and a ‘bad’ master would do the opposite.
However, when one applies an ethics that transcends the
structure, it allows for one to call into question the slavemaster
structure entirely. A transcendental ethics would
argue that there is no such thing as a good master or a
bad master, because being a master of anyone is wrong.
In fact, the ‘good’ master would be considered to be just
as bad, if not worse than the ‘bad’ master, because the
‘good’ master makes the unjust structure bearable
for the slave and therefore limits the
slave’s conception of freedom to that
particular system. In the same way, the
master is only free insofar as the there
are slaves, and therefore the master’s
freedom is dependent on the slave. In fact
the master is a slave to the political and
social structures that he or she is
surrounded by.
In South Africa the brutality
and oppression of Colonialism
and Apartheid were horrific. It
was not only violence done against
bodies, but violence against languages
and cultures. It was a violence of instilling
an inferiority complex into people to ensure
the superiority of another. It was a system
that produced, as Rick Turner argues, “white
lords and black slaves, and no human
beings” 3 . The existence
of white people in South
Africa was founded on the
negation of others, such that one
can only be a master if there is a
slave. One can only be rich if there
are poor, beautiful if there are ugly,
intelligent if there are stupid, and
white if there are blacks.
PRIVILEGE MAKES IT EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO PASS
THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE
“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven.” 4 Privilege prevents one from listening to and
loving those who are oppressed. Privilege feeds pride
and pride feeds privilege. Privilege is expressed in not
being able to understand the experiences of those that
are hurting, those that are marginalised and oppressed.
Oppression is not always visible and privilege makes it
even more difficult to see and understand it, and often
listening to those who are in fact oppressed is the only
way to begin to see it. The Kingdom of Heaven is for
those who give up their privilege for the sake of others.
Privilege is what allows for a statue to silence the
voices of many. Privilege allows one to never have to
meet the person but only the roles and stereotypes of
people. Privilege is being enslaved by the social and
political structure of society at a particular time. Privilege
deafens us to listening to how other people experience
reality. Privilege makes us believe that people want to be
like me – rich, educated, white, male and so on and so
forth. Privilege is believing that we hold the solution to
problems without having to acknowledge that privileged
people are problematic. It is obvious why it is so hard for
a privileged person to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,
because privilege makes us believe we are loving when
in fact we are limiting others’ conceptions of freedom to
accepting the status quo, which is an oppressive status
quo.
Take some time to read the Bible and as you do you will
find that God is for the oppressed, opposed to the rich
and prideful, and in Jesus Christ He has shown the best
example of one who interacts and loves those that are
marginalised. If you are white and/or middle to upper
class, be honest with who you are in the Bible. At times
I identify more with the Pharisees wanting to protect
tradition and social norms, while Christ tries to change
these for His Kingdom and for the oppressed. I think
many people upon entering heaven will be surprised to
find that Christ is not a white man.
Ignoring the beggar at the car window is possibly an
indication of trying to protect privilege and maintain
social norms. Could I ask you to pray that we would work
with Christ in loving each other beyond what is socially
acceptable?
ENDNOTES
1) John 4:1-42
2) Rick Turner, Eye of the
Needle
3) Rick Turner, Black
Consciousness and White
Liberalism
4) Matthew 19:24
JEREMY JAMES
BRADFORD
is an undergraduate
student at the University of Cape Town
studying towards a Psychology and
Sociology Major. He has aspirations
of becoming an academic in either
Sociology or Psychology, specific to
post-colonial theory. He enjoys playing
frisbee and reading.
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PERSPECTIVE
ENGAGE
“
ACCORDING TO THE
BUDDHIST TEACHINGS,
EVERYTHING IS
IMPERMANENT, INCLUDING
ONE’S OWN SELF.
DR. ELISABETTA PORCU
TEACHES ASIAN RELIGIONS
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
RELIGIOUS STUDIES AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN.
HER FIELD OF SPECIALISATION
IS JAPANESE RELIGIONS.
According to the Buddha’s hagiography,
after having spent 29 years in his luxurious
palace away from all the suffering and
anxieties of this world, the historical Buddha
(Siddhartha Gautama) decided to take four
rides with his charioteer. It was then for the
first time that he encountered an old person,
a sick person, a dead body, and a religious
mendicant. The charioteer explained to
him that old age, sickness, and death are
common to all individuals, and, at that
point, Siddhartha Gautama decided to leave
his palace and began a religious path that
brought him to attain awakening and thus
become a Buddha (“The Awakened One”).
The Buddha realised that his luxurious life
was linked to attachment to both mundane
things and his own ego (self). In his first
sermon, he taught that life is suffering and
suffering is caused by attachment. However,
suffering can be ended by removing the
cause of attachment.
According to the Buddhist teachings,
everything is impermanent, including one’s
own self. It is precisely by recognising and
understanding this impermanence that it is
possible to reach the stage of awareness
called awakening or enlightenment. Through
the teachings of the Buddha the original idea
of the self (ātman) still present in Hinduism
was thus transformed into the concept of
“non-self” (anātman), which is one of the
three marks of existence in Buddhism, the
other being impermanence (anitya) and
suffering (dukkha).
WHAT IS THE
BUDDHIST’S
FRAMEWORK OF
THINKING WHEN IT
COMES TO THE NOTION
OF ‘SELF’?
PURE LAND
BUDDHISM IN
MODERN JAPANESE
CULTURE
“
“
ELLIS H. POTTER
IS AN INDEPENDANT
MISSIONARY TEACHER LIVING
IN BASEL, SWITZERLAND.
HE WAS A ZEN BUDDHIST
FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE
BECOMING A CHRISTIAN.
IN CHRISTIANITY
RELATIONSHIPS
SUCH AS LOVE ARE
ABSOLUTE AND
ETERNAL.
Buddhism is a Monistic worldview,
believing in the basic unity of all reality. This
can be expressed by very inviting phrases
such as “All is One” or “You are one with the
ALL.” If all is One, then the SELF is all. So
the SELF itself is the framework of everything
and it is everything. If all is One then unity
is good and diversity is a distortion or
illusion. Diversity is necessary for thinking
because thinking involves relating one thing
to another. So, the Buddhist’s framework is
not a framework for thinking but for being.
A Buddhist doesn’t want to think about the
notion of ‘self’ but to be SELF. Wanting
or desire is a function of diversity and
relationships, so when a Buddhist realises
Buddha Nature they no longer want to think
or want anything. They simply are in the
non-relational Bliss of Unity.
Christianity, in contrast, is not a Monistic
worldview, but a Trinitarian one in which
both unity AND diversity are absolute. In this
worldview, thinking is valid on every level
of existence. Diversity and relationships
are also valid. The Christian framework
3 THEORIES OF
EVERYTHING
of thinking when it comes to the notion of
‘self’ is a framework of relationships. This
means that the ‘self’ has meaning only
in relationship to ‘other’. In Christianity
relationships such as love are absolute and
eternal. The Christian framework supports
thinking.
Although our question does not invite a
description of Christianity, perhaps we can
understand “the Buddhist’s framework
of thinking when it comes to the notion
of ‘self’” by talking about what it is not.
The absolute starting point of the Biblical
worldview is a Personal God. What the Bible
means by “personal” is not only identity
but relationships. In a Trinitarian reality
personality is beyond identity only and in
relationships. So, in the Christian framework,
our personal relationships in the creation
have a ground outside of the creation in the
absolute Personal Creator. Christians don’t
hope to transcend relationships but to fulfill
them in the context of a truly personal God
who loves us.
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PERSPECTIVE
OUTLOOK
ave you ever been to the shopping
centre, passing someone as you
quickly give him/her an up-anddown
scan? It’s just a two second
H
appraisal. And as you look at
them, the truth is, they are also probably
doing the same thing.
What are we doing? We’re comparing
ourselves with each other. How does my
figure match up to hers? Does he seem as
confident/cool/effortless as me? On these
measuring scales do I win, compared to
them? Or do I lose?
Why do we do it? Essentially we tell ourselves
what I’m after is to make sure I’ve got more
of something than others, so that I can feel
significant, satisfied and secure about who
I am. Comparison and competition is the
compulsive measuring of myself against the
standard of others, desiring to be better.
LOOKING UP AND LOOKING DOWN
When we compare ourselves to others we
will either ‘win’ or ‘lose’. If we lose, we’ll find
ourselves doing a ‘looking up’ comparison.
We might think, “His life is so much more
interesting than mine,” or, “She is so much
more confident than me.” If we win, then
we’ll do a ‘looking down’ comparison,
proudly thinking: “I just take better care of
my appearance than her,” and, “I would never
let my life become as disorganised as his.”
‘Looking up’ comparisons and ‘looking down’
comparisons each produce a different set of
symptoms.
How do you feel when you compare and
compete and come off worse? Perhaps
you will recognise some of the ‘looking up’
symptoms:
Inadequacy, despair, self-pity: this may be
fleeting or it may be more profound. You’re
not the person you want to be. You’re just not
good enough.
Envy: it’s not fair. They’ve got what you want.
And you dislike them a little for having it. How
come they get to have what you need to be
satisfied?
Anxiety or insecurity: You’re not doing as well
as others. If only you were as confident, or
wealthy, or energetic or loved as that friend,
there’d be no need to worry. But you’re not.
Guilt: you’ve let others down. You’re failing
the ones you love. So perhaps they won’t
keep loving you now…
Bitterness, grumbling: we can get bitter with
other people, and grumble about all sorts
of things. But in the Bible, bitterness and
grumbling tend to be directed at God. ‘Why
did God give me this life when he has given
so much more to others?’ and this can lead
us to ignoring God altogether – because if
there was a God, he would’ve made you more
like the other person.
Here are the symptoms of ‘looking down’
comparisons:
Pride, arrogance: You’re just so much better
than that girl. You would never let your hair/
marks/boyfriend look like that. Well done to
you for getting where you are. When we see
this kind of self-congratulation in others,
we usually call it arrogance. When I see it in
myself, I like to call it ‘self-confidence’! The
Bible calls it ‘pride’.
Superiority: Pride in yourself leads to a sense
of superiority over others. After all, you’ve got
what he hasn’t, so you are, in a sense, better
than him, aren’t you?
Inverted superiority: You’re glad you aren’t >
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OUTLOOK
as arrogant as her. You feel superior that you
don’t feel as superior as them!
Insecurity and anxiety: You’re doing better
than him, but how about the next person you
compare yourself to? What if they’re doing
better than you?
THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE
Each day we look up and we look down, and
feel anxious and self-sufficient, guilty and
proud, despairing and smug. What we don’t
feel is the sense of significance, satisfaction
or security that we’re searching for as we
compare ourselves to others. One of the
things I find the most unsettling about the
Bible, but also the most liberating, is that it
calls things for what they are. ‘A great air of
confidence’ to God is ‘arrogance’; a desire
to be self-sufficient. He describes people
who are “arrogant and never at rest … never
satisfied” 1 .
Perhaps you’re someone who always feels the
“
COMPARISON AND
COMPETITION IS THE
COMPULSIVE MEASURING
OF MYSELF AGAINST THE
STANDARD OF OTHERS,
DESIRING TO BE BETTER.
need to be better – and, let’s be honest, it’s
exhausting. You struggle to admit to yourself
that someone does something better than
you, because that will undermine your whole
self-image and your sense of significance.
Your identity is based on the idea that you
are better than others. This comparison and
competition is ultimately caused by our desire
to put ‘me’ at the centre of the universe,
and at the centre of our hearts, to feel more
significant for our own satisfaction. Being
made by God, uniquely formed by Him in His
image isn’t where we find our significance,
but rather it is by measuring ourselves
against others. In the end, the treatment
to this problem is as wonderful as it is
challenging. It can be summed up simply as:
let God be God. Instead of pushing God out of
the centre of our lives, the cure is to reverse
this by restoring God to His rightful place,
finding all we need in Him.
A SOBERING VIEW OF SELF
Seeing ourselves as we really are doesn’t stop
there. It involves not only seeing that we are
not God; it means confessing that we have
lived thinking that we are God, and He isn’t.
The Bible calls this sin.
Sin is an unpopular concept in our culture,
which tends to tell us that the answer to our
problems and worries is to build ourselves up.
The Bible does the opposite of this: it shows
us that we are worse than what we think.
If I’m honest, God’s way of looking at me is
far more accurate than mine. When I honestly
look at my own heart, at the pride and envy
and bitterness that live there, I begin to see
that I am truly what God says I am: a sinner.
That’s the reality. It’s depressing. But at least
it’s real. And in that sense, it’s liberating to
know that I’m a sinner. If it were simply left
at this, we would have to continue comparing
and competing for significance or simply
despair. The good news is that God hasn’t left
us here and by letting God be God we can ask
Him to be our Saviour.
Ephesians 2 verse 5 says that God “made us
alive with Christ even when we were dead in
our transgressions”. That’s how significant
you are. God loves you enough not to leave
you facing His punishment. In Christ, He came
and lived and died and rose as a man so that
you could be made alive.
That’s how loved you are. No one can love
us any better, any more, than the Lord Jesus
who gave up heaven and experienced hell for
His people. If this is you, that’s the value God
places on your head, simply because of His
great love. It’s not image, circumstances or
achievements that affects how He sees you.
It’s God choosing to love us and you enjoying
the blessing of being with Him forever.
ENDNOTES
1) Habakkuk 2:5
CHRIS & SOPHIE
DE WITT
are happily married and have
three children: Molly, Zach
and Joseph. Chris is an associate pastor at the
Message Church in Mowbray. Sophie has written
“Compared to Her,” a book on comparison and
the biblical solutions for women. Chris is in the
process of writing a book on competition and
comparison specifically for men.
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ISSUE 1, 2015

PERSPECTIVE
PARADIGM SHIFT
How much are
you worth?
BY SINMILOLUWA ONYEBILANMA
When I was a child, my aunt used to send us many books
to add to our family library. I remember one of these
books called “The girl with no name”. It traced the steps
of a girl who had temporarily lost her memory and had to
somehow find out not only who she was but where she was
heading. I remember clearly the deep sense of relief I got
when the book reached its end and the girl was reunited with
her family. It was as if something that had been naggingly
floating in my mind had come to a rest. It was such a
harrowing feeling to imagine walking around with no name
and no identity.
The truth is that our names are one of the things that give
us a starting point. A name is the first thing the excited
child wants to know as he peers curiously at the baby in his
mother’s arms. It provides an assurance that we mattered
to someone upon entry into this world. And as the years
go by, we begin to place value on ourselves based on the
experiences we go through.
“
YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE OR AN
AFTERTHOUGHT LACKING ANYTHING
IN YOUR MAKE-UP, BUT INSTEAD
HAVE BEEN MADE WITH SUCH
CREATIVE COMPLEXITY POINTING TO
YOUR CREATOR.
Unfortunately, because of bad influences at home and lack of
validation growing up, that and what we see, hear and read in
the media, there is this subtle understanding that you need to
prove that you matter in this world. So you try hard but never
seem to meet the mark and come away feeling useless.
But where does our worth really lie? The worth of a creation
is directly linked to the worth placed on it by its Creator. One
just has to look at designer label products which are often
set apart from other products (with hefty price differences!)
simply due to the name of the designer that appears on them.
When we take a look at the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:26,
He basically says that because God will tenderly take care of
the birds of the air, how much more does He promises to take
care of us who are more valuable to Him than birds. Psalm
139:14 is another great place to be reminded of the worth He
places on each person’s life, where the psalmist praises God
because he is “fearfully and wonderfully made”. You are not a
mistake or an afterthought lacking anything in your make-up,
but instead have been made with such creative complexity
pointing to your Creator.
It is natural for us to want to know what inherent worth we
have as human beings, realising our value beyond what we
are capable of doing. Whatever we think that is will breed our
identity. John 1 verse 12-13 says that “to all who received
[Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right
to become children of God- children not born of natural
descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born
of God.”
These verses highlight a number of key truths about what
identity in Jesus will look like. Firstly, God freely gives anyone
the right to become one of His children by not only believing
but also receiving (in other words accepting) the new life He
wants to bring in their lives. Secondly, it is not an identity
instigated or manufactured by men, but it is God Himself who
says: “Over and above who you think you are, this is who I
have made you.” Lastly, the new title given (‘child of God’)
encompasses a name, a place, and purpose for life. Based on
the fact that God does not change, neither does this identity
found in Christ.
It is liberating to know that our value – and hence identity
– is not marked by what we wear, eat and buy, how well
we exercise, what results or achievements we get, our
relationships or past experiences. Until we see that our worth
is given to us by the God who made us, we will continue to
weigh our value against the wrong benchmarks. Be glad! Your
Maker has created you fearfully and wonderfully. Today you
can become a child of God.
SINMILOLUWA ONYEBILANMA
is a commerce student at the University of Cape Town.
She is currently in her second year of study and finds
Cape Town mornings worth the early rise. She enjoys
being around children and cannot get over God’s incredible love and
power. She is proudly Nigerian which means food must be extra chilli.
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA 0 8

PERSPECTIVE
VARSITY PULSE
How do the recent
xenophobic attacks
in South Africa
show a failure to see
who we could be
as a multicultural
country?
BY HILARY PRICE
M WORD
ON THE TWEET
@mailandguardian
After the recent #xenophobic violence in SA the
#NewYorkTimes wrote that 5m immigrants call
South Africa home.
@SakinaKamwendo
#Afrophobia or #Xenophobia, it is equally
abhorrent. I’m ashamed of fellow South Africans
who are perpetrating these attacks. #notinmyname
I spent some time on UCT campus
informally asking groups of students this
question. I don’t claim to have gleaned a
broad or balanced picture of the opinions
that these students hold on these issues,
but the students I did interview had some
every interesting comments. Generally,
they viewed the outbreak of xenophobia
as intensely disappointing for South
Africa. Multiculturalism, though desirable
in most of the student’s opinions, was
not seen as related to the causes of
xenophobia. Many identified poverty,
frustration, lacks of jobs and other
structural socioeconomic problems as
the root problem of xenophobia. Here
are some memorable quotes from the
discussions which followed:
“I feel like we are going in reverse
instead of progressing as a
country... We have this reputation as
peacemakers internationally, it’s sad
we’re losing that.” – Sandra Z, 2nd yr
BSc applied Bio & EGS
“This othering – it goes against what
we want to embody as a rainbow
nation.” -Monette B, 2rd yr law
“Moments like these show how
privileged we are with education – but
this is an assumption [that lack of
education causes xenophobia]. But I
do think that education changes the
way you think about social issues.”
– Lungile H and Marang M, 3rd yr
Bcomm ACC
“Deep inside people they are
harbouring resentment, just below the
surface, and the xenophobia is where
it’s showing.” - anonymous
“This is the cost of this ‘proudly South
African’ bull****. Pushing this national
identity has come at the expense
of dealing with underlying issues.”
– anonymous
“As a non-South African, even at UCT,
there’s an attitude that always reminds
me that I’m foreign. Most of my friends
end up being from other African
countries; we can see we’re different.”
– Karl K Honours in FApm
Xenophobia is not condoned in the Bible.
When someone becomes a Christian,
they are called citizens in the Kingdom
of Heaven with God as their Father.
Nationality, race, ethnicity, culture and
any other identities that could cause
separation become secondary. Galatians
3:27-28 is clear that “for all of you who
were baptised into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ. There is neither
Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor
free, nor is there male and female, for
you are all one in Christ Jesus.” It’s a
beautiful thing to see people embracing
this truth, where students who come to
university from many foreign countries
across multiple people groups can enjoy
a oneness in their knowledge and love
for Jesus. Yet even though this is the
case for some, it does not change the
reality of widespread discrimination still
happening for a number of expatriates in
our country.
Mark 12:31 is a clear command from
Jesus to “love your neighbour as
yourself.” During the 2008 xenophobic
attacks, the church (but not only the
church) was particularly good at this,
providing shelter, safety and food for
many victims of the violence. We need
to continue promoting this principle in
South Africa, whether that be through
welcoming foreigners or trying to
address the structural and social issues
at the heart of xenophobia in South
African communities.
@NDzedze
South Africa WHY Have we been led to allow
Xenophobia to resurface? A good leader would
NEVER... #SayNoToXenophobia
@lead_sa
Black, white, Asian, Coloured. Inside, we are all the
same #NoToXenophobia @947Crew
@DonUe
The Church cannot and must not be silent or
passive in this crisis. Speak, do!
@timkellernyc
Culture is never so bad that it can’t be redeemed,
nor so good that it can’t be critiqued.
@CSLewisU
You find out the strength of a wind by trying to
walk against it, not by lying down. #CSLewisU
@QuotableYancey
All too often the church holds up a mirror
reflecting back the society around it, rather than a
window revealing a different way.
@MahaneySports
“We have seen a broad shift from a culture of
humility to the culture of what you might call the
Big Me.” @nytdavidbrooks
@JohnPiper
“The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the
heart.” 1Samuel 16:7
KEEP TWEETING @SCOPESTUDENTS WITH #ANEWVIEW
0 9
ISSUE 1, 2015

REVIEWS
RESOUND
MAJOZI
MAKING HIS MARK WHERE IT MATTERS MOST
BY JONATHAN JUST
Truth Coffee Roasting in Cape Town is buzzing
with caffeine lovers and surrounding steampunk
décor. It feels like I have just stepped into an
almost other-worldly atmosphere as I eagerly wait to
meet Majozi.
I see him wearing his trusty Simon and Mary hat, and
coming across with a very approachable demeanour.
We take our seats and start some casual
conversation, but it’s not long before I rattle off my first
two questions: “Where are you from and when did you
start making music?”
“I’m from a little place called Mount Edgecombe
in Durban and I started making music, well I started
playing guitar, when I was thirteen,” he begins. “I
started making music more seriously around 2011 just
recording stuff with my iPad.”
Nhlanhla Majozi (or just Majozi as he prefers to be
called) has received recent acclaim with singles like
‘The River’, ‘Someday’ and ‘Fire’ which have made him a
standard feature on mainstream radio stations like 5FM
and KFM. Signing with record label Universal Records,
he’s released his second EP entitled ‘Mountains’ which
has been available on iTunes since the end of March.
Though clearly a gifted musician who incorporates a
unique combination of folk, indie and electro into his
set, what strikes me most about Majozi is his downto-earth
humility.
Interested to hear what inspired him to become a
songwriter in the first place, he answers candidly:
“I’m not good with much else so I enjoy writing songs
and I found that it was a good way to express myself.
I actually found feelings within myself that I didn’t
even know how to express to myself, if that makes any
sense? It sounds like I don’t know what I’m thinking in
my head. Honestly, a lot of the times I don’t know. Only
1 1
ISSUE 1, 2015

“
THOUGH CLEARLY A GIFTED MUSICIAN WHO
INCORPORATES A UNIQUE COMBINATION
OF FOLK, INDIE AND ELECTRO INTO HIS SET,
WHAT STRIKES ME MOST ABOUT MAJOZI IS HIS
DOWN-TO-EARTH HUMILITY.
when I start writing things down and sing it I actually
realise what’s in my heart and I guess that inspired me
to be a songwriter.”
It’s not easy for local South African musicians to
actually pursue a career in music, so what made him
decide to take this bold leap into becoming a full time
musician?
“Long story short, I recorded an EP with a friend. You
know, I just wanted to record something so that I could
say that I’ve put it onto iTunes, and it was actually
well received. One thing led to another and I got some
support from guys at church and just went for it.”
If you hadn’t guessed it already, Majozi is a professing
Christian. Many, either consciously or subconsciously,
have this idea of a society divided into the categories of
‘sacred’ and ‘secular’, but is it possible for something
or someone to bridge this gap? Majozi and other local
mainstream artists like Matthew Mole and Gangs of
Ballet who are also followers of Jesus have shown
that it is. They have opened their music up for anyone
to enjoy, and have brought something refreshingly
different to the music scene in the process. But what is
Majozi’s reason for broadening his reach?
“You listen to the radio and you listen to the songs
and a lot of the time the songs are catchy and I love
that. I love listening to the radio. It’s embarrassing
the songs that I like. It always used to bother me that
the material and the meaning behind the songs are so
shallow and one-sided and then I realised that they
were just singing about what they believed…
and I was like, why can’t I do the same? You
know, why should I be ashamed? Why can’t
I sing commercial songs and sing what I
believe? Not necessarily sing Christian
contemporary music, just sing music
that everyone likes and have what I
believe in it because that’s what everyone
does. That’s what Nicki Minaj does. That’s
what Drake does. They sing about what
they believe, so that’s what I want
to do and sing to everyone.”
Those who wouldn’t
normally be interested
in listening to ‘Christian
music’ in the past are
being exposed to a new
and perhaps more
attractive form of what
this could sound like. Excellent production matched
with creative lyrics salted with the truths of the Bible
is inviting more people into a new perception of reality.
Not only is the word ‘Jesus’ tattooed on Majozi’s body,
but Jesus is also honoured in the words of his music.
There is a definite anthem of hope that rings through a
number of his songs, probably most poignantly in ‘The
River’. Here is an extract from the chorus: “Sometimes
life it feels like a cancer and there’s no reason to love.
But I tell you now you will find the answer in the God
who came from above.”
Majozi has been active in the local music scene for
about two years now. The question I pose to him is how
he has been able to hold to his identity as a Christian
in an industry that could easily try to squeeze him into
something that he’s not.
“Luckily working in the church made me, I don’t want
to say pretty strong, but it gave me a good foundation,”
he shares. “I’ve always had a good foundation growing
up and people around me when I go back home after
touring are very supportive. They understand what I’m
trying to do so I don’t want to say I’m super strong but
God has given me the strength and He has prepared
me through a lot of things for this.”
He ends on an honest note: “There was a time when
I thought about becoming a full-time musician, but I
was like there’s no ways I can do it now. I think now it
just seems like the right time and I’ll see how it goes.
Maybe something will happen but I can handle it now.”
Things are indeed happening for Majozi.
And even though this talented musician
is becoming a well-known name in
South Africa, it is his openness and
love for God that has made the
biggest impact on me.
Go and get his sixsong
EP, Mountains, on
iTunes – scan this
d e b Nhlanhla Majozi
JONATHAN JUST
graduated from UCT
at the end of 2013.
He is chasing after
his dream of becoming a publisher and
is a squash player and coach at a few
schools close to where he lives. Jesus
has redefined who he is today.
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA 1 2

REVIEWS
NEW TUNE
What do you get when you mix
five individuals from diverse
backgrounds, a love for smooth vocals,
and what was once considered “the purest
form of music”? I would like to introduce
you to AnecNote, the Cape Town-based
a cappella super group that seem to be
hitting all the right notes on the local scene.
They are Daniel Nambassi, Kevin Smuts,
Morne Kuhts, Leah Adams and Emma de
Goede. The group’s name, in case you
missed it, is a play on the word ‘anecdote’.
This, says Nambassi, fits well because they
aim to convey short little stories through
their music. They have only been together
since early 2014 but, despite this, have
enjoyed great success. Some highlights
include a live performance on the KFM
Morning Show with Ryan O’Connor,
shining at Kirstenbosch Gardens during
the Christmas season last year, and being
invited to sing at a TEDx Cape Town event
which happened in the Cape Town City
Hall.
AnecNote was co-founded by Daniel
Nambassi and Kevin Smuts, two students
from the UCT Music School. Drawn
together by their love for contemporary a
cappella music, they decided to start their
own group. As they were looking around
they soon came across Morne Kuhts who
does the bass vocals but were still in need
of some treble. It didn’t take long for them
to meet Leah Adams and Emma de Goede
through mutual friends and they have been
blending their voices ever since.
WHAT MAKES ANECNOTE SO SPECIAL?
According to Nambassi, “What makes us a
unique force is the fact that the five of us
come from very different backgrounds, yet
when we join to make one sound we get to
“
A CAPPELLA SINGING
IS NOT EASY, YET
ANECNOTE MAKE IT
LOOK EFFORTLESS.
be part of something beautiful.”
The diversity in each singer’s upbringing
and musical background makes AnecNote
original as a unit. Individually they have
explored different genres ranging from
classical and folk through to jazz and
instrumental music, and each member has
this to bring to the table. It’s evident in their
selection and arrangement of songs. Some
of their favourite cover songs to perform
are “Problem” by Arianna Grande and “Fix
You” by Coldplay.
A cappella singing is not easy, yet
AnecNote make it look effortless.
Nambassi says it’s all about listening and
trust. “In order to make something sound
harmonious, the five of us have to listen
very carefully to each other. We also have
to trust each other. Trust is a skill that can
be hard to master.”
ON A HIGH NOTE
AnecNote believes God is to be honoured
in everything they do, both in their
performances and practice sessions
but also in their everyday lives. They are
thankful for the opportunity God has given
them to develop their skills and share their
talents with others.
If you would like a taste of what they
have done, go and find them on YouTube.
For bookings and more info email info@
anecnote.com. Stay in the loop about all
things AnecNote on Twitter and Facebook.
JOSH
GARRELS
ALEX FAITH & DRE
MURRAY
NF
KB
HOME
SOUTHERN LIGHTS:
OVEREXPOSED
MANSIONS
TOMORROW WE LIVE
Another original alternative folk
jam by an artist who shares his
unique perception of what God
has to say about the idea of
home. Pop into noisetrade.com to
get the full album for free (score!).
Collision Records never cease to
disappoint and the same can be
said about their latest offering.
Emcees Alex Faith and Dre
Murray tackle socially conscious
issues like love, race and faith
with sound production that’s
second to none.
If one was to describe NF’s first
full album in one word, ‘raw’
is probably about right. With
razor-sharp honesty about the
metaphorical mansions that we
often build to give us a false
sense of security, it’s straight
down the line rap.
Pumping beats and insane
lyrical flow is what you can come
to expect from Reach Records
hip hop artist, KB. This, his
second album, may also surprise
you with a few slower songs
and interesting collaborations
thrown in the mix.
1 3
ISSUE 1, 2015

REVIEWS
FOR YOUR READING
“
MIRROR MIRROR GRAHAM BEYNON
160 PAGES, + - R170
Y
ou’re worth it. Become a
better, slimmer you. Buick
makes you feel the man you
are. The Relentless Pursuit of
Perfection. Be all you can be...
We are constantly being
bombarded with slogans that tell
us what we should be, what we
should own, and how we should
value ourselves.
We have been given
worldly scales by which to
measure ourselves based
on achievements, looks or
intelligence. I admit that how I
GRAHAM BEYNON
SUGGESTS THAT
THERE IS ANOTHER
WAY WE MUST
SEE AND VALUE
OURSELVES,
ANOTHER MIRROR
WITH WHICH TO
LOOK AT.
value myself changes from hour
to hour as I compare myself to
the various people around me.
Our identities are hardly stable.
Our self-worth is constantly
under threat. In his book, Mirror
Mirror, Graham Beynon suggests
that there is another way we
must see and value ourselves,
another mirror with which to
look at.
This ‘mirror’ is God’s word
and it does not offer us the
‘good’ self-image that the world
has told us we need, but a right
self-image. James 1:23-24 says
that the Bible, God’s word, is like
a mirror. We look into it and see
what we are really like - warts
and all. It is there where you will
find who you really are, not from
culture, but from God.
Beynon has written this
book specifically with young
adults in mind as he discusses
how we carve out an identity
in our battles with bad selfimage.
It skilfully analyses
contemporary pop psychology
of self-worth and compares it
to that of the Bible in a manner
that is accessible and friendly,
yet remarkably insightful and
challenging. This terrific book
paints an accurate picture of
who we truly are. It’s a quick
and easy read that doesn’t
come across as ‘preachy’ or
judgemental, rather it is a vital
encouragement for you to relook
the way you see yourself as God
sees you. - CLAIRE MORRISON
THE JESUS I
NEVER KNEW
THE HEART OF
RACIAL JUSTICE
DISTINCTIVES
MEET THE
REAL JESUS
PHILIP
YANCEY
BRENDA SALTER
MCNEIL AND RICK
RICHARDSON
VAUGHAN
ROBERTS
JOHN
BLANCHARD
Thousands of books have been
written about Jesus, and yet still
He remains an elusive figure
in history. Who was this man
Jesus? What was He like? No
one who ever meets Jesus ever
stays the same.
The problem of racism must be
solved through both internal
change and community
transformation. Are you ready to
find out how soul change leads
to social change?
Targeting difficult areas such
as our attitude to money
and possessions, sexuality,
contentment, and service is
crucial for a contemporary
generation.
This book is simple without
being simplistic, and doctrinally
rich without sounding dull and
dry. It persuasively presents the
truth about Jesus Christ in such
a coherent way that nobody who
reads it can miss its message.
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA 1 4

TESTIFY
WHAT’S MY STORY?
WADE
PROFE
ut God, being rich in mercy, because of the
“B great love with which He loved us, even when
we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ—by grace you have been saved.” – Ephesians 2:4-5
I was a pretty “good” kid by general standards. I obeyed my
parents, I always believed in God, and even went to church
willingly. I don’t consider myself to have always been saved,
but for a long time I figured since I wasn’t “all that bad”, I didn’t
really have a testimony worth sharing.
But the truth is, no matter how well-behaved I was, I was dead
in my sin and in desperate need of forgiveness and renewal
(Ephesians 2:1-3). Being lost in sin manifests itself in different
ways for different people. For some the evidence is very visible,
but for others like me the effects are more internal.
The distinguishing mark of my pre-Christian walk was that I
had a seriously warped identity. My “ideal identity” was found
in the things of this world. I wanted to be “cool” and “tough”.
From a very early age I also became absolutely obsessed with
girls. If I was going to be anything in this life, it simply had to
involve sex and romance.
What’s hilarious is that God used these ulterior motives to
bring me to Himself. In 2006 I went on a church youth camp. A
few days before the camp, I had written in my diary: “I don’t like
these camps. I like the girls that go on these camps.” (No jokes,
I really wrote that). My diary entry showed where my heart was.
I can’t remember what book of the Bible was being read, or
what was said in the sermons on that camp. There was no
altar call or fiery charismatic preacher to stir up my emotions.
All I know is that on that camp, God’s word was preached, and
something happened in my heart. The guy who came for the
girls had one thing on his mind: “I desperately want to and have
to live for Jesus.”
I can make a big deal about how I suddenly wasn’t confused
about my identity anymore, and how I became this amazingly
upright person who wasn’t interested in being cool or getting
with the ladies. This is all partially true: I really did have a
radical shift in my self-identity and priorities. But none of this
happened overnight, and even now I still have a long way to go.
But if there’s one thing I could stress about my life so far, it
would be the amazing grace of God. There was nothing about
this confused, lustful, awkward person that should have made
me deserving of God’s love. And there was no intention or
desire on my part to turn over a new leaf or follow Jesus. In
fact, I was unable to realise my deep need for Jesus or change
myself, but it was God who chose me (John 6:44). At the end
of the day, apart from a supernatural act of God in my heart, I
would never have come to love Him.
Just like in the verse that you read in the beginning, my story
begins with a big “but God”. I was lost, deserving of wrath, and
had my mind set on my path to destruction. But God, who is
rich in mercy, saved me by His grace.
That is where I find my identity. Not in anything I have done.
Not even in the “Christian stuff” I do. It’s in the fact that “in
love he predestined [me] for adoption as [a son] through Jesus
Christ, according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his
glorious grace…” (Ephesians 1:5-6). If there’s one thing I hope
this testimony tells you, it’s that God is unfathomably awesome
for making a wretch like me His child.
THERE WAS NOTHING ABOUT THIS CONFUSED, LUSTFUL, AWKWARD PERSON
THAT SHOULD HAVE MADE ME DESERVING OF GOD’S LOVE.
1 5
ISSUE 1, 2015

TESTIFY
INTERVIEW
DR. CHRIS
WARTON
CHATS TO PHATHISWA MAGANGANE
1 TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD – WHERE DID YOU
4
GROW UP AND WHAT WERE YOUR PARENTS LIKE?
2
3
I grew up in a small town in Harare, Zimbabwe as the
youngest of 5 kids with a wonderful mom and dad. Because
of the big age gap between my siblings it felt like I was
an only child. I was very free to explore the things I found
interesting from a young age, namely biology and science.
Unfortunately my dad passed away when I was 11 and so
I was raised by my mom and my grandmother. Despite his
absence, my mom painted a beautiful picture of him and so
although he wasn’t physically present I felt like I knew him.
I had a very happy childhood.
WHEN DID YOU COME TO KNOW JESUS AND FOLLOW HIM?
I was not really a Christian when I was younger but my
mother used to pray with me as a child. I began believing
in Christ at 19 when I was invited to a Bible study group
by a girl that I liked at the time. I thought she would be
impressed that I went and this would make her like me but
as the weeks went by I started to believe what they were
saying. I was reluctant to commit at first because I had my
life planned out and I thought believing would turn my life
upside down. But I couldn’t reject it because I knew it was
the truth and so I sat on the fence. The leader of the Bible
study noticed and encouraged me to make a choice. He
asked if I would ever say no to Jesus if He personally asked
me to follow Him and I quickly said no but that was exactly
what I was doing by refusing to commit. I then prayed to the
Lord to make me a Christian and after a couple of months I
began to grasp what it meant to be a believer of Christ.
HOW DID KNOWING AND BELIEVING IN CHRIST
AFFECT YOUR LIFE?
I was passionately committed to science at that time. With
Jesus, another side to life began to develop – a Godfocused
direction. I then sought to understand how the two
worked together and realised that science on its own was
not the entirety of life.
5
WHAT WORK DO YOU DO AS A MEDICAL
PROFESSIONAL AND HOW DO YOU LIVE OUT YOUR
CHRISTIAN IDENTITY IN THIS ACADEMIC FIELD?
I’ve been [at UCT] since the middle of 1980 teaching
anatomy to undergraduate students and as a part
time medical officer in the psychiatric clinic of Groote
Schuur Hospital. There is an illusion that science and
the academic world belongs to atheists. The inception
of science was through academia and academia was
started as Christian institutions, especially In Africa
and Europe.
As a Christian in this type of field I think it is important
to consistently live out your Christian identity and not
only keep it up in a religious context. I’ve also been
trying to figure out how to do science in the way the
Bible would prescribe. I often thrill at God’s creations
in subjects like anatomy and teach my undergrads in
a way that emphasizes how amazing the body is.
ANY ADVICE FOR A CHRISTIAN STUDENT WHO HAS
COME TO VARSITY AND IS EXPOSED TO ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT VIEWS, IDEAS AND VALUES THAN
BACK AT HOME?
Generally speaking, people find university quite
threatening as everyone is very intelligent and you are
often being lectured by people who don’t believe what
you believe. Naturally, you won’t have every answer
but you can work to acquire some of them. The fact
that you don’t have answers doesn’t mean that there
aren’t any. Christianity is a strong way of thinking
and I’m convinced it can offer answers to the world
the way no other worldview can. Science alone can’t
answer questions of marriage, the soul etc. If you feel
threatened by the university environment you should
find a group of Christians you can relate to and speak
to someone about your anxieties.
“
CHRISTIANITY IS A STRONG WAY OF THINKING AND I’M CONVINCED IT CAN
OFFER ANSWERS TO THE WORLD THE WAY NO OTHER WORLDVIEW CAN.
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA 1 6

SIMUNYE
PLUGGED IN
7
10
ST.
STEPHEN’S
6
ST. JAMES
9
HIS
PEOPLE
11
THE
MESSAGE
17
HILLSONG
3
CHURCH
ON MAIN
4
CCK
5
HARFIELD
8
SHOFAR
12
MOWBRAY
BAPTIST
COMMON
GROUND
13
JUBILEE
COMMUNITY
2
CONNECT
1
TCC
16
JOSH
GEN
What is Simunye?
15
14 CITY LIFE
BAPTIST
HOLY
TRINITY
Scope Magazine is an on-campus church
collaboration initiative that operates through the
local church network for the Cape Town region of
the Western Cape. Simunye, which in Zulu means
‘we are one’, is a desire for the up-and-coming
generation to belong to a community radically
changed by the love of God who openly show
what real unity in diversity looks like.
The words from Jesus Christ in John 13:35
are simple but challenging: “By this everyone
will know that you are my disciples, if you love
one another.” The time has come for churches
with a presence amongst students to be joined
together by their love for one another and their
love for the university. If Gospel partnership is to
happen anywhere, it must happen here. Simunye
is merely a medium for students both inside and
outside church to reconsider the importance of
this while studying.
KEY
1. TOKAI COMMUNITY CHURCH. 28 TOKAI RD., TOKAI
2. CONNECT CHURCH. 136 LADIES MILE RD., MEADOWRIDGE
3. CHURCH ON MAIN. 3 MILLBANK RD., WYNBERG
4. CHRIST CHURCH KENILWORTH. CNR. OF RICHMOND & SUMMERLEY RD.
5. HARFILED CHURCH. 60 HARFIELD RD., KENILWORTH
6. ST. JAMES CHURCH. 114 3RD AVENUE, KENILWORTH
7. ST. STEPHEN’S CHURCH. 86 BELVEDERE RD., CLAREMONT
8. SHOFAR CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 199 MAIN RD., NEWLANDS
9. HIS PEOPLE BAXTER. BAXTER THEATRE, RONDEBOSCH
1O. COMMON GROUND CHURCH. 23 MILNER RD., RONDEBOSCH
11. THE MESSAGE CHURCH. 18 MAIN RD., ROSEBANK
12. MOWBRAY BAPTIST CHURCH. 45 MAIN RD., MOWBRAY
13. JUBILEE COMMUNITY CHURCH. 21 NELSON RD., OBSERVATORY
14. HOLY TRINITY CHURCH. 5 VRIENDE ST., ORANGEZICHT
15. CITY LIFE BAPTIST. 33 KLOOF ST., GARDENS
16. JOSHUA GENERATION CHURCH. 129 KLOOF ST., GARDENS
17. HILLSONG CHURCH. 1 KINETIC WAY, CENTURY CITY
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SIMUNYE AND THESE
CHURCHES IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD GO TO
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA/SIMUNYE.
1 7
ISSUE 1, 2015

SIMUNYE
COMMUNITY
BY BYRON FESTER
One of the most powerful moments
of “belonging” happens when we
sing our national anthem. Anthems are
filled with deep emotion, history, truth
and meaning. South Africa’s anthem
ends with the words “…the call to come
together, and united we shall stand, let us
live and strive for freedom, in South Africa
our land.” When we sing those lines we
feel a sense of belonging: this is our land!
For a few moments we are all together
where we belong.
Unfortunately, those feelings don’t
always last very long. This is very evident
with all the xenophobia that is tearing our
country apart. Many don’t feel like they
belong. They are told to pack their bags
and get out before they pay with their
lives.
Are we united? Does everybody belong?
Where do we find the most powerful
sense of belonging? All these questions
can be answered in one simple truth: the
Church is the hope of the world and the
place where we can belong.
“
TODAY, THE CHURCH
SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE
EVERYONE BELONGS AND
WHERE YOU ARE FREE TO
EXPLORE WHO GOD IS.
After hearing that, many will say, “That
can’t possibly be true from what I’ve
experienced!” And many are justified in
their feelings. Maybe you’ve encountered
a church that turned you away and left
you saying, “Is this really what church is
about?” Maybe you’ve searched and still
can’t find a place to belong, worship, or
discover God. However you feel, there
are powerful truths in God’s word about
where anyone can belong and what the
Church should be.
HOW CHURCH STARTED
The Bible not only speaks directly to us,
but it also teaches us about the past to
help shape our today.
Acts 2:42-47 shows the picture of the
first church gathering. This is the clearest
picture of how the church formed its
identity, and how it can still have that
same identity today. When the believers
of that time gathered, they devoted
themselves to five things: teaching,
sharing meals together, praying, being in
community with one another, and sharing
with those around them. They met every
day to praise God and eat together. They
sold their possessions so no one was
in need. All of this centred around the
teaching of God’s word which inspired
and enabled them to devote themselves
to those things. Acts 2 was the picture
of radical community where everyone
belonged, including those who weren’t
in the Church. It says that they gained
favour with the community around them,
and many people were added to their
number. No one was left out. Everyone
was loved and involved.
People didn’t just go to church, they
were the Church and Jesus was able to
use them to transform communities and
lives. Acts 2 models how community is
meant to look like, motivated by the love
of Jesus who gave His life for the Church.
HOW CHURCH WILL ‘END’
What is the point of the Church today,
and will it end (if ever)? Revelation 7:9-10
describes the Church as a great multitude
of people from every background, race
and culture worshipping God forever. No
one asks if they belong; no one feels left
out, unloved or unwelcomed. Everyone
is worshipping God and serving others
in perfect love and unity. If this is what
heaven will be like, if this is where the
Church is heading, it should surely shape
our idea of the Church today. Today, the
Church should be a place where everyone
belongs and where you are free to explore
who God is.
YOUR IDENTITY IN COMMUNITY
What can we do now if we still have
questions about where we belong? The
answer is to find your identity in who God
called you to be. Identity, according to
Jesus, is fully believing and operating in
the truth that God’s love and acceptance
isn’t dictated by behaviour but rather His
unmoving, consistent, never-failing love.
Jesus’ love for us can transform any
hopeless thoughts of belonging or
identity. If we truly know how Jesus
sees us and loves us, we will see that we
all belong with Him. When the Church
operates in the way God intended, we
see that we can belong in any church
that calls Jesus “Lord” and loves Him.
When you are part of a church, you are
part of the bigger body of believers. When
we all see our true identity and where
we all belong, no one will be left out or
told to pack their bags. We can be the
Church that God has called us to be; a
community committed to changing the
world.
BYRON FESTER
is a church planter who works for
Antioch Cape Town Church. He loves
Jesus and wants to see Cape Town
and Africa radically transformed by the love and
message of Jesus. He loves Vida Caffe coffee and
outdoor braai’s while watching any kind of sport.
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA 1 8

SAVVY STUDENT
RHYMES & RECIPES
POETRY & PROSE
WRIGHT RECIPES
GREG WRIGHT
BREATHE
BY MTENDE MAUGHOGHO
APPLE
CRUMBLE
Breathe…
Losing grip, feet failing, trying
to reach the surface, don’t
panic
Panicking
Heart beats faster
Water rising
Sinking, falling, drowning
Trying to gasp for air but the
water greets my throat with
such desperation
Don’t panic
Reach out into nothing
Wake-up
Breathe…
Anxiety, depression, insomnia,
bulimia, anorexia, vanity, jock,
gamer, nerd, noob, gay, straight
down, quiet, shy, funny, loser,
Christian, Agnostic, Islam, nonbeliever,
daughter, son, mother,
father, ex, girlfriend, boyfriend,
husband, wife, child, friends,
perfect, fake…MASK
Breathe…
Sleep, wake-up, toss, turn,
blanket on, blanket off, count
the sheep, one-two-three,
shush, stop thinking, sleep,
wake-up, so tired, can’t sleep,
awake, sleep, morning
Breathe…
Holding on, not tight enough,
too tight, let go, don’t let go,
both hands, one hand, no
hands, squeeze, hold on, don’t
let go, too soon, not soon
enough, you were meant to
hold on, you were meant to let
go
Breathe…
He loves me, he loves me not,
she loves me, she loves me
not, one petal, two petals, last
petal, no petals, mixed signals,
straight signals, confused,
super clear, but, no buts,
yes, no, maybe, halfsies, Mrs
right, Mr right now, dating,
kid, marriage, kids, together,
divorce, grandparents, dead
Breathe…
Different personalities
Tired of reality
Where is God?
Silent, quiet, I can’t hear him
Can he hear me?
Yes? No?
Maybe?
SPEAK!!!
Never mind…
I’M HERE
what?
I’M HERE!
no you aren’t
BUT I AM… I AM
I can’t hear you
BUT I AM SPEAKING TO YOU
I can’t see you
BUT I AM ALL AROUND YOU
why this...
BECAUSE I AM
why that...
BECAUSE I AM
but-
I AM
who are you?
I AM
The one who knew you before
the very existence of this world
I AM
The one who formed you in
your mother’s womb
I AM
Your provider, your comforter,
your satisfier
I AM
Before you and after you, next
you, in you, surrounding you
I AM
Your father, your protector, your
creator, your under-stander,
your life, your joy
I AM
Good, I can bring good, I will
bring good
I AM
Right, sufficient, necessary,
omnipotent, omnipresent,
faithful, merciful, gracious
I AM PERFECT
but God, my masks
I KNOW YOUR HEART
but God my life?
I KNOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE
but God, my pain?
I KNOW YOUR PAIN
but God, do something???
I HAVE DONE SOMETHING
I AM DOING SOMETHING
I WILL BE DOING SOMETHING
JUST TRUST ME
JUMP
but God-
BUT BREATHE…
COST: R44.65
SERVES: 2-4
(DEPENDING ON SELF-RESTRAINT)
This dessert is easy to customise. You can add chopped up
strawberries when you pour the fruit into the baking dish. Or
add nuts and sultanas for added texture. I normally use Tall
Horse Shiraz, which isn’t too fancy and adds a wonderful
flavour and colour.
I always serve this dessert with fresh pouring cream while
it’s piping hot, fresh out the oven!
INGREDIENTS
FILLING
2 large apples
3 large pears
250ml red wine
250ml water
5ml cinnamon
2.5ml nutmeg
1.25ml turmeric
1.25ml cloves
1.25ml ginger
METHOD
FILLING
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
Core, peel and cut the fruit into eighths.
Mix wine, water and spices in a medium-sized pot.
Add the fruit and poach (the water shouldn’t be
boiling excessively) for 20 minutes or until fruit is
soft when forked.
Remove from heat, leave the fruit submerged in the
cooking liquid for about 2-3 hours.
Drain the fruit, keeping the cooking liquid.
Place the fruit into a round 8” baking dish.
Reduce the cooking liquid down to roughly 200ml.
TOPPING
Pour the liquid over the fruit.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, giving
it a good mix.
Soften the butter.
TOPPING
250ml cake flour
100g butter
80ml brown sugar
pinch of salt
5ml baking powder
Combine the flour mix and butter, and mix until it is
in clumps roughly the size of bread crumbs.
Crumble the topping over the fruit and place into
the oven for roughly 30 minutes or until the topping
has turned golden brown. The longer you leave it the
yummier the topping will get.
1 9
ISSUE 1, 2015

SAVVY STUDENT
HELPFUL HINTS
BY KATELYN MOSTERT
Exam time is rough. Suddenly you have to revise everything you’ve
learned over the whole semester and it can seem very daunting,
especially when you have two or three exams in the same week.
If you’re anything like me, the prospect of so much work denatures your
brain and the procrastinator in you says it’ll be much less stressful if you
watch that series or read that book now and leave the studying for later.
The procrastinator in you is wrong. But deep down you know that. Is there
anything that can help us poor, lost souls? Sure!
MIND AND BODY
There are some very practical things you can do while studying to ensure
that you’re staying healthy.
1. Make sure you are drinking lots of water. Thinking is hard and we tend
to neglect our bodies in favour of trying to get through everything in time.
Your brain (and body) needs to stay hydrated to function to its full potential.
Sipping water has also been proven to help your concentration (I read this
somewhere and didn’t believe it, so I tried it and it’s true) plus the extra
bathroom breaks will keep you from getting too lost and bogged down by
your work.
2. Eat well. Living healthily will mean eating enough. Stress tends to use up
a lot of essential nutrients in our bodies and they need to be replenished.
Don’t forget to make yourself a good meal every now and then to keep your
body at its peak. You also need food to maintain your energy. I find work >
WWW.SCOPEMAGAZINE.CO.ZA 2 0

HELPFUL HINTS
very draining, so keep a good stock of snacks handy to
prevent you working yourself into exhaustion.
3. Get out and about. Exercise gives you endorphins,
which is the chemical that makes you happy. It’s easy to
forget what a difference it actually makes. It also helps
to keep your blood pumping, especially to your brain –
somewhat necessary during exams, I should think. Even
if you’re not big on doing exercise in the form of running
or gymming, go for a walk to the shops to stock up on
study snacks.
4. Friends. Hiding away in your room is not healthy, even
if it means getting more work done. You also need to
maintain your relationships with people. Go to church,
go to Bible study, go for coffee with a friend for an hour
or two as a study break, talk to your lecturer or tutor
if there’s something you’re struggling to understand.
Talking to people helps you remember that there’s more
to life than passing this one exam. Maybe they can help
you de-stress, or you can help them. Just don’t forget
the important people in your life.
SPIRIT AND SOUL
The above points mostly cover the physical and mental
aspects of coping with stress, but don’t forget about
keeping your spirit healthy too! Prayer is the best and
most effective tool for this, along with immersing
yourself in God’s word and fellowship with Christians
who can build you up when you’re feeling down.
Philippians 4:6-7 is a passage of scripture that is worth
remembering: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God. And the peace
of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Isn’t that
fantastic? Just by telling God about our fears of failing
or not being able to cover all the course content in time
and handing it all over to Him gives us peace. He will
give you that if you give Him your burdens.
One of my mom’s favourite reminders in times of
stress and hard work is, “Just do your best and God will
do the rest.” I often forget what this actually means and
take it as a free pass to do the bare minimum. That’s not
what that means and that’s not how God works. Your
best means doing as much as you possibly can, working
hard to your full potential, and then leaving the result
up to God. You will eliminate unnecessary worry by
reminding yourself that God is fully in control. When the
work seems like it’s just too much for you to cope with,
remember that it’s not the most important part of your
life. You can trust that God will meet every need that you
have during this exam period, because when pleasing
Him becomes your first priority in how you handle the
pressure, He promises to give you peace.
Remember to put things in perspective. It’s important
to look at the big picture. When I’m stressed it’s usually
because I’m too focused on what’s right in front of me
without putting it in the right context. I forget about
what’s really important. Matthew 6:25 says, “Therefore I
tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will
eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you
will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothing?” Now substitute what you will eat or drink
or wear with: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about
your life, what [you struggle to understand] or [the marks
you will get], nor about [passing this course/getting
your degree]. Is not life more than [your degree] and the
body more than [your intelligence]?” God promises such
amazing things to those who follow Him. He will give you
what you need to serve Him and that’s all that matters.
It may be the opportunity for a supplementary exam
should you fail. It may be a job that doesn’t actually care
how many courses you took or what your marks were
(and most don’t anyway). It may be friends and family
who will support you no matter where you end up in life.
There are more important things than the mark you will
get for this exam.
Matthew chapter 6 goes on to say, “Therefore do not
be anxious… your heavenly Father knows you need
[these things]. But seek first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness, and all these things will be added to
you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will be anxious about itself. Sufficient for the
day is its own trouble.” Do your best and God will do the
rest. Hand it over to Him in prayer and trust Him to take
care of you. He won’t let you down.
KATELYN MOSTERT
is in her Honours year for Media at
UCT. She loves words, nature and
being around amazing people who
understand her love for God and his creation. In the
future she wants to live in a library with a hedgehog.
2 1
ISSUE 1, 2015

Life through
a new lens

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