South Africa is a traumatised nation, and the clergy ought to play a central role in the healing process. They do so by combining spiritual wisdom and canonical inspiration together with appreciating the sociological and historical context of the people under their guidance. This should shape their preaching, prayer, service, activism and community strategy.
The most recent insidious comments on the Open Chats podcast about coloureds and the supposed incestuous ways, have once again opened wounds of trauma. It goes without saying that many within the coloured community were horrified by such falsehoods, adding to a whole host of other stereotypes, which has deepened the proverbial wound of historical trauma. Much has been said about the Open Chats comments, mine in this discussion is to remind us that we are a nation still reeling from generations of trauma and the only way to deal with it, is to understand it properly.
The church, to the dismay of hardened secularists and atheists, still performs a significant role in South African society. The latest census 2022 data reveal that just over 85% of South Africans are Christians. Admittedly, the casual observer might question the figure, given the social ills that plague the nation.
Do you preach about and understand the history of slavery in South Africa and its impact on your communities? Are you familiar with the genocide of Khoe and San people, ancestors of many coloured people? Are you aware that in the Cape Colony, the term ‘bastard’ was once a legal and social designation for people who would later be classified as ‘coloured’?
Pastors are many things. They are motivational speakers, theologians, counsellors, social workers, CEOs and sometimes CFOs too (I’ll reserve my comments on this, lest I enter an arena where even angels fear to tread). If I may add to it, amateur sociologist and historians, forgive my asking you to add roles onto your already burdened shoulders.
The idea that the clergy should understand the sociological and historical context of their communities is not new in Christian circles. The birth of contextual theology in the mid-20th century that somewhat shifted missiological approaches, and most likely inspired the thinking of the likes of Bishop Desmond Tutu, Oom Bey Naudé and Dr Allan Bosak in South Africa, Martin Luther King in the US and Gustavo Gutierrez in Peru. They recognised the need to read the times, understand the histories of the people they are leading, minister to them from a deep understanding of their generational trauma and comfort them from the bosom of God’s word.
Pastors in coloured communities, I’ve got some questions. Do you preach about and understand the history of slavery in South Africa and its impact on your communities? Are you familiar with the genocide of Khoe and San people, ancestors of many coloured people? Are you aware that in the Cape Colony, the term ‘bastard’ was once a legal and social designation for people who would later be classified as ‘coloured’? Or have you considered the dop system as the root to the scourge of alcoholism and drug abuse in so-called coloured communities? What about fatherlessness and gangsterism? Is it possible that it is more than just the sin of the current generation and can be traced back to the trauma of the former generations? Is it possible that generational curses are actually generational trauma and if understood from that perspective, congregants will know how to pray and respond to it?
I’m certain many pastors are cognisant of the histories of the people you lead and will have experience and understanding of the social ills. I am asking you, in serving and preaching to your congregants, to consider approaching some of the ‘sins’ and pain of today through the historical and sociological lens.
Many coloured folks do not know the history of oppression beyond the apartheid regime. And common wisdom tells us that you can’t heal a wound if you do not know the source of it. You, pastor, have a platform to educate communities and guide them spiritually on breaking these generational traumas by combining spiritual wisdom, biblical eternal truth and knowledge of the sociological and historical context of the communities under your care.
Thomas Terblanche is a strategic leader and trans-disciplinary scholar with more than eight years of experience in the education, research, advocacy, NGO and socio-political consultancy sectors
For opinion and analysis consideration, email opinions@timeslive.co.za
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