Listening to the Church: Mennonite Ministry in South Africa
by Robert Herr and Judy Zimmerman Herr
MCC Occasional Paper No. 3
June 1988
About the authors
Judy Zimmerman Herr and Robert Herr bring extensive training and experience to the subject of service involvement with the churches in South Africa. They are currently MCC Southern Africa coordinators based in Gabarone, Botswana. From 1982 to 1986 they served as MCC representatives in South Africa. Robert and Judy work as teachers and administrators with MCC in Malawi from 1975 to 1978, and earlier Robert served with MCC in France from 1968 to 1970. Judy holds a bachelor's degree in English from Goshen (Ind.) College and a master's of divinity degree from Pittsburgh (Pa.) Theological Seminary. Robert is a graduate in history from Goshen College and holds a master's degree in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
Preface
In recent years a great deal of writing has been done on the subjects of South Africa and apartheid. Likewise, there is no shortage of books, articles and reports on the topic of the church and its role in South Africa. In part this is the case because within South Africa the church has been so central both to the formulation of the apartheid philosophy and structures, and to resistance to apartheid.
Indeed this is one of the factors which renders the South African situation so difficult. If apartheid were only a political philosophy and system, its dismantling would be more easily achieved. But in South Africa apartheid is for many a religious or faith issue. As such it is at once extremely divisive to the church, and very much a matter in which the church has the obligation and opportunity to play a major role.
"Listening to the church: Mennonite ministry in South Africa" is not meant to repeat or supplant the variety of writings by South Africans and others on the role of the church in South Africa. (A number of the latter are listed in the bibliography.) Rather it aims to reflect specifically upon the current and future role of North American Mennonites and Mennonite organizations in southern Africa.
While this became a question for Mennonites as long ago as the late 1960s -- when the Council of Mission Board Secretaries (COMBS) received a grant to survey southern Africa to see how Mennonites could be involved there -- the subject has not previously been treated thoroughly in written form. This paper looks carefully at the context of the churches in South Africa, their relationship and resistance to apartheid and the role of Mennonites and Mennonite theology there. In contrast to earlier writings (see "A Collection of Writings by Mennonites on Southern Africa," COMBS, 1972) it focuses less on project and program concerns and more on posture. As such, it reflects the position that our presence in and concern for South Africa today is focused as much on what we can learn, how we can discover God at work, as it is on how we can help, solve or teach. Beyond doubt this is due to our changing attitudes toward the world in general. But it is also due to the fact that South Africa is no longer just an issue for us; it is people whom we know, who have touched us and ministered to us, and who often at great cost have suffered because of their faith and their love.
This writing will hopefully serve to enliven and enlighten, rather than close or conclude, our search with regards to South Africa and our presence there.
Timothy Lind
MCC Secretary for Africa, 1981 to 1987
