Lewe na apartheid: Lidmate se narratiewe vanuit ’n longitudinale pastorale betrokkenheid

Abstract

Living beyond apartheid: narratives of church members from a longitudinal pastoral involvementHow do white Afrikaans Christians live in post-apartheid South Africa? This question was investigated with members of the Dutch Reformed Church as co-researchers over a period of fourteen years (1998-2012). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) revelations form a backdrop for their stories. Themes include white people’s idea of apartheid, guilt and confession, reconciliation and the role of the church. The research is placed within practical theology and specifically in a postmodern paradigm informed and supported by social construction discourse. By using a longitudinal narrative informed methodology a series of group discussions were held in 1998 with co-researchers with the themes mentioned above as focus. In 2012 a series of individual conversations were once again conducted with the same co-researchers focusing yet again on the same themes mentioned above. Despite changes on various levels of South African society very little has changed in the views of the co-researchers during this period. In some cases they have even taken a more racist position than in 1998. The focus in the research is mainly on the Dutch Reformed Church and the process of reconciliation, reintegration and the possible role of the Confession of Belhar in this process.