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theology of the state – except among churches such as the DRC, which supportedthe state.This is the time to begin to systematically build such a theology or suchtheologies of the state – not a time to shy away from it because of some mistakenbelief that we have less to worry about in relation to the present state. Part of ourproblem is that while South African churches and Christianity in general havetraditionally claimed to be “the conscience of society,” today “a politician in power, byvirtue of having been voted in power by the people, claims to be the conscience ofsociety as well. So now there is a very live issue; where does the conscience ofsociety lie? With the religious institutions or with the politicians?” 68 This could explainpart of the crisis of credibility that South African churches are facing.Although I have pointed out the limited nature of the TRC‟s focus on victims ofgross human rights violations it is still possible for us to make a preferential option forthese “victims” insofar as they are representative and symbolic of the larger issues ofinjustice at stake. This is where the theological weight should fall in our pursuit for acredible theology of the state.The TRC Process as a National RitualIn the light of all the practical and theological questions we have raised above, itseems to me that the best that the TRC can be expected to deliver – if at all – is a“baby” and not a finished product. The baby will still need to be nurtured andsocialised until all South Africans can feel an ownership and an affinity for it. But thedanger is there for the baby either to emerge with severe deficiencies or to beactually still-born. Despite its juridical pretensions the TRC is not just a juridicalinstrument. It will not deliver as a juridical instrument. Similarly, we should not bemisled by the fact that the TRC process harbours serious religious pretensions.Some of its vocabulary and mannerisms are explicitly religious. The very leadershipof Bishop Tutu and other religious people of prominence in it adds to its religiouspretensions. Its public hearings have often resembled something of a cross betweena court room and a religious ceremony. The TRC is a hybrid, limited, momentary,symbolic, negotiated-settlement-inspired entity. For these reasons, the TRC cannotdeliver “national reconciliation” on its own. What is needed is for Christiantheologians, activists and churches to “deepen” and “exploit” the TRC's considerablepotential as a catalyst for national reconciliation. Therefore; more processes,activities and reflections – some religious, others juridical; some practical, othersmore theoretical; some momentary, others more ongoing – must accompany itswork. It is only in this sense that I can envisage the TRC process managing tobecome a meaningful national ritual.BIBLIOGRAPHYACKERMANN, Denise 1996. “On Hearing and Lamenting: Faith and Truth-Telling,” inBotman & Petersen (eds), 1996, 47-56.ALBERTS, Louw & CHIKANE, Frank (eds). The Road to Rustenburg. The Churchlooking Forward to a new South Africa. Cape Town: Struik, 1991.68 Pobee, John S. “Religion and Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa”. Journal of Theology forSouthern Africa. No. 83 (June 1993), p.18.
ASMAL, Kader, ASMAL, Louise & ROBERTS, Ronald Shuresh. ReconciliationThrough Truth. A Reckoning of Apartheid's Criminal Governance. Cape Town:David Philip, 1996.BAM, Brigalia. “The Church in South Africa”. In, Pityana, Barney & Villa Vicencio,Charles (eds). Being Church in South Africa today. Johannesburg: SouthAfrican Council of Churches, 1995, 43-53.BEDIAKO, Kwame. Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of a Non-Western Religion.Edinburgh: University Press, 1995.BOESAK, Willa. “Truth, Justice and Reconciliation,” in Botman & Petersen (eds),1996, 65-69.BORAINE, Alex; Levy, Janet & Scheffer, Ronel (eds). Dealing With the Past. Truthand Reconciliation in South Africa. Cape Town:Idasa, 1993.BOTHA, Nico; KRITZINGER, Klippies & MALULEKE, Tinyiko. “Crucial issues forChristian Mission – A missiological analysis of contemporary South Africa”.International Review of Mission. LXXXIII:328 (Jan 1994), 21-36.BOTMAN, Russel H. & PETERSEN, Robin M. (eds). To Remember and to Heal.Theological and Psychological Reflections on Truth and Reconciliation. CapeTown: Human & Rousseau, 1996.BOTMAN, Russel.”Pastoral Care and Counselling in Truth and Reconciliation: Typesand Forms of Pastoral Work,” in Botman & Petersen (eds), 1996, 154-162.COLVIN, Ross. “Doubts about the Truth”. The Argus. 15 January, 1996, p.14.DE GRUCHY, John W. “Guilt, Amnesty and National Reconstruction.Africa. KarlJaspers' Die Schuldfrage and the South African debate”. Journal of Theologyfor Southern Africa. June 1993. No. 83, 1993, 3-13.DE GRUCHY, John W. Christianity and Democracy: A Theology for a just WorldOrder. Cape Town: David Philip, 1995.DE GRUCHY, John W. “Christian Witness in a Secular State”. [A draft Paper].(Unpublished paper read at a SACC Theological Consultation, Johannesburg9-11 October 1996.DE VILLIERS, Etienne. “The Challenge of the Afrikaans Churches,” in Botman &Petersen (eds), 1996, 140-153.DOWDALL, Terry. “Psychological Aspects of the Truth and ReconciliationCommission,” in Botman & Petersen (eds), 1996, 27-36.DU TOIT, Cornel. “Dealing with the Past,” in Botman & Petersen (eds), 1996, 118-128.GEVISSER, Mark. “The ultimate test of Faith”. Mail & Guardian. 18 April 1996, 1996,p.12.INSTITUTE FOR CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY. The Kairos Document (revisededition). Braamfontein: ICT, 1986.MALULEKE, Tinyiko S. “The Proposal for a Theology of Reconstruction: A criticalappraissal”. Missionalia 22:3 (November 1994), 245-258.MALULEKE, Tinyiko S. “Black Theology Lives! On a permanent Crisis”. Journal ofBlack Theology in South Africa. 9:1 (May), 1-30.MALULEKE, Tinyiko S. “Black and African Theologies in the New World Order. ATime to Drink From Our Own Wells”. Journal of Theology for Southern Africa.No 96. (November 1996), 3-19.MALULEKE, Tinyiko S. “Recent Developments in the Christian Theologies of Africa:Towards the twenty-first Century”. Journal of Constructive Theology. 2:2(December 1996) 33-60.MALULEKE, Tinyiko Sam. “A critical Look at Some New Theologies.” Challenge
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