van - DISA

PROVERITATEDOUGLAS BAXCan we not walk together?BEYERS NAUDEBantoekerbs soelt dringend hulpBRUCKNER DE VILUERSThe ChristianMARK COLLIERApologia pro vita nostraBy dtt Hoofpoifcdntocr tt NuuibUd g*r»gw*r**rRaghftftd tt *h? Port Offic* at « N«w*P»P«*Volume VII No. XII / Jaargang VIIWr. X// /5 APRIL 1969

PROEDITORIALEPlTOR:tir B> EngelbreehLEtotTQRiAL COMMlfTEErBishop ft B. Burnett: theRev* J- tie Gruchv; the Rev.A* I*'- Habctgaarh; the RevE. £. Motwlumc: the Rev.L fc. Moulder; the Rev. C.P fl. Naude {Chairman!; theRev. R. Ort; Prof Dr. A-win Srlmx.VERITATECHRISTIAN MONTHLY FOR SOUTHERN AFRICACHRISTEUKE MAANDBIAD VIR SUIDEUKE AFRIKAADMINISTRATION/CORRESPONDENCECIRCULATION MANAGER:Or. W. B. A- Vlllltn.All letters to ihc editor midudnunitiralion to: P.O. Box311.1$. BratimUmiein, Johannes-SUBSCRIPTIONSubscription payable madvance.Land and sea wail: Rl 1101* or$M0, - Africa; RISO {I5hvr $?.MU — Overseas; I7{6-Vnited Kingdom.Air mail. R2 Ut or $>.S0J —Africa; R3.S0 ULI7A ot55,00) — Overseas; £1 —United Kingdom*Cheques and postal orders tobe made, paxahlc to fro VertlateIPtyJ Ltd, P.O. Box 3)135,ttraamfontcitu Johannesburg*PLEASE NOTEThe editorial uaff of ProVeritate state herewith thatthey arc not responsible foropinions and standpoints whichappear In any article of thismonthly other than those inthr editorial and editorialstatements-PRO VERIT4TE iippear* onthe 15th of every month.t Price per «V»i.' ropy /OjJ;IN HIERDIE UIIGAWEDonJ .. Bai betpraek die W*Man fig «en die, UifvoerendeKomilca van dia Suid-AfrikaeftieBopriitc-unie oar die „Boodlkapean 6\a vo!k van Suid-Afrika 11BL 4Marl Co!lier spraek die meninguit del dir Suid-Afrikaeme ledirke*V*van die Gete'ormeer jeElumeniete Sinode verplig ifom itandpunt in ta neem ho .v.dia f«tt del 'n «gpaer in Suid-Africa v«nwe«T n „g*niengdahuw*Jik" kregtant die ontugwetin *n ttrafhof verhoor word.BL 6D** Boycs Naude doen 'ndrinnenda baioep cm iteun virtao'tjgiest opleidircg van predvkant* van die OnafhanklikeBeMoelarke Oni pleat eok 'n lysvan die. lede-lar^ v^nAlCA.Bl, 7In *y iwtede artiket oor porflic^aChriitelike optrede In *n*yd van kriiii. vr* dr, Brucknerda Vifflan: Wl« j, ..die ChrUtan"?BL ||Prof. B. B, Keet doen enfc^jrnededelingt !.« m. betinntng lantin NedoH*nd OOT d*a 4lfaolo Some people f«al that thaChrnfian lnttitut> ii operatingin a too overtly socio*politicaltph- Mark Collier eipreite*his vlawt on thi$ ob|Oction t P. |6

15 April 1969 PRO VERITATEInleidingsartikelQ^/fitugDie begrip onlug het in dio algemerve spraakgebruikin ons land die oorheersende betokenisgekry van seksuele verhoudings oor die kleurgrensheen. Sulke verhoudings, a! dil binne of buitehuweiiksverband is. is stralbare oortredings.NatuurJik is daar ook seksuele perversiteite tussenlede van dieselide ras wat volgens die bepalingsvan ons ontugwetgewing strafbaar is. En log laatdie woord ..ontug" ons altyd "en in die eersle plekdink aan 'n oortreding van die apsrtheidswet waarvolgensdil as die gruwel by uilnemendheid beskouword as daar geslagtelike omgang tussen 'n blankeen 'n nie-blanke plaasvind — of dit nou binne 'nhuwelik oi daarbuile is.Dal alle vorme van seksuele vergryp© teen watas algemeen toslaatbaar geld, ontug, is, besef onsblykbaar nouliks meer. Dit spre'ek in hierdie verbandboekdele dat Sutd-Afrika se egskeidingsyfereen van die hocgsle in die wereid is. Tog doen ditblykbaar geen afbreuk aan ons arrogante aanspraakdat ons die Christelikste, byna nog dieenigste Christelike volk is wat in die wereid oorgeblyhet nie. En laal niemand meen dal dit 'noordrewe stelling is nie. Die maatstaaf vir wareChnstelikheid het vir baie van ons geword oliemand in die Na3ionaie Party se rasse-ideologieglo. Christene en kerke. hier ol waar ook al terwereid, wat ons hierin nie byva! nie. het besmetgsraak met die „wereldgees". Ons wat in diesuiwerheid van die blanke ras glo. is die enigstewal nog op egte Chnstelikheid kan roem en watons ..Byb'els-rolormatoriese erlenis" teen die bedreigingvan die ..liberalisme" suiwer bewaar.Ons voel waarskynlik nie so gelukkig oor onsbate egskeidings nie. maar dat dit 'n verskynsel iswat vre'et aan die wortels van ons Christelike volksbestaan,weeg by ons hoegenaamd nie so swaaras die bedreiging wat rasse-vermonging vir onssou inhau nie. Ons is eenvoudig b'ehep met dieidee dat die voortbestaan van die Christendom inSuid-AIrika beslissend afhang van die suiwerheidvan die blanke ras. Daarom is dit so absoluutnoodsaaklik dat die seksuele sedelikheid. wot opdie vlak van verhoudinge tussen lede van dieselideras slegs ten opsigte van perversiteite strafregtelikgereglementeer word, vereis dat alle seksuele omgangtussen blank en nie-blank deur die wet verbiedmoet word en daarom stralbare ontug moetwees.Dit gaan vir ons hierin, soos ons se. om die behoudvan ons Christelike volkskarakter. Daarvoor,soos ons se. moot die behoud van ons suiwereblankedom as absoluut voorwaard'elik beskou word.Maar juis vir die behoud van ons Christelike volkskarakteris dit vir ons dwingend noodsaaklik entewens onontkombaar om dan ook enkele Christelikemaatstawwe op onsselt aan te le on vanuit dieChristelike qelooi enkele dinge vas te stel.Dio eerste waarvan ons ons moet vergewis, isdal die Christelike etiek in die Skril geen enkelegrond kan vind om seksuele Josbandigheid oordie rassegrens heen as 'n groter gruwel te veroordeelas die wat horn binne dieselfde ras afspee!nie. Vanuit ons besorgheid oor ons Chris telikheidhet ons die maatstaf bepaal vir wal stralbare ontugis. Hierdie maatstaf moet dus Chnstelik wees,d.w.s. aan die Bybel ontleen. Vind ons die gronddaarvoor nie in die Bybel nie en hou ons nogtansvol dot dit aan die Christelike openbaring ontleenis. is dit n pseudo-Christelike pretensie. En niksis vir die Christelikheid gevaarliker as om in pseudo-Chris telikheid te ontaard nie. Pseudo-Christslikheidloop onvermydelik uit op 'n pseudo-Christelikedemonie.Tweedens, as dit waar is dat die seksuele sedelikheidslegs ten opsigte van perversies deur wetgewinggereglementeer kan word en die ruimtewaarbinne die vryheid van die mdividu gerespekteerword, steeds so wyd as moontlik gelaat moetword, dan mag oorwegings van kleur en ras hierdieruimte nie beperk nie. Waar dit wel gebeur,word daar toegegee aan die absurde gedagte datdie ruimte van die menslike vryheid op die vlakvan seksuele verhoudinge deur 'n kleurskeidslyngehalveer moet word omdat die mens ten opsigtevan die een kleurheL'te vir oorreding vatbaar souwees maar ten opsigte van die ander kleurhelfteslegs die taal van dwang sou verstaan. So 'nslimmigheid moet dan aan die lewenspraktyk selfgetoets kan word oi dit ten minste op 'n mate vangeldigheid kan aanspraak maak. Dog in weerwilvan liierdie sonderlinge resep is die feitlike situcisiein ons land dat aan die een fcant die skei-howesteeds voller word en dat aan die ander kanl krimineleontugsake ook steeds vermeerder. Dit blyk dusdal ndg oorreding (t.o.v. ..privaatregtelike ontug")n6g wetlike dwangflo.v. , strafreglelike ontug" dieverbysterende toename In seksuele onsedelikheidsells maar enigsins bcdwing. Nou moet ons wel erkendat die toename in seksuele onsedelikheid 'n algemenewereidverskynsol is. dat allerlei faktoredaarvan die oorsaak is, en dat Suid-Afrika ook inhierdie opsig nie 'n blinkende uitsondering sal weesnio. Tog moet die vraag ernstig gestel word of ietsanders as 'n uitbarsting van onsedelikheid verwagkan word waar die absurditeit hom voltrek dat e'enen dieselfde daad van ontug aan hierdie kanl vandie kleurskeidslyn fatsoenliker geag word as aandaardie kant. dat dil hier nie strafbaar is nie endaar wel. V/aarlik, geen sonde en geen duiwelsal meer gestuit kan word waar dit deur uitdagingen uitnodiging so 'n verdubbelde aanleiding vinden deur 'n verdubbelde prikk'el tot felle oplewinguitgelok word nie.Vanuit die Christelike geloofsoortuiging moet ditvolgehou word dat slegs geloof in die evangelie,en daarom 'n vrywillige onderwerping aan die wetvan God en 'n vreugdevolle intrede in die vryheidwaarmee Christus ons vrygemaak het, vir mensebevryding kan bring uit hulle verstriktheid in diebande van onsedelikheid. en die donker skaduweewat besig is om oor ons volkslewe te val, enigsinskan verdryt. Absoluut voorv/aardelik daarvoor Jsegter om ons deur die evangelie van Christus eerste laat fc'evry van ons pseudo-Christelike. demomesev/aan dat ontug oor die kleurgrens heen sondiger

2 PRO VERITATE 15 April 1869en daarora 'n groler bedreiging vir ons Chrislelikhaidis as ontuy (iu3en lede van dleselfde ras.Dardens, dil is nie slegs 'n pseudo-Christelikeverwringing van die Christelike sedewet nie, maar'n ontugtige verkragling daarvan om huwehke watoor die kleurgrens hoen gesluit is, as n lewe instrafbare ontug te beskou, Waar die wetgewingm Suid-Axika egter voorsiening maak vir stralregtelikeoptrede teen sulke egpare, moet dit ononvwo.ide g3stel ward dat elke denkbare Christelikebasis daarvoor ontbreok en ons daarmee staan opdie grand van 'n neo-heidendom waarin die Godvan die Bybol sy prioriteit as hoogste W'etgewermoet mboet ten gunste van die aigod van bloeden ras.( n Land waarin dit moantlik geword hetom 'n egpaar in *n stralho! te laat verskyn 6mdathulle 'n egpaar is en hulle voor God wettige egielikeverbintenis ontugtig is kragtens die bepalingsvan die landswot, ontleen sy norme vir wat goeden kwaad is aan n idee wat teenoor die lewendeGod en sy op^nbaring vyandig staan. WanI diebuwehk is 'n instelling van God wat Horn behaag.Daarentoen wil Hy die wat in ontug lewe. oordeelen slraJ, Waar 'n egpaar dus vanwee hulle Godwelbehacglikehuweliksverbintenis deur die staatas strafbare oniugtiges behandel word is die ver*ondo retelling, s§Hs mfeer as implisiet, dat die staatdaarop uit is om te skei wal God saamgevoeg heten dat, vanuit dis gesigspunl van n sedelikheadv/aarvan God nie weel nie, die gruwel die staatbehaag. Wal vir God goed en na sy bedoeUng is,is vir die rasb&hepte staat 'n we tsoort reding watalleen hersrel kan word deur *n staat3gehoorsameverbreking van die goddelike gebod. Die staatvcrtoon hierln die skrikwekkende trekke van nanti-God wat oordeel on straf waar God seen enbeskerm, en seen en beskerm wat God oordee! enstrahVierdens. hierdie utters bedenklike, anti-goddelikemoraliteit wat 'n konkrete openbaring vind inons ontugwet, is die grondslag waarop die heleapartheidsideologie rus. Dd6rmee staan oi valOns apartheidsideologie, en van die al ol nie Christelikheiddaarvan hang dit beslissend af of hierdieideofogie hoegonaamd sy aanspraak kan handhaafora Christelik te wees.Vanuit die goddelike reg gesien, het die staatijeen reg om buite-huwelikse geslagsverkeor oordie kleurgrens lieen as onlugtiger te beskou as di6binn3 die rassegrens nie; hy vergryp horn aan diegoddelike reg as hy huwelike oor die kleurgrenshecn 3onder meer verbied, on hy ts in openlike opatandteen God as hy dergeiike bestaande huwc*like tot 'n kwaad verklaar waarop sy oordeel enstral rus.As hierdie porversie van alfes wat nog sedelikjenoem kan word, om van Chrisielik nie eers lepraat nie, cyter onder die ideologic woggeneemtaott word, storl dit in duie. Daarom is die apartheidsideologiesell die ergslo vorm van ontugtigheidwaarin n vo!k verstrik kan raak. Dit kanalleen gedy op 'n ssdelike grondslag wal by - nQnder hoogste wetgewer as die God van die Bybelsy oorsprong het en onder 'n volk wat van die wareGod a!gehoereer het en die god van die bloed endie ras in sy p!ek bemin.Editorial:SJmmomutyThe concept ol immorality has in common usagsin our country acquired the predominant meaningo* sexual relationships across the colour bar. Suchrelationships, whether intra- or extra-marital, arepunishable oMenc5S,There are also, of course, sexual perversions be*tv/oen members of the same rac3 which are punishableaccording to the piovislons oi our immoralitylegislation. And yet the word ''immorality" alwaysmakes us think m the first place oJ a transgressionol the law ol apartheid according to which it isregarded as a crime ol the first order that sexualintercourse should take place between a white andnon*white — whether intra- or extra-manlally.Apparently we hardly realise any more that allforms ol sexual in!ringsment ol what is generallyregarded as permissible amount to immorality. Inthis connection it speaks volumes that South Africa'sdjverce rate is one ol the highest in the world. Yetit doc3 not apparently detract from our arrogantclaim that we are the most Christian, almost theonly Christian people still remaining in the world.And let no one regard this as an exaggeration* Thenorm o! true Christianity has lor many ol us becomewhether one believes in the National Party and itsracial ideology. Christians and churches, here orwherever in the world, who do not agree with uson this score have become tainted with the "spiritof thu world". We who believe in the purity of thev/hito race are the only one3 who dare still prideourselves on true Christianity and who are protectingin its purity our "Biblically reformed heritage"against the thfeal of "liberalism".We probably do no! feel so happy about ourmany divorces, but that they constitute a pheno*menon which is cankering away at the very rootsof our existence as a Christian people does notweigh with us at all as heavily as the threat whichwe presume racial miscegenation to entail for usWe are simply obsessed with the idea that the con*tinuance o' Christianity in South Africa decisivelydepends upon the purity ol the white race. Thatis why it is so absolutely necessary that jexualmorality, which, on the level of relationships betweenmembers of the same race, is regulated bycriminal law only as regards perversities, demandsthat all sexual intercourse between white and nonwhiteshould be legally prohibited and shouldtherefore amount to punishable immorality.Our concern in this regard is, as we say, the preservationol the Christian character o| our people.Far this purpose, as we say, the preservation ofthe purity of our white race must be regarded asabsolutely conditional But it is urgently necessaryand m fact unavoidable* precisely for the sake ofthe Christian character of our people, also to apply

IS April 1%9 PRO VERITATE 3a lew Christian norms to ourselves and to establisha few things on the basis of Christian laith.The liral fact we must regard is lhat Christianethics can find no single ground in the Scripturesupon which to condemn sexual licence across theracial barrier as more abhorrent than lhat whichoccurs within the same race. We have laid downthe norm ior what punishable immorality is on thestrength oJ our concern about our Christianity.This norm must therefore, be Christian, i.e. mustbe derived from the Bible, II we hnd no groundsfor it in the Bible and still maintain that it is derivedfrom Christian revelation, it is a pseudo Christianpretension. And nothing constitutes a greaterdanger for Christianity than to degenerate intopseudo Christianity, Pseudo Christianity inevitablyleads to pseudo Christian demonism.Secondly, if it be true that sexual morality canbe regulated by legislation only in connection withperversions and lhat as much room as possibleshould bs le't for respecting the freedom of theindividual, the considerations of colour and racedare not act as limiting factors. Where it does in*deed happen, a concession is made to the absurdidea that human freedom on the plane of sexualrelationships should be halved by a colour barbecause man is apparently presumed to be opento persuasion as regards the one colour-half butonly capable of understanding the language olcompulsion as regards the other colour-half. It mustthen be possible to test such cleverness in livingpractice, to see whether it possesses at least ameasure of validity* Yet, despite this strange rfecipe,the factual situation in our country is that, onthe one hand, the divorce courts are becoming evermore populous and that, on the other hand, criminalcases of immorality are also steadily on the increase.It proves, therefore, that neither persuasion(with regard to "civil immorality") nor legalcompulsion (with regard to "criminal immorality")is inhibiting the increase of sexual immorality evenin the slightestWe must indeed admit that the increase in sexualimmorality is a general phenomenon in the world atlarge, that it is caused by a variety of factors andthat, also in this regard. South Africa is no shiningexception. Yet the question must seriously be putwhether anything but an explosion of immoralitycan be expected where the absurdity is commiltedof regarding one and the same act of immoralityas more respectable on this side oi the colour barthan on the other, of not making it punishable here,but there most decidedly. Truly, no sin and nodevil can ever be checked again where they !indsuch a compounded provocation in challenge andinvitation and are tempted violently to flafe up bysuch a compounded inducement.On the basis ol Christian conviction it must bemaintained that only faith in the gospel, i.e. avoluntary submission to the law of God and a joyfulentrance into the freedom with which Christ madeU3 free, can bring men liberation from their enmeshmentin the bonds of immorality and can somewhatdispel the dark shadow which is falling overth© life of our people. An absolute condition forthis, however, is first to allow ourselves to beliberated by the gospel of Christ from our pseudoChristian, demonic delusion that immorality acrosstha colour bar is more sinlul and therfore a greaterthreat to our Christianity than immorality betweenmembers ol the same race.Thirdly, it is not only a pseudo Christian distortionof the Christian moral law, but an immoral prostitutionof it to regard marriages contracted acrossthe colour bar as a life in punishable immorality.Since legislation in South Africa makes provisionfor criminal action against such wedding couples,however, it must be bluntly stated lhat it lacks anyconceivable Christian basis and that with it westand on the loundation ol a neo*heathendom inwhich the God of the Bible has to forfeit his priorityas highest Lawgiver in favour of the idol of bloodand race. A country in which it has become possibleto let a marriage couple appear in a criminalcourt because they are a wedded couple and theirlegal marriage tie before God is immoral accordingto the provisions of that country's laws is derivingits norms for what is good and bad from an ideawhich stands inimically opposed to the living Godand his revelation* For marriage is an institutionof God, which pleases Him, Conversely, He judgesand punishes those who live in immorality. Wherea marriage couple, then, are treated by the stateas punishably immoral on account ol their Godpleasingconjugal state, the conclusion must bedrawn, even more than implicitly* lhat the stateis intent upon putting asunder what God has joinedtogether and that this evil pleases the state on thebasis of a morality unknown to God. What is goodand according to his intention for God is a transgressiono, T Ihe law for the race-obsessed state whichcan only be remedied by a transgression of thedivine law in obedience to the state. By this attitudethe state displays the frightening features o!an anti-God who judges and punishes where Godblesses and protects, and blesses and protects thatwhich God judges and punishss,Fourthly* the extremely questionable, anti-divinemorality which concretely manifests itself in ourImmorality Acl is the foundation upon which thewhole ideology of apartheid rests. Our ideologyol apartheid stands or falls with it, and it decisivelydepends on the Christianity or non-Christianity ofthis morality whether this ideology can sustain itsclaim of being Christian at all.Seen from the standpoint of divine justice, thestate has no right lo regard extra-marital sexualintercourse across the colour bar as more immoralthan within the Iimit3 of one race; it transgressesagainst divine justice it if summarily prohibits marriagesacross the colour bar, and it openly revoltsagainst God if it declares such existing marriagesto be an evil worthy of its judgment and punishment.If. however, this perversion of everything whichcan still be called moral, not even to mentionChristian, were to be knocked out from underneaththe ideology, it would collapse, Consequently theideology of apartheid is itself the worsl form of immoralityin which a people can become enmeshed.It can only wax on an 'ethical foundation other thanthai which has its origin with the God of the Bible,and among a people that has gone a whoring fromthe true God and adores the god of blood and racein his stead.

PRO VERITATE 15 April 1969Can we not walktogether?— DOUGLAS BAX1. Church and SocietyThe Message teaches thai "the Cospelof salvation in Jesus Christ . * .is to be imderstoond not only in amystical and ethical sense for thesalvation of the individual person,and nol only in a sacramental andecclesiastical sense within the frameworkof the Church, (bul also! • . -in a cultural, social (and thereforepolitical)* cosmic and universal senseas the salvation of the world and ofhuman existence in its entirety.Against this the Statement urges thatthe Gospel concerns "the individual",who must respond lo it in faith, andtherefore thai the Message heremakes a "confusion" between theChurch 3$ "the regenerate community*and society as "the unrcgeneratecommunity.What has apparently happenedhere is that the Statement has followedthe SAB Editorial in understand*ing the Message at this point lo have**thc implication that all men are, orare becoming. Christian Disciples",lint this is something which theEditorial admits that it has "readinto" the Message, The Message itselfnowhere sa>s anything like this!On the contrary it admits the concernof the Gospel with the individual(see the **nul only"' in italicsabove). And then it proclaims thatthe Gospel affects, and lias impliestionsfor, "human existence in itsentirely" in the sense of "the wholelife of man" in all ils aspects.The Scriptures proclaim that theend of the Gosprl is the renewal ofthe whole cosmic creation which hasbeen "reconciled" to Cod throughChrist and therefore now "groans intravail" until it be recreated into** a new heaven and a new earth'(Col. 1:20, Ro. 8:22, Rev. 21:1).Hence the New Testament proclaimsthe healing and resurrection aha ofour bodily existence through Christ(Ml. 8:14^17, 1 Cor. 15:35 ff. etc)Against this the Statement teachesthai the "benefits of Christ's deathand resurrection'* are "spiritual'*Hut is this nut ihe same doctrine asthat which the old Gnostic and Docc*lie heretics held when they taughtthat salvation has to do with only therealm of the spirit, and that salvalionis therefore from, not o/, theworld? Is it not the same altitudewhich the old Egyptian monks hadThe Message to the People ofSouth Africa is basically a theologicaldocument which calls into questionthe theological bases upon which oursocivty in South Africa h currentlyfounded. Many of the criticisms ofthe Message fait to get to grips withit sim/dy because, they fait to appreciatethat it is a theological expositionand not a political manifesto,This f however* is not true of the criticismscontained in the Statement is*sued by the Baptist Union in re*sponse to the Message. Both the Messageand the Statement agreed inlargt? measure on the evils inherentin racialism* but the Statementstrongly disagreed with some of thebasic theological presuppositions ofthe Message.In the book "The Message in Perspective^(obtainable from the SouthAfrican Council of Churches) thereis a short attempt at examining thetheological objections of the Baptists.But the Statement deserves muchfuller treatment. Doug Bax* a PresbyterianMinister, has attempted to dothis in this article* which was refusedby u The South African Baptist" becausethe Editor could *'not see hisway char to print xV\ Like manyothe r% the Rev. Bax feels that theBaptist Statement is a significant invitationto dialogue, but he also feelsdeeply that the authors of both Messageand Statement have the samebasi*: concerns and should find itl^ossible to "Walk together 99 . At iliesame time* this cannot prevent afran k theological delxite* a debatewhich ts seriously trying to get at thetruth (and not simply indulge inniceties and platitudes) in love. Thisarticle is one offering in that direction.when they thought that salvation involvedthe Christian's withdrawinghimself out of the world and society,culture and politics—in the desert?!K^cause the Scriptures proclaimsalvation in a cosmic sense they aretherefore concerned with the wholelife of man, including his social andpolitical life. Jesus, (or instance*judges also the political injustice ofPilate as sin — even though a lessersin lhan Caiaphas' (Jn. 19:11), Andafter His resurrection He proclaimed"Alt authority in heaven and earthhas been given to me" (ML 28:18),which includes authority over ihestate, the government of which isHis "servam" (Ho. 13:4). At thispoint the SAlt Editorial denies that'Christian standards" and "the lawsand principles of the Kingdom ofChrist are binding upon all men,here and now/ : Hut whose standardsare binding on them if Christ's arenot? Some other god's? the world's?Is God going to judge the world byils own standards? Or is Christ notthe Judge also of the pagan Pilate?Already in the Old Testament theprophets proclaim the Keign (Kingdom)of the revealed God also overthe non believing pagan nations amiiheir being judged by the standardsof His revealed righteousness. TheWord of God calls all men to obeyHis Law for justice and peace insociety as revealed through the prophetshut supremely in Christ.2. National Survival and PersonalSalvationThe Message says that the ideologyof apartheid "holds out to men asecurity built not on Christ bul on,.. separation and the preservationof racial identity* Jt presents separatedevelopment of our race-groups as away for the people of South Africato save Ihemsetves. Such a claim inevitablyconflicts with ihe ChristianGospel which offers salvation, bothsocial and individual, through faithin Christ alune." The Statementcharges thai it here "confuses nationalsurvival with personal salvation.But this is misinterpretation.The Message merely links both personalsalvation and national survival tofaith \n y and hence obedience to,Christ alone; it does not confuse thetwo with each other. It regards theGospel of Jesus Christ which concernsour personal salvation as hav*ing implications about God's will in

15 April 1969 PRO VERITATE Bevery sphere of the life we live, in*chiding the national or political.Cods salvation is His justificationof. and thus His peace with, us,which in turn involves (and mustinvolve) justice and peace betweenourselves. In other words if we flagrantlydisobey God's laws revealedin His Gospel in order nationally tosave ourselves we shall lose ourselves,and be punched by His wrath just asthe Jews were when instead of havingfaith ("quiet and confidence") inGod they trusted in the horses andchariots of lli«j heathen Egyptiansto deliver them.The Baptist Statement in fact re*cognises this when it itself calls"every Christian constantly lo re*examine his attitudes and conductin the light of the iFord" in regardto race relations and the "hardships"'which "Fall most heavily upon thenon-White people of our land'' as aresult of the way "the policy ofseparate development is implemented"(By the way. why the "mostheavily 37 What hardships fall heavilyon iht* While people as a result oiit?)Precisely because wc have rejectedthe basic principles of the Gospel inimposing all the legislation of apartheidon the non-Whiles this legislationhas inevitably taken the form ofa massive and brutal oppression. Itshatters the family life and socialstability of the African and causeswholesale promiscuity* prostitution,illegitimacy and homosexuality —through the laws of migrant labour;it limits him to the lowest forms oflabour through job reseravtion; itspends proportionately a minusculeamount on his education; and inmany other way* it "turns aside thefoor in the gate from their right'*Am. 5:12K Will God therefore''turn away the punishment thereof"I Am. 2:61 from us Whites in SouthAfrica for our sin?From all this it is quite clear thatthe Statement is wrong when it goeson to accuse the Message of callingseparate development "a rival gospelof personal salvation**. The Messagenowhere does this. It calls the doctrineof apartheid a rival gospel ofnational salvation, a rival *Vay fortile people of South Africa to savethemselves" politically and gain"happiness and peace (political salvation!)for the community and theindividual* 1 in it. Would not a slightlygreater readiness to listen to whatthe Message was saying would haveseen this distinction?3. Gospel and Political PolicyThe Message states that "there arealarming signs that this doctrine ofseparation has become* for many, afalse faith, 4 novel gospel." TheStatement responds by asserting thatthe Message itself "appears to go tothe other extreme and imply that apolicy of social integration is theway to enter into life* - and that itthus itself propagates "another *falsenovel gospel* *\But what the 'Message in fact propagatesis this; that the gospel ofChrist tells us that God seeks to reconcileus all to Himself and thus"to each other" lef, Ro. 5:10, II Cor.5:IRM; that is. He seeks to unite usto Himself and thus to each other(Eph. 1:10, Jn. 17:20-23). He seeksto unite us, no mailer to what raceor human group we belong (Gal,3:28. Col 3:l|). into "a single newhumanity" (Eph. 2:llfU. God,therefore, does not call us lo uniformity*but He does call us lo unity11 Cor. 12). Some Christians wouldargue that this unity is somethingon only the spiritual level, but Paul,in his great clash with Peter in Anlioch.makes .plite clear thai the implicationsof the gospel also at thispoint (Gal. 3:28) must be lived outtpiite concretely even in the simplybodily or spatial dimension. Even torefuse to eat together is. he insists.in principle to deny and "distort thetruth of the gospel" itself (Gal. 2:11The Gospel i$ thus fundamentally aGospel of reconciliation and unity, inthe spiritual and therefore also in thephysical (cosmic! sphere. God hasreconciled and therefore seeks tounite all things (Greek ta panta) inChrist, whether heavenly or earthly(Col. 1-20, Eph, 1:10). The implicationis therefore that we must be together,that we must not segregateourselves from each other. We mustnot "build up again" (Gal. 2:18)"the walls of division" which Godhas broken down between all groupsof men in order to make of them "asingle new humanity'*. If this meansintegration, so be it.In direct contradiction to all this,however, the ideology of apartheidholds thai the ideal is not unity butse/Htrttfion* Separation of the racesis Cod's toiil (and is thus "thegenuine form of Christian obediencefor this country"). This we are toldrepeatedly by the proponents ofapartheid, recently again for instanceby Cabinet Minister Marais Viljoen.This ideology therefore must be, ormust have as its premiss, a pseudogospel,just like the "different gospel"of the heretics which caused theGalalians lo segregate themselves intotheir different groups as Jewishand Gentile races (Gal. 1:6, 2:lltL).What the Message says thereforeis dial the Gospel of Jesus Christis a Gospel of reconciliation, a Gospelof unity, which calls us together,and that this in turn implies andinvolves social integration. The ideologyof apartheid, however, as ahuman system of values and thinkingabout man has for many people replacedthe gospel as the authorityfor how we should relate to our fellowmenat this point. The Messagenowhere claims, as the Statementpurports it "appears to", that "socialintegration (itself) is the way to enterinto life*'. This interpretation iseither ingenuous or (forgive mo!) acalumny. Did the authors of theStatement sincerely think that theMessage*s authors could be so foolish,so completely ignorant of the Gospel?4. Justification and Ethics\s we have seen above, the Messageholds with St, Paul and theBible that ones ethics must be theoutflow of the Gospel, the living outof the Gospel of justification andreconciliation. Christians must livein accord with "the good news thatin Christ God has broken down thewalls of division between God andman, and therefore also between manand man. * They must live, andwitness to, this Gospel "in the particularcircumstances of time and placein which they find themselves."*In opposition to this the Statement,in perhaps its stangesl assertion,maintains that "the views and attitudesof an individual in racial mattersdo not enter into the realm ofhis being justified by faith. Theybelong in the realm of Christianethics/* The Statement thus makesa complete hiatus between faith andjustification on the one hand andethics on the other, denying thatChristian ethics must be basedstrictly on the Gospel of justificationalone. On this basis it asserts thatil is a completely "false antithesis**to say that "sharing die life of Christ' 1as a '"committed Christian" ever im*plies that a man cannot be a supporterof a particular "political policy*1 .Here it is clear that it is the Statemen/.andnot the Message } which must

«> PRO VERITATE 15 April 1961*be accused of being plainly unevan*gelical. For llie Statement here aban*dons, atid indeed opposes, the fun*damrntal ethical principle of llie Reformalion.Luther and Calvin heldthat the Christians behaviour musthe based on his Faith, and his ethicmust be* founded on the theologicalprinciple of justification*Against the medieval Koman theologywhich soughl to base ethic? onthe principles of Greek philosophy,Luther taught that Christian ethicsis strictly the activity of faith alone.He wrote 'This is therefore the distinctionand proof dividing true faithand false counterfeit faith — wherefaith is true it shows itself in life"*|W.A. 15, 703, I •. "Works are purelyfruits of faith." "Therefore faithand good works must be put to*gether" and **when the Apostle saysthai Cod judges us according to ourworks it is certainly true" for "Codwill judge you . , , from your worksand show you whether vou had failhor did not" (W.A. 12/289. 281. AsGeorge Forell, the expert on Luther'sethics, writes: "As far as Luther isconcerned all ethics is based uponGod's forgiveness of sin. This h* trueof individual ethics as wel as socialethics" (Faith Active in Love* p.63 PHere we have then an oppositionbetween the Message which holdsjustification and ethics together, andthe Statement, which holds themapart. The one holds thai un-Christianbehaviour or ethics is a denialof a man's justification, the othernot. But is it not clear that while theold Anlinomian heretics stand hereon thi» side of the Statement, the Reformersand the Bible stand on theside of the Message? Paul insists thatPeter's behaviour in Antioch denies"the I ruth of the Gospel" itself I Gal.2:14 (. And he condemns whoever"does not act from faith: for what*ever does not proceed from faith issin* (Ro, 14:23). As James makesclear, the proof of our faith is ourCthica (Js. 2:18). and this is alsothe viewpoint of Jesus Himself (Ml*7:201.Note: The ";V«s«gif* and also anae booklet entitled "The Message inPerspective** whieh puts together thereaction (o* and comment on, the*\\fesxa$e*\ are available from theSouth African Council of Churches,MX Box 31190, firaamfontein t TvlA PLEA FOR A STANDA test case for LunterenMARK COLLIERThe Reformed Ecumenical Synod met in August last year in Lunteren,the Netherlands. The Dutch Reformed Church in S.A., the Dutch ReformedChurch in Africa (Bantu), the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in S.A. andrhe Reformed Church in S.A. were all represented. The Conference saidmany words, many bold words. Only time will tell whether they were wordsfor-action,or just words, more words.However Lunteren's words weremeant to be words-for-our-timc andit clearly envisages the words beingclothed in deed. For example, resolution9 of its Race Relations statementcalls for the implementation ofefforts "to eradicate attitudes of racialsuperiority and racial prejudice** tobe done "urgently, persistently andpatiently 1 ', and recognises in resolution15 that the real problem in member-churches"lies not so much inthe area of the acceptance but inthat of the application" of its principles.In addition, resolution 14 callsupon member-churches -, to test conditionsin their churches and countriesby the norms as set forth in these resolutions*to hold regional conferencesin which the aforementioned decisionsmay be put into effect, and toreport back to the next Synod'*.Lunteren was clearly serious aboutits assertions. It even stated in resolution6 that

15 April 1969 PRO VERITATEtravened rhe Immorality ACT by livingtogether. (The implications are thattheir two-year-old daughter could beregarded as illigitimate!)Now resolution 12 of the LunterenRace Relations statement states that"Holy Scripture does not give ajudgement about racially mixed marriages;contracting a marriage is primarilya personal and family concern.Church and State should refrain fromprohibiting racially mixed marriages,because they have no right to limitthe free choice of a marriage partner."But if any marriage itself is mora!then legitimate acts within it cannotbe immoral. And the exercise of sexwithin marriage is the un disputableright of marriage partners. HenceLunteren is clearly saying, by deduction,that the exercise of sex withina racially mixed marriage is moral.And by Lunteren stating this, themember-churches represented at theconference arc affirming this too.This means that to act against thevalidity of any such marriage andits implications is itself an immoralact.Hence Lunteren is making a pleato the Dutch Reformed Church inS.A. and the Reformed Church inS.A., or to their ministers and membersindividually or collectively tomake a clear public stand against thiscase. First to prevent this youngcouple from further indignity, butsecondly to show their active supportof the resolutions to which they arecommitted. For not only are thesetwo people on trial, Lunteren is as well.(Furthermore, this case is surely thefinal folly that makes defense ofSouth African racial policy abroadacutely embarrassing).However, should they fail to makea witness, should they merely engagein diplomatic manoevring behind thescenes, this silence could be inter,preted as acquiescence and Lunterenpronounced a dead letter, a paperconference in which the anxieties,tensions, and concerns of the delegateswere sublimated down the escaperoute of yet more talk and yetmore resolutions. Then we wouldhave again given substance to the quipthat Gcd is not dead but merely fellasleep during one of the interminablechurch resolutions! And if this resolutionis not acted upon, what of therest?BANTOEKERKE SOEK DRINGEND HULP„Emslige tekort aan predikante"; „sorgwekkende afname in teologiesestadentctal". So Ires die opskrifte in talle kerkblaaie vanuit alle dele vanwcreld.In direkte teenstclling met hierdievcrskynsel van 'n steeds dalendc toetredetot die Evangel ieixrdiening indie westcrse wcreld staan die verblydendeverwikkeling van die hulp~diens van die Christelike Instituut aandie Onafhanklike Bantoekerkc (ookbekend as Scparatistekerke) in Suid-Afrika waar steeds racer en meer kandjdatcna vore tree om hulle aan tcbied vir die Evangel iebedicning. Diencderige hulpdiens, begin in 1965 opversoek van 'n aantal prcdikame vanhierdie groep kcrke, is besig om aantc groei tot 'n taak wat so oravangrykgeword het dat veel meer hulp inmannckrag en middete nodig is omin selfs die rnees basiese behoeftesvan hierdie kerke tc voorsien, Magons u 'n paar van die dringendste behoeftesnoem?I. Teologiese Studiebcor&cVanaf begin 1968 help die ChristelikeInstituut om studiebvurse vir teologiesestudente van die OnafhanklikeBantoekerkc te voorsien. Dcur bemiddelingvan die Christelike Instituuten AICA („African IndependentChurches' Association" — die Raadvan Onafhanklike Bantoekerkc) studeerdaar tans 10 teologiese studenteaan teologiese- en Bybelskolc in dieRcpubliek wat personc opneem metft. 6 as minimum todatingsvereiste.*n Decl van die bedrag van hierdiestudiebeursc is afkomstig van diebeursfonds van ASATI („Tbe Associationof South African TheologicalInstitutes") maar die groter gedeehcword voorsien deur die ChristelikeInscituut.Die Gereformeerde Kerke vanNederland hct onlangs die prysenswaardigesup gedoen om Ni bedrag beekikbaarte stel vir die gesuine enafhanklikes van getroude studente sodatbroodnodige hulp ook nou aangesinne van stnderendeB gegec kanword.Maar die getal aansoeke neem sotoe dat n6g die ASATI-beursfonds,nftg die Christelike Instituut*fondscdii kan bybring en byhou. Dit kostans R120 per jaar aan klas- en losicsgeldcom 'n student sy oplciding telaat genict plus R30 vir boeke. Elkekerk dra RIO per jaar by vir elkcenvan sy studente en studente mocthulle cie reiskoste, sakgeld, ens. voorsien.Ten spyte van hulle groot armoedchet die lidkerkc van AICA 'nteologiese studiefonds in die lewe gcroepwaartoc elke kerk RIO per jaarmoct bydra.Ons sit reeds met 25 aansoeke vir1970 maar die fondse ontbreek ommeer as 10 studente per jaar te help.Wie sal help om R150 per studentper jaar te voorsien?Is float nie *n Christelike Instituutgroep,*n kerkraad, *n imlrvidu ofgroepie Christene wat R150 (Of R120vir Mas- en losiesgeld of R30 virboeke of enige kleiner bedrag) wilvoorsien om so 'n student onder hullevleuels te neem nie?2. Teologiese KweekskoolAICA en die Christelike Instituutvan Suidelike Afrika is aktief besigmet onderhandelingc oor die oprigtingvan 'n eic teologiese skool virdie groot en groeiende getal studenteujt die 261 lidkerke van AICA.Kyk net 'n slaggie aandagtig nadie lys van name van lidkerke wathicrnaas in Pro Veritate afgedruk isen vra usclf af waiter boodskap hierdielys met name aan u oordra. Spreekdit u ook aan as bewys van die ontsettendctragedic van kcrklike verdeeldhcidvan die Wcste wat verhondcrdvcudigwcerspieel word in die vcrskynselvan separatisme? Spreek ditu nie aan in die talle name as van 'nangstige poging om uitdrukking tegee aan die soeke na 'n eie verstaanvan die Christelike gcloof? Spreek ditnie tot u van 'n magtige daad vanvcrsoening en vemuwing wat 'n kleingroepie Christene in die ChristelikeInstituut in die naam van Christuswil bewcrk? Sal u dan nie u handin u sak steek en daadwerklik u hulpbetoon nie? Want benewens bcursesal nodig wees geboue vir lesinglokalcen frostelle, biblioteek e.d.m., sa-Inrissc van die dosentc en al die anderuitgawes verbonde aan so 'ngroot onderneming.Vir die Christelike Instituut en virAICA is dit 'n geloofsdaad. Vir dieChristene van Sutd-Afrika is dit ngeloofsuitdaaing. Sal die nageslag kangctuie dat die uicdaging in die naamv?n Christus aanvaar en beantwoordis?Beyers Naude.

PRO VERITATE 15 April 1969MEMBER CHURCHES OF THE AFRICANINDEPENDENT CHURCHES' ASSOCIATION1. African Apostolic FaithMission2. African Apostolic MissionChurch in Zion of S.A.3. African Cathedral EpiscopalChurch4. African Christian HolinessChurch of Zion in S.A.5- African Church6- African Church7. African Free New Church8. African Independent CatholicChurch9. African Methodist Church10. African Presbyterian BafolisiChurch of S.A.11. African United Baptist Church12. Apostolic Miracle Church13. Apostolic African CatholicChurch14* Apostolic Church of Christ15. Apostolic Church of Christ16. Apostolic First-Born Churchin Zion of S.A.17. Apostolic Full Gospel Missionof S.A.18. Apostolic Jerusalem Church inZion Mision of S.A.19. Apostolic Kingdom nf Christ2(1. Apostolic Phophetic Churchof S.A.21. Assembles Apostolic Church inZion22. Association Apostolic Churchin Zion of S.A.23. Acts of the Apostles ChristianChurch of S.A.24. African Church of Witness inZion25. African Methodist Church ofS.A.26 African National Church in Zion27. African Native Mission Church28. African United Church ofChrist in Zion29. Apostolic Christian BrethrenChurch of S.A.30- Apostles Assembly & Churchof the First-Born in R,31. Apostle Safety T-ion Chudcliin Zion32. Apostolic Church of Christ inZion33. Apostolic Mission Church34. Apostolic Missionary Church35. Apostolic Strangers Church inZion36. Apostolic World Faith Churchin God of S.A.37. Aposlolic Alliance MissionPentecost Church of S.A.38. African Congregational Church39. African Bantu MethodistChurch10. African Presbyterian Church41. African Church Mission inJesus Christ42. African Full Free GospelChurch of S.A.43. Apostolic Kanana Church inJerusalem Witness of Jehova41. African Mission SocietyChurch45. Acts of the Apostolic Churchof S.A.46. Apostolic Jerusalem Churchin Zion of S.A.47. African Christ Baptist Churchof S.A.4#. Apostolic New ChristianChurch of S.A.49. Apostolic Faith Church Ass.in Zion of S.A.50. African United Church of S.A.51. Apostolic Sun AssemblyTwentv-Two52. Apostolic Holy Mission53. Bantu Bapedi ApostolicChurch54. Bantu Congregational Churchuf Zion in ft.S.A.55. Bantu Congregational Churchof S.A. JN.M.M.)56. Bantu Eleven ApostolicChurch of God in Zion57. Bantu Free Church of S.A.58. Bantu Full Gospel Church ofGod59. Bantu Full Gospel Church ofGod60. Bantu Full Gosp*-l Church ofS.A.61. Bantu General Church of S.A.62. Bantu New Apostolic Churchof Christ in Zion63. Bantu Methodist Church61. Bedsaide Healing FaithMission65. Bethlehem Apostolic Churchin Zion66. Bethlehem Holy ApostolicChurch in Zion67. Bethsaide Canada Church68. Bishop SA.lt. Dean60. Brethren Mission Church ofS.A.70. Bantu Apostolic JericoChurch in Zion in S.A.71. Bantu Christian ApostolicChurch of S.A.72. Bantu New Catholic ApostolicChurch73. Bantu New Christian Church74. Bethlehem Apostolic ZionChurch of S,A.75. Bethlehem Holy SpiritApostolic Moon Star Church76. Bantu Christian Church of S.A.77. Bantu Church of God78. Bantu Bethlehem ChristianApostolic Church of S.A.79. Bantu Church of the Holy City80. Bantu Christian ApostolicChurch of S.A.81. Bethlehem Church AfricanApostolic82. Christian Apostolic Churchin Zion of S.A.83. Christ Chuich of God81. Christian Catholic ApostolicChurch in Zion 'Bantu85. Christian Catholic Church inZion of S.A.86. Christian Galalia ApostolicChurch in Zion of S.A.87. Christian Healing ApostolicChurch of S.A.88. Church of Christ89. Church of Christ90. Church of Chrisl ApostolicMisiuu91. Church of Christ Mission92. Church of Chrisl Mission93. Church of S.A.94. Church of Christ of S.A.95- Church of Christ of S.A.96. Church of St. Peter in TswanaApostolic of S.A,97. Cushion Church of R.S.A.98. Catholic Apostolic Churchof S.A.99. Chrisl Church of God100. Christian Apostolic Church inZion of S.A.101. Christian Apostolic NationalityChurch in Zion102. Christian National ApostolicChurch in Zion of S,A.103. Christian Voice ApostolicChurch in Zion of S.A.104. Church of Christ ApostolicIndependent in S.A.105. Congregational ApostolicNew Jerusalem Church of S.A.106. Christian Brethren Assembly107- Christian Christ Church inZion108- Christian Apostolic ZuluChurch in Zion109. Church of God in Christ110. Christ the Rock Mission111. Church of God in Zion112. Christ Gospel of Salvation113. Christian Apostolic SalvationMission Church A,D.114. Church nf God in Christ115. Congregational Church ofChrist116. Eastern Morian ApostolicChurch in Zion117. 8th Army Church of ZionApostolic

15 April 1969 PRO VERITATE 9118.119.120.121.122.123.124.125.1.26.127.128.129.130.131.132.133.134.135.136.137.138.139.140.141.142.143.144.1-15.146.147.148.149.150.151.152.Ethiopian Catholic Church in•7-/ion Ethiopia Catholic Church ofS.A.Rthopia Church of Christby ReligionEthiopia Failh Catholic Churchof AfricaEast African OrphanageChurch in ZionEleven Apostolic Church ofChrist in S.A.Emaduse Apostolic Church inthe StarEvangelist l-'ailh in ZionChurch of S.A.Ethiopia .Salvation LightChurch of Christ in S.A.Ekuthuleni JerusalemApostolic ChurchEthiopia Catholic MissionaryChurchEthiopia Apostolic Orthodox• mChurch in ChristFirst Apostolic in Zion ofS.A.Free IndependentBechuanaland Church of S.A.Free Zion Apostolic Churchof S.A,Failh Church of ChristFirst A post It* Church in ZionFirst Apostolic Church of St.Peters of S.A.First Apostolic Church inZion of S.A.First Catholic ApostolicJerusalem Church in ZionFirst New Jerusalem HolySpirit Mission ApostolicCnurch in ZionFree Methodist Church in theRepublicFree Apostolic Church of S.A.•First Sinai Apostolic Churchin ZionGeneral Faith AssemblyChurch in Zion of S.A.General Faith AssemblyA ion v.hurchGospel Bcthsatd Church inZion of S.A.General Faith Assembly ZionChurch in S.A,Cordon Mvunvana AfricanCongregational Church of S.A.Gospel of the Kingdom Spiritof CodHoly Apostolic ChurchCatholic in Zion of S.AHoly Apostolic Church inZion of S.A.Holy Church of ChristHoly Free Corner StoneApostolic Church in Zion ofS.A.Ilolv National Church of153.154.155.156.157.158.159.160.161.162.163.164.165.166.167.I6fl.169.170.171.172.173.174.175.176.177.178.170.m.181.182.183.181.las.186.Ethiopian of S.A.Holy Spirit Apostolic Churchin ZionHoliness Apostolic Church ofChrist in S.A.Hebrew Jerusalem Church ofCodHoly Apostolic Church ofAfricaHoly Christian ApostolicChurch in Zion of S.A.Holy Ethiopia CongregationMission of S.A,Holy Apostolic ReformSalalhiel Church in ZionHoly United MethodistChurch in S.A.Holy National Church ofEthiopia in S.A.Holy Congregation ApostolicChurch in ChristHoly Gospel Church in Zionof S.A.Independent MethodistChurch of S.A.Jerusalem Church of GodSabbathJabulani Zion ApostolicChurch of S.A.Jerusalem Christ TwelveApostolic Church in Zion ofS.A.Jerusalem Catholic ChristianApostolic Church in ZionKuhse New Christian ChurchMethodist Church Bantupeople AfricaMorions Kpiscopal ApostolicChurch in ZionMorious Twelve ApostolicChurch of GodMessenger Apostolic NewJerusalem Church in Zion ofS.A.Mountain Zion ApostolicChurch of GodMountain General AssemblyZion ChurchNational Catholic Church inAfrica* P W*»Native Branch ApostolicChurch of Zion ill JerusalemNative Christian BafutsanaBaptist ChurchNative Christian BaptistChurch of S.A.Nazarene Bible SabbathMission of S.A.New Apostolic Church in ZionNew* Apostolic Church in Zionof S.A.New Brethren ChurchNew Ethiopia MethodistChurch of S.A.New Free National EthiopianChurch of S.A*New Gorvement Church ofChrist187. New Jerusalem Church inZion188. New Thessalonika AfricanChurch in Zion189. No. 1 Holy ApostolicJerusalem Church in Zion190. Ntflikana Memorial ChurchL3L New African Holy NationalChristian Apostolic Church ofGod in Zion of S.A.192. New Apostolic ChristianChurch in Zion193. New Apostolic CovenantChurch of Christ in Africa194. New Church of Christ Titusin Zion Apostolic Zion195. New Congregational Church ofChrist of S.A.196. New CongregationalPresbyterian Church of Cod197. New Nazarelh Church ofApostles in Zion198. New Phillipian Church of S.A.199. New Vangelisl ApostolicChurch in Zion of S.A.200* New Jerusalem Church ofAfrica Thalia Sione201. New Chrisolist ApostolicChurch in Zion202. New Holy Spirit CatholicChurch in Zion of S.A.203. New Assemblies of Chrisl S.A.20 L New Apostolic JerusalemChurch in Zion205. New Five Mission ApostolicChurch in Zion2(16. New African Society207- New Aposlol JerusalemChurch208- New St. Matthews ApostolicChurch of God209. National Church of Ethopiain S.A.210. Original National ChristianApostolic Church Zion211. Prosbjlerian Church of Africa212. Pentecostal Jerusalem Churchin Zion213. Reformed Covenant Churchof Christ211*. Reformed Ethiopian Church215. Seventh-Day Church of Christ216. Sevenlh-Dav Church of Christ217. S.A, Christian JerusalemApostolic Church in Zion218. S.A, Elenlh Apostolic Churchin Zion219. Spiritual Zion Church220. Si. Apostolic Sinai Churchof Christ22 L St. Efese of Jesus Christ\postolic Church222. Si. Elijah Apostolic FaithMission of S.A.223. St. Frances Apostulic Church224. St. Paul Apostolic Faith

15 April 1969 PRO VERITATE 11THE CHRISTIAN(Positive Christian Action in a Time of Crisis — Part 2)DR. W. B, DE VILLIERSWe have established that the crisis in which we ns Christians are involvedis the crisis of all time and that it is essentially the crisis of Sin.According to the Bible, he who unavoidably stands in the middle of thiscrisis and v.lho is called upon by God Hkns«if to deal with it is the Christian.Who is he, this strange and uniquehuman being, the Christian?If we follow the guidelines of whatis probably the most easily understandablehandbook of the Christianfaith, the Heidelberg Catechism,we find the Christian defined as hewho, through the mercy of God, hasbeen saved from eternal death, thewages of sin, through the vicariousatonement of Christ upon the crossafter due confession and repentanceof sin.The latter, confession and repentanceof sin, play a most importantrole. Since the very essence of sinis hubris, pride, self-esteem, self-satisfaction,there can be no true conversionof the human soul to Christ exceptthis pride be demolished, thishubris Thoroughly shattered. The firstthing to be noticed about the trueChristian is that he no longer knowsany personal pride because all his sinfulpride has been decisively blownapart by the wrath and the judgementof God.THE WEAKLINGThe Christian is, indeed, a trulybroken reed: one who has finally beenbrought to an existential awareness ofhis own powerlessness, his helplessness,his lostness, the utter futility ofhis own life. He has in fact only becomea Christian by having beenbrought to his knees before God, grovellingin the mud of his own selfdefeat.For it is only there, in thevery depths of despair, that the Spiritof God performs His great act ofgrace, forcing from a once proud sinnerthe anguished cry: "Help me,merciful God; I canot go any further;I have no more strength; I see nolight; I do not have a single answerleft; all mv self-assurance is destroyed!"This is the real beginning of aman's becoming a Christian. It is thisman, confessing his personal powerlessnessand weakness and nothingnessbefore Almighty God, self-confessedlythe weakest and most powerlessof all God's creatures, who iscalled upon by God, in His turn, todeal with the crisis of sin, the mosthumanly impossible of all tasks.The weakest, yes, but at the sametime the strongest and most powerfulof al God's creatures! Strong in hisfaith and strong in the strength ofthe Holy Spirit who dwells in him, sothat no mountain is too high for himto conquer, no problem too great totackle, no crisis too complicated tocope with.The Christian is strong in andthrough his very weakness; strongexactly because of his weakness. Forit is this very weakness of his whichmakes it possible for the power ofthe Spirit of God to enter his heartand to take possession of him. Withoutthis weakness, the divine strengthwould and could never have becomemanifest. The man who is strong preciselybecause he is weak — this isthe Christian: he who knows no selfassuranceor arrogance, who has nopersonal pride left, but who standsflashed with the pride of the Lord,fihe bearer of whose gospel he is, andwho dare prophetically proclaim:"Thus saith the Lord!"FEARLESSLY COMMITTEDThis makes of the Christian a verypeculiar human being indeed. Thisstrength within weakness, this utterdependence upon the Almighty,makes of this rare human being acompletely, totally and singly committedperson: necessarily committedto the One from whom, in his abjectweakness, he derives all his strength;committed with all his being, hiswhole body, his whole mind, his wholespirit to obedience to God alone andto the cause of his Son Jesus Christen earth. The singularly and singlycommitted man — this, too, is theChristian.It also makes of him — this rarecreature — the only human being whohas any real sense of personal security.It lies in the nature of human sin thatit renders men insecure, in witnesswhereof we are confronted from dayto day with thousands of examples ofmankind's futile strivings after security— "seff-securisation". The Christianhas no part in this frantic searchfor security, for he already has hisown security, the only security thatmakes man safe and unassailable: thesecurity which is founded on the rockof Golgotha and firmly anchored tothe Cross implanted upon it. Hissecurity is Jesus Christ, who died forhim and was resurrected unto eternallife, so that he may live by dyingunto himself in Christ. The only manwho knows security, real security —this, too, is the Christian.And because he knows and enjoysthis true security, because he knowshew to surmount even the most cripplingcares of the world, the Christianessentially knows no fear. The fearlessone, the one who is afraid neitherof the dark unknown nor of the uncharteddepths of real personal relationshipwith the Other, the enigmaticThou — this, too is the Christian.For to live venturesomely, tolive in obedience to God's call totruth, righteousness and love; activelyto love God above all and one's neighbouras oneself — ilhis requires courageof a quality which can only bedisplayed by someone who has,through grace and faith, become trulyfearless.DUAL CITIZENSHIPQuite logically and realistically,this means that the Christian alone isreally capable of loving in the mostmeaningful sense of the word. He whois afraid dare not contemplate thegamble of loving. The opposite oflove {in the Biblical sense of agapi)is not hatred (which stands opposedto cms, or carnal love), but fear.Where fear rules, love, the very possibilityof loving, inevitably disappears.Only he who knows not fearcan venture to take the initiative bylaying himself bare and defenselessbefore God and his fellow-man, whichis the first act of love. Only (heChristian dare love, because he aloneknows no fear.

12 PRO VERITATfc 15 Aprd 1969Finally — one can, of course> sayso much more and mention so manyfurther characteristics — the Christianis a quite paradoxical creaturein being a citizen of two worlds, oftwo kingdoms. He is a dweller bothin the cicy of man and in the city ofGod; in this world but not of it.Paradoxically, he manages to be agood and loyal citizen of his owncountry* of rhis our human world,as well as, underneath and above itall, essentially a citizen af the kingdomof God which is yet to comeand of the kingdom of Christ whichhas already been established on canh;of which we arc already parti whichis here, amongst us as surely as theWord became flesh and God revealedHimself in human history throughhis Son.This, loo, is the Christian therefore:the man who knows a loyaltybeyond egotism, chauvinism and evenpatriotism; who knows an ultimateloyalty to the supreme King, to GodHimself, to whom his whole life belongsand for whom he would thereforewillingly lay it down and lose it.ODIOUS COMPARISONBut all of us bear knowledge orshould bear knowledge of these obviouscharacteristics of ihe Christianbecause diey are spelt out for us in suchdetail in the Bible itself. All that nowremains for us to perform is therather unpleasant task of drawing dieunavoidably odious comparisons. Ifthese characteristics of the Christianbe regarded as Scriptural criteria,how do wc present-day Christiansmeasure up to them? Wc, the remarkablyun-Christian Christians of ourday, who still dare to call ourselvesChristians, who so appreciably swellthe ranks of our pious chruchgoors,who so considerably boos! the membershipof our various denominationsand so dutifully replenish rheir cofferswith our conscience-money?The picture that presents itselfis a sorry and somewhat frighteningone.So many of us, the sclf-professcdChristians of our time, are essentiallyarrogant, proud, self-assured, selfsatisfied.Wc are quite certain of thecorrectness of our own standpointand all too ready volubly to attackanyone who dare differ from us. Andin this arrogance and presumedstrength of ours we are in realityweak and our weakness shows: in ourvacillation, in our conciliatory readinessto compromise on principle, inour avoidance at all costs of any "unpleasantness",in our reiteration ofthe hollow slogan "Peace, peace*"when there is no peace. Essentiallyuncertain of ourselves, wc resort toblustering, but when all the blusteris over, all that is left is compromise.Too many people who call themselvesChristians today are essentiallyuncommitted people. Their lives lacka single guiding principle, a firmanchor to which to cling at all costs.They drift hither and thither as themood seizes them or personal conveniencedemands. They trim theirsails to the prevailing winds — the"winds of change". They fall backon hurriedly concocted solutions inall problematical situations. And, notbeing truly committed to Christ alone,rhey resort to casuistically conceivedplans and ad hoc machinations to attainfalse securities in the face of thevast insecurity which permeates theirlives.Let us take a long look at *>urfellow-Christians and especially atourselves. Have not we, too, fallenprey to the lure of all the false securitiesdangled before us by a sinfulworld: that nicely mounting littlebank balance, that profitable little investmentproviding for a rainy day,that close-knit little circle of equallyaffluent and culturally acceptablefriends, those shiny "status symbols**we have acquired to boost our falteringegos and to dispel our inner uncertaintyabout ourselves — the thousandsof little ruses we ingeniouslydevise from day to day to anaesthetizeourselves into a state of nonrecognitionof our own essential insecurity?AFRAID TO LOVEAnd because wc so-called Christianshave so little inner security, realsecurity within ourselves, we are inevitablythe trembling victims of feardeep in our hearts: fear of whatmight happen to us, fear of the unknown,fear for our property and ofsomeone robbing us of our treasuredpossessions, fear of our country beingoverrun by aliens, fear of war andeverything it entails, fear of losingall the ephemeral riches wc havegathered unto ourselves, fear of thedarkness of madness; ultimately, fearof Death, the Dark Presence whomwe shudder to face, of whom wc refuseeven to think.And he who fears cannot and doesnot love. For a man who loves hasto be prepared to take a chance onGod and on his fellow-man. He mustbe willing to trust God and to entrusthis very life to his neighbour.But how can one trust and entrustif one is essentially afraid? This Isa rank impossibility. To be afraidsimply means that one cannot love.That is why it hurts to rememberthe old story about the early Christiansof whom bystanders said: "Howstrange they are, these Christians —see how they love each other!" Lookaround you today at our world literallyteeming with Christians and seehow little love they have for eachother, how they fear and suspect eachother, how they plot against each other,how they hate each other; they, therespected members of our establishedchurches with their great and nobletraditions, who are full of fear andessentially devoid of love ...And when one does not, cannorlove, because of fear, one cannot serve.One can ultimately only serve oneselfand seek for oneself. One becomesfatally obsessed wirh oneself. Themost important thing, the most importantperson in life becomes thegreat god I, and finally one reachesthe stage defined by Martin Lutheras that of the cor inenrvatura in se:the heart curled upon itself —* like ascorpion turning its virulent stingupon itself — eating away at itselffor lack of any outward direction,cankering away ai itself, and finallydestroying itself, This is the sad stateof the ego-centred human soul dyingfrom selfishness, sclf-sccking and selfservice.Wc must be honest with ourselves.Do all rhc things that have just beensaid not combine to form a rather aptdescription of the so-called Christiansof our day?* « *Let me finally try to sum up everythingI have said in terms of the threebasic characteristics of the true Christian: self-sacrifice, service of theOther and seeking after the kingdomof God. These arc, ultimately, theessential characteristics of the completelydedicated, totally committedman: of the true Christian, These, sothe Bible tells us, are the true marksof the children of God and the followersof Jesus Christ, our Saviour.And if you, my readers, are preparedto look honestly at yourselvesas I was compelled to look at myselfwhilst preparing this paper, you cansurely only exclaim with me: "Woeis me — I fall far too short of whatis expected of mc!"SPIRIT OVERCOMESFor it is upon me and upon myfellow-Christians that God dependsto deal with the crisis of Sin, to standen the ramparts and ward off the slings

IS April 1969 PRO VERITATE 13of ihc arch-enemy, Satan, who is allaround us and wirh us and in us. Andwc, the defenders of ihc kingdom ofGod, arc so poorly equipped becauseit is we who are the selfish ones; becausefor us, alas, the things of thisworld, the things of the here and now,are far more important than thethings of the kingdom of God andhis Son which wc are solemnly instructedto seek first of all.This is the harsh reality we haveto face; the reality of our actualChristian existence, the facts aboutChristianity and the modern-dayChristian- This is who ihc Christianis, this utterly paradoxical creature:weak in his strength, strong In hisweakness; fearful In his lack of love*capable of loving only through hislack of fear; the possessor of ultimatesecurity because he has given up allfalse securities. To his frail and incapablehands does God entrust thesupreme task of dealing with the crisisof Sin — the crisis of all time andalso the crisis of our time.If, again, I am allowed to end ona happier note, let mc state ihat> sofar from everything being lost, we canonly thank God for his Spirit whomChrist has left us and for the invinciblepower of this, the Holy Spirit*Let us thank God uhat, despite oursinfulness, we as Christians ore theinheritors — if only we be preparedto accept and use our inheritance —^of the greatest power in heaven andon earth, and that we weak followersof Christ may therefore stand firmas the mightiest defenders of God'skingdom whom nothing can overpower.In His strength and in Hisstrength alone, we ohall indeed overcome!Die Kerk BuiteSuid-Afrika— PROF. B. B. KEETDIE TEOLOGtE VAN DIE REVOLUSIEIn Holland word die vraag van revolusie druk bespreek. In 'n land soosHolland, wat honderd ;aar lank teen die Spaanse oorhecrsing geveg het, baicbegryplik. In hierdie siryd het owerheid en kerk saamgestaan om die vryheidvan staat en godsdiens te vcrower en te handhaaf. In die teenwoordige tydhct soortgcJyke omstandighede ontstaan, waar die Kommunisme dear gewelddadigemiddcle soek om beide die staat en die godsdiens te vermetig. Dievraag ontstaan dus pertinent, in hoever die kerk geregverdig is om geweld teengeweld te preck. Selfs die ontstaan en voortbestaan van die Anti-Revolusion£«Party word in die bespreking betrck, hocwel laasgenoemde as teenvoeter vandie Franse Revolusie tot stand gekom het.Ek wil graag enige uiitrekscls geevan besprckings en besluite wat in dieHervormde en Gcreformcerde kringejn die laaste tyd voorgekom het.In Luntcren, die plek van samekomsvan die Gereformecrde KkumenicscSinode onlangs, hct die HervormdeSinode op 18 Februarie vergadcren horn besig gehou met diebehandcling van *n rapport van dieHervormde Raad vir die sake vanowerheid en samelcwing oor die onderwerp:Revolusie en Geregtigheid*In die somervergadering (1968) hetdie Hervormde Sinode al 'n kort notaoor die revolusie bespreek. Daarby istoe afgespreck dat daar 'n uitvoerigcrstudie sou kom, wat nou in behandclinggekom het.In die begin van hierdie uitvocngcstudie word gese, dat dit gcen toegeeaan 'n moderne verskynsel is, wanneerkerke hulle besig hou met die begriprevolusie nie. „Dit is veeleer die gevolgvan die snclle veranderinge indie samelcwing, wat ook die kerketen diepste raak, dat hierdie kerkehulle afvra: waar staan ons, waarheen•is ons op wcg, wat mag ons van diemens vcrwag en waiter funksie vervulons verkondiging in J n rcvolusioneretydperk?" So lui die nota, waarindaar verder op gewys word dat in onsecu die stryd om geregtigheid wereldafmctingsaangeneem het. „Dit gaannic allccn om sosiale, maar om ekonomicseen politicke hervorming, omradikale vcmuwing op wercldvlak,Nie slegs bevolkingsgroepe nic, maarhelc volke en kontinente het vandagin 'n krisis-situasie geraak, waarvoorallccn deur *n gcsamcntlike internasionaleinspanning "n begin van *noplossing gevind kan word",, aldus dieHervormde Raad in sy nota.Die opset van die nuwe studie isin die eerste plek gerig op *n naderedefinisie van die begrip revolusie envan die rcvolusiondrc situasic vanvandag* Daarop volg *n hoofstuk oorgeregtigheid, dan 'n hoofstuk waarinnagegaan word hoe op hierdie momentgcvra word na 'n teologiese be*sining.'n Paar op- en aanmerkinge deurlede van die Sinode kan aantoon hoedaar met die vraag geworstel word.Die heer R. Wykstra hct daarvoorgewaarsku om revolusie, wat dikwelsmet geweld gepaard gaan, te romantisccr.Gcwcld hct 'n destniktiewekaraktcr. Aan die ander kant moetons oppas daarvoor dat ons gaanmoraliseer. Ons moet onthou dat geweldsoms die cnigste uitweg uit onderdrukkingis en dat in bepaaldcsuuasics afsicn van gcwcld, afsien vanreg mccbring.'n Diaken het gemeen dat hierdiesnidic geen pleidooi vir geweld inhounie. Ons moet daarop let dat gcwcldeerder voorkom word wanneer Christenewerklik *n positicwe stclling inneemen handhaaf in verband met dievrae en problcme van geregtigheidin hierdie wercld. Prof. Lckkerkcrkeruit Groningen het bewcer, dat wanneerin die studie nog meer die teologievan djc hoop en van die toekomsverwagtlngin rekenskap gekomhet- die stuk die gcmecntclcde nogmcer sou aansprcck, Daar mag sekcrby gcmcld geword hct van die versct,van waamit bv, die Nederlandse gcmenebesgestig is en onrstaan het bydie grasie van wat Calvyn oor versetgeskryf het. Ook die Wilhclmus iscintlik cin gedig, wat vanuit die teologicvan die revolusie geskryf is*Prof, K. Strijd uit Amsterdam hctgese dat in die meeste kerke die Bybeloople by die Profete, wat van diemees rcvolusionere stukke in die Bybelis* Volgens horn gaan dit in diebegrip revolusie om drie aspektc, nl

14 PRO VERITATE 15 April 19691. die eksplosiewe si tussle in Latyns-Amerika,2. die revolusionere bewcginge volgensdie rcscme voorbceld van diestudente in Parys en3. die tegnokratiesc revolusie.Hierdic punte kom nie duidelik uitin die (jtudie nic. Eindelik is die stukrerugverwys om verder bewerk tcword, ook aan die hand van wai indie Sinodc opgemerk is.Die Gereformeerdes gaan meer uitvan die gebeunenisse inTsjeggo-Slowakye.'n Aamal Icde van die VriicUniversitcit van Amsterdam, ondcrwie die rector-magnificus, dc GaayForanan, het in 'n ope brief hul tcleurstcllinguitgedruk oor die afsondcrlikeGereformcerdc kanselboodskap inverband met Praag. Die brief is ondcrtckendcur 125 pcrsone en konstatecrdat hulle met lecdwese die suggestievcrneem wai van hicrdie kanselboodskapuitgaan, dat die roeping vanChristene in die huidigc politickesiiuaste is tot gebed vir vcrdruktes envcrdrukkers. Voorts betrcur huile ditdat hicrdie kansclboodskap nie oproeptot besinning op bestaande militcreen politicke vertioudings nic.SOUTH AFRICA — 1969We tfodtShall u>e everovercome?Either i he a pawnI pawn myselfOr you are pawnedin the brokerBoth you and I mustsubmitand die in theof the brokenAnd?shop(must?)anonymityshopBut who are you fYou?You!Your gaunt eyes speakand accuseYet I can no longer listenHenri or we both diethe final deathin the anonymityof hollow menin the broken shop(M.CJknrinil • 1..(r*IF"ilH"tfrrn"itfi,(iP^ < . • . . . . ; . " . i - . -• .

15 April 1969 PRO VERITATE 15draws between tfw Barmen Declarelion and the "Menage".An important difference which shealso fillip to mention, hut I am surethai llir readers noticed it. id that theliar inn? Declaration was addressed toa church whereas the Message wasaddressed to the people of SouthAfrica. Perhaps this also reveal* thedifference between the "theologicalDrcla ration" and the efforts of theleader** of the NYw Israel attemptingto emulate the leaders of an old Israelunder an old covenant whichpassed away at the first Easier*ABOLITION OF APARTHEIDCOULD BE DISASTROUSMr. V. G. Davie*, 89 Kloof Road,Sea Point, Cape TownYour editorial in the March issue"The Question of the 'Alternative "\prompts m« to observe thai what weare witnessing in this country todayis not White hate of nun*Whites, asso many mistaken people the worldover evidently think, but the determinationof the Whites to preservethe Christian-orientated. Westerncivilization built up here over thepast 300 years. In common with theVOflt majority of the Whiles* I believethat if apartheid were to beimmediately abolished, the resultwould not he an improvement in thesituation, but a rapid, and perhapsdisastrous, deterioration of the situation.The abolition of apartheid, withconsequent integration in all departmentsof life, would certainly bringabout a levelling down of our society,and this is a sacrifice which theWhites will not, and should not,make. The Whites have a moral dutyto work for ihe levelling up of ourheterogeneous society, but they couldnot do this if the less advanced sectionsof the community took control,as of course they would if apartheid,political as well as social, were to heabolished. The alternative to presentpolicy, ihen, is not the abolition ofapartheid; the alternative is the reformor moderation, of present policyso that apartheid is applied on amore just and more realistic basis.This is not to say that Apartheid isa good in itself, and that it shouldnot be superseded by something betteras soon as this becomes practicable:it is simply to say thai in Ihepresent circumstances we have nochoice but to continue with apartheld, albeit in a modified and morallymore acceptable form, if we areto maintain peace and progress inllie country.BOEKBESPREKINGLANDSCHAP. Een bundel gedachtenover de Psalmen (derde vyftigtal)deur prof* dr. G.Th. Rotbuizen.J. H Kok N.V., Kampen 1968.336 bladsye. Prys L16.50 (geb.).Uw van lotiter genol wag vir dieleser wat hierdie bundel ter handnmn. Met die vrrskvning daarvan betdie skrywer. hoogleraar aan dieTheologische Hngeschool te Kampen.n koshare drie-delige werk oor diePsalms voltoui, wal oordenkings bevatoor elk van die 150 Psalms indie IfvbeL Prof. Itothuizen laal hierinblyk dat hv met gespilsle aandagna die Imodskap van die Skrif geluisterhet en die skoonste inusiekdanrin verneem het. Hy het klaarblyklikdie besondere gawe ontvang omdit op so *n wyse deur te s|>eel datJ) mens onweerstaanbaar in vervoeringraak. Hy is "n meesler van diewoord en verslaan die kuns om sy gedagtesin heldere taal en met frisseonrsprouklikheid uil te druk* Predikantesal in hierdie werk oor diePsalms n enorme htilp kan vind metdie oog op die prediking — 6f deurdie inspirasie wat hulle daaruit salput orn oor bepaaldc tckste uit diePsalms te preek (en dan ook vanKothuizeu «p kostelike gedagles gebriiikte maak i of deur die wysewaarop hierdie werk *n mens een*voudig op n feestelike wandelingneem deur die oorstelpende skoon*heid van d*e Rybel. "n Hegister vanHybeltekste warna verwys is, beslannnie minder nie as 23 bladsye van diederde deel van Landschap.Dit is moeilik om le se wat, ofwaiter spesifieke oordenking my b>die lees van die derde vyfttgtal diemeeste getref het, *n Mens is natuurlikook nie sommer ltd die eerstedeurlees klaar daarmee nie! Landschapis van die soort boeke wal niealleen n gunstelingsplek op jou rakinneem waar jy dit hyderhand hou viijou verlusliging in die vrye halfuur*tjie nie, maar waarvan sommige oor*denkings jou ook sterker aanspreekas ander en jy eintlik nooit genoegdaarvan kn* nie. (Kk dink hv. aanlets soos Noordmans se „7ondaaren Bedelaar", of „Gestnlte en Geest";of aan ,*Sla op tot de vreugde" enander bundel* van Van Huler).Tog wil ek graag melding maakvan lets wal in my gedagtes Mymaal: Die skrywer se kritiese houdingl.o.v. wat Q mens kan noem die(lalvinistiesc arbeidsetiek. In hierdieverband wil ek die leser sommer ookgraag verwys na n artikel wat onlangsuil die pen van prof. Kolhuizenverskyn het in Gercformeerd Tkeo*togiseh Tijdschrijt oor Net Calvin*isme en de trije Tijd — *n sink wal'n mens, wat nog altyd (en nie nttydsonder weersin nich geglo liet ditdie saligheid in ,.dood-wcrk" le, niemet „rus" laat nie. „Men kan ooksterven voor zijn tijd*\ staan daarin die oordenking oor Psalm 102:14.Maar; .,(wal een straf• ia, maarwaarom dan ook zo goddefoos hardgewerkl bijv.ll" Ek haal verder aanuit die oordenking oor Psalm 101,23:..Maar vandaag of morgen krijgenwe de dagen. die niet meer volgczwoegdhoeven te wordeiu om de cenvoudigereden. dat het ook anderskau; zonder vetd zweel en zonder dathet avondeu gant kosten ... En hoemoet het dan met het calvinUrne?Dal zaj het inderdaad niet gemakkelijkkrijgen. al* het landelijk *weeler niel meer bij is en het stadse *weeter niel meer bij is* want zweten,zwoegen. dat kon hel,maar zot doenen spelen. nee dat kon het niel , 4 .Hicr zullen de mense van Calvijn bijLuther in de leer moeten gaan, maarook het proteslanlisme bij het roomskntholicismeen bier zal het ^westersavontuur van de mens" contact moetopnemen met het „uoMera avontuurvan de mens (De Rougemonlj". Nogn aanhaling uit die oordenking oorPsalm 127:2: ,.In ons levensklimaatgaat het jezelf doodwerken nog aliijd voor weliswaar bij2onder tra*gisch, maar tog iwk hijzonder verdienstelijk door. De belijdenis" (dieHeidelbergse KalegUmus oor die se£degehod! i „zou in verband hiermeeIiever van zelfmoord reppen. En zonderdai men deze altijd even zondigzou mogen noemen: in dit geval lochwel! Oor hierdie probleem kan onsstellig verwag om in die loekoms nogveel meer van die akrywer te hoor.Hoognodig ook, veral van Gerefor*rueerde kanl!B*E.

15 April 1969PROVERITATEand development Hence this viewopposes that which sees the world assomething finally ordered and complete.This static view finds its expressionin xmmobilism and conservatismin political, economic, and socialspheres. The dynamic view, on thecontrary, implies the conviction thatnothing is immutable and that it iscompletely legitimate to both contestand change political, social and ceo*nomic structures.These three areas of change whichhave revolutionised our way of thinkinghave resulted because of the timemodelwhich dominaics our outlook.Much of the thinking in the metaphysicalperiod, operated naturallywithin the scientific knowledge of themiddle ages. This being dominatedby spatial models, God was conceivedas Wsidc-looking-in*. Theology wastheo-centric and rightly so. Now,however, with the advent of evolutionarytheories, thinking has adoptedtime-models, theology has moved toa fairly anthropocentric position andmankind is seen as a pilgrim peopleon the move towards a God who isthe Lord of history.This reawakened view of man'srftlc and the creativity at the ends ofhis finger-lips was stated by Teilhardde Chardin in the following words:"To adore, formerly, meant preferringGod to things, by referringthem back to him and sacrificing themfor him. To adore now has come tomean pledging oneself body and soulto the creaiivc act, by associating oneselfwith it, so as to bring the worldto its fulfilment by effort and research."Loving one's neighbour, formerly,meant not defrauding him, and bindingup his wounds. Charity from nowon, whilst not ceasing to be imbuedwith compassion, will find its fulfilmentin a life given for the commonadvance."Being pure, formerly, meant in themain, standing aside and preservingoneself from stain. Chastity tomorrowwill call above all for a sublimationof the powers of the flesh and ofall passion."Being detached, formerly, meantnot concerning oneself with thingsand only taking from them the leastpossible. Being detached now means,step by step, moving beyond all truthand beauty by the power of the verylove that one bears for them,"Being resigned, formerly, couldsignify a passive acceptance of thepresent conditions of the universe.Being resigned now will be no longerallowcd> save to the warrior faintingaway in the arms of the angel. Becauseattachment to the world hasnow become attachment to Christ/*EARTH AND HEAVENThe fourth area we can brieflylook at is the relation between 'this'world and 'that* world. Now whetherone views these as polarised oppositeswith one being for-1he-other, suchthat wc must concentrate on one atthe expense of the other, largely dependson how wc view the incarnation.If one views this as the movementof God to man in Jesus, centringupon man in order to liberate himsuch that he can develop himself andthe world, one can agree with thewords of H. Berkhof, who in his workon The Doctrine of the Holy Spiritsaid that "the liberating and transformingpower of the Spirit of JesusChrist is at work everywhere wheremen arc freed from the tyranny ofnature, state, society, colour, casteclass, sex, poverty, disease and ignorance"*Thus no sphere of life canbe isolated and excluded from thefreedom of the Spirit. But not onlyis man given freedom and responsibility,but the future too, is open tonew possibilities. Man is then setfree in an open world and is emancipatedfrom, for example, his sin andfrom the limitations of a locked identityof colour, class or caste* Man isfinally emancipated from himself.In adition, the wedding of the humanand divine in the incarnation hasdealt the death blow to dualities.However, our Christian history unfortunatelyis one of many dualitytensions — between spirit and body,between sacred and profane, betweeniPrni BaautjteDie rcdaksie van Pro Veritatehet met diepe leedwese verneemvan die skielike afsterwevan prof* D, C* S. Oosthuizen,in lewe hoof van die departementFilosofie aan die Rhodesuniversiteitte Grahamstad.Prof- Oosthuizen, wat op 4April op die betreklike jeugdigeIccftyd van 43 jaar oorlede is,was *n getroue ondersteuner vanons blad en ook 'n lid van dieRaad van Behecr van die Christelike Instituut. Hy was iemandwat nie gehuiwer het om syheaven and earth. By Christianityconcentrating as much as it has inthe past on other worldUness (a sonof building-heaven concentration),Christians have been largely unawarethat earth is the stuff of heaven, andhave failed to respond to the call andthe needs of 'this 1 world and 'this*life. And when we have respondedto the demands of our time tt hasoften been largely despite our beingChristian instead of because of it*But God was in Christ entering definitiveinto our world and hence imbuingtime and space with a new dimension,focussing upon the value ofthe here and now, making the buildingof the earth into a sacred taskand co-creative act. It would furthermoreseem valid to see a direct correlationbetween 'building of theearth* and 'burlding heaven'; between'this' world and the 'next*.For example, what wc do now isconstitutive of our personality andprogressively creative of our identity.Our identities are not fixed realitiesdetermined by history, but the process,like maturation, that developsas wc live creatively in the present,open to the future. Hence, so longas there is time we develop, and deathalone locks our personal identity.Hence who we are becoming now andthe who wc wil be at death, will bethe who we wil! be 'with God'.So we are given a task to 'become*ourselves by accepting freedom responsiblyand developing into thenew being that God in Christ hasgiven us the possibility of becomingi.e^nckhcr Jew nor Gentile, black norwhite. South African nor Zambian,but one free and open and not limitedto nation, class, colour, or caste todiscover an identity.GDnstijutzfit tChrisielike oortuigings uit tcsprcck en uit te lecf nic, dikwelsten kosic van eie aansienen voordeel.Ons wil graag ons opregtedeclneming betuig met die universiteitwaaraan hy vcrbondewas en vir wie sy heengaan ongeiwyfeld*n groot vcrlies betcken.Veral wil ons egter onsinnigc meegevocl uitspreek teenoorwyle prof. Oosthuizen seeggenote en kinders, en hulledie versterfcmg en veruoostingvan ons hcmelse Vader toebid.

PRO VERITATE 15 April 1969THE CHRISTIAN COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICAINTRODUCTORY COURSE FOR CHRISTIAN WRITERSThe third introductory course for writers, to be conducted by MR. BENGTSIMONSSON, Director of the Africa Literature Centre, will be held at ST. PETER'SLODGE, ROSETTENVILLE, JOHANNESBURG, from 3 to 25 OCTOBER, 1969.The fee for the course (which is subsidised by a grant from the S.P-C.K.J is onlyR20 per student, HaH of this (RJOj must be sent with your application. The rest ispayable at the start of the course. Travelling expenses will be borne by the studentsor the churches sending them.The course is open to all who would like to come, whose application is supportedby their Church authorities. The lectures and seminars will orove most stimulating:the accommodation at St. Peter's Lodge is extremely comfortabfe.Please act at once! Send us the enclosed form duly completed together withyour remittance.,. .. .;. ... . . .. .. *.. + .*....**. + . ».*»**.. » t""—**-*»••• .APPLICATIONTo the Secretary for Christian Literature,South African Council of Churches.77 Fourth Avenue,Newton Park,PORT ELIZABETH.•Please enrol the following for the above course: (please print)NAME ••• NAMEADDRESSADDRESSIDENTITY No. IDENTITY No. ..(Additional names a^d addresses may be submitted separately)I enclose R • being registration fees of R(0 per student and will pay th*balance of RIO per student at the beginning of the course.NAME (Print)ADDRESS l• I . LL(Signature}On behalf of theChurch or Missionary School, etc.