Reflections on the ecclesiastical interpretations of 6th April 1652 as a South African symbolic date
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Date
2004
Authors
Britz, R. M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This article verifies the theological interpretation of the 6th April 1652 as a South
African symbolic date, which marked the beginning of the European and Christian
contribution to the history of Southern Africa. The exposition deals, in particular,
with 1752, 1852 and 1952 interpretations by leading ministers of the Dutch Reformed
Church, the “oldest and original church of the land.” The three commemorative
addresses are scrutinized and presented in terms of the historical and ecclesiastical
settings against which each was articulated. Obviously, the orators were subjected
to contemporary perceptions, sentiments and experiences. The interpretations
of the 6th April 1652 were deliberately theological, but they were however not based
on a comprehensive exposition of Scripture. Consequently, theological and cultural
inferences that played into the hands of an ideological understanding or appropriation
of the past and its symbolic date, hampered a critical and responsible assessment.
This was illustrated at the 1952 celebrations. To many blacks the date commemorated
inaugurated three centuries of wrong. They could not assess it as an event
caused by the determinant will of God. The article argues that this is the consequence
of a (church) historical interpretation which is not accompanied by a theological-
critical reflection and confessional consideration in terms of the Church of
Christ with the Word of God as norm. This methodological preference presupposes
a fundamentally different way of coming to terms with history (and its perplexing
symbolic dates) to what happened in 1992 in Latin America. Instead of advancing
radical theology in order to rectify history, what happened should be appreciated in
view of Scripture.
Description
Keywords
Dutch Reformed Church, Commemoration dates, Apartheid, Historical interpretation, Cape of Good Hope, Van Riebeeck Festival, 6th April 1652, Afrikaner people, Church historiography
Citation
Britz, R. M. (2004). Reflections on the ecclesiastical interpretations of 6th April 1652 as a South African symbolic date. Acta Theologica, 24(1), 1-24.