{"id":624,"date":"2014-06-07T13:39:00","date_gmt":"2014-06-07T13:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html"},"modified":"2014-06-07T13:39:00","modified_gmt":"2014-06-07T13:39:00","slug":"peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html","title":{"rendered":"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Introduction\u00a0<\/b><\/span>

<\/span>\u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our part\u201d. So said ANC (African National Congress) Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, while waving a Bible in the air. Bible waving has always been a way of configuring public space in South Africa. But it is the post-liberation context that is the subject of this paper, as I probe what precisely it is that Ramaphosa and other ruling party public figures want us to understand by \u201cplaying our part\u201d. Ramaphosa is rhetorically adept in locating himself among the \u201cwe\u201d of his exhortation. But this rhetoric does not deflect the illocutionary force of what he saying. What he is saying is that there is a part for \u2018us\u2019, the church, to play in the public realm. My question is what that part is understood to be by the state.\u00a0<\/span>

<\/span>Ramaphosa is here addressing the church. Specifically, he is addressing the Pentecostal<\/a> Holiness Church during their centennial celebrations, in Rustenberg, on the 1st of March 2013. Ramaphosa made it clear that he was standing in for President Jacob Zuma, who apologised for not being there for the ceremony.\u00a0<\/span>

<\/span>But before we analyse Ramaphosa\u2019s speech in more detail, I will reflect on the particular Bible waving trajectory in which he stands. I begin, briefly, with Nelson Mandela\u2019s trajectory-inducing statements, then I examine Thabo Mbeki\u2019s more considerable biblical contribution to the trajectory, along with the arguments of the ANC\u2019s policy document, \u201cThe RDP of the Soul\u201d, which Mbeki\u2019s administration produced, before turning to probe Jacob Zuma\u2019s position within this emerging trajectory, and finally I reflect on Cyril Ramaphosa\u2019s recent speeches to religious organisations.\u00a0<\/span>

<\/span>Invoking religion (in general) and Christianity and the Bible (in particular) have become commonplace in post-liberation South Africa. They are recognisable \u2018signs\u2019 in our contemporary context. But what precisely do they signify and how do they configure our public space? In this paper I use the economic terrain as a marker of what (and whom) public religion includes and excludes. The economic domain is absolutely central to liberation theology, the theological trajectory within which this paper locates itself. Furthermore, the public discourse in South Africa has shifted in recent months to the economic. In a remarkable rhetorical move the ANC has split the liberation struggle into two components, a political struggle (in which we have been successful) and an ongoing, unfinished, economic struggle. \u201cUnity in action towards socio-economic freedom \u201d is now the slogan, as we enter \u201cthe second phase of the transition from apartheid colonialism to a national democratic society\u201d.\u00a0<\/span>

<\/span>As we will see, the Christian church is included in this call. It is envisaged as playing a part in \u201cunity in action\u201d. But its role is fairly carefully conscribed by both the ANC and the state, though in terms that the church, in general, is not uncomfortable with. So if the church is to make a significant contribution to \u201csocio-economic freedom\u201d we will have to look outside of the institutional church to the organised social movements of the poor, with whom we might do theology. The ritual waving of the Bible (which invokes a particular theological trajectory) must be contested, I will argue, with a re-reading of the Bible as part of a people\u2019s theology movement.<\/span>

<\/span>Read the rest here<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction\u00a0\u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our part\u201d. So said ANC (African National Congress) Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, while waving a Bible in the air. Bible waving has always been a way of configuring public […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPeople\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Introduction \u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Introduction \u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rhetoric Race and Religion\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-06-07T13:39:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html\",\"name\":\"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2014-06-07T13:39:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2014-06-07T13:39:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#\/schema\/person\/2869b699bf0e57982cb1f212243705f2\"},\"description\":\"Introduction \u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/\",\"name\":\"Rhetoric Race and Religion\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#\/schema\/person\/2869b699bf0e57982cb1f212243705f2\",\"name\":\"Guest Contributor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5010a3cc274cdb37811bf24de46dc280?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5010a3cc274cdb37811bf24de46dc280?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Guest Contributor\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/author\/admin\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa","description":"Introduction \u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa","og_description":"Introduction \u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html","og_site_name":"Rhetoric Race and Religion","article_published_time":"2014-06-07T13:39:00+00:00","author":"Guest Contributor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Guest Contributor","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html","name":"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#website"},"datePublished":"2014-06-07T13:39:00+00:00","dateModified":"2014-06-07T13:39:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#\/schema\/person\/2869b699bf0e57982cb1f212243705f2"},"description":"Introduction \u201cIt is only when we play our part that we can say to President (Jacob) Zuma, you play your part as well, because we are playing our","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/2014\/06\/peoples-theology-prophetic-theology-and-public-theology-in-post-liberation-south-africa.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"People\u2019s Theology, Prophetic Theology, and Public Theology in Post-Liberation South Africa"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/","name":"Rhetoric Race and Religion","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#\/schema\/person\/2869b699bf0e57982cb1f212243705f2","name":"Guest Contributor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5010a3cc274cdb37811bf24de46dc280?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5010a3cc274cdb37811bf24de46dc280?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Guest Contributor"},"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/author\/admin"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=624"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/rhetoricraceandreligion\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}