By: Apostle Attie Van Nel
I have always esteemed the Archbishop for the intellectual rigour and oratorical excellence he infuses any discussion on current affairs with. It was and remains my opinion that he continued the tradition of Archbishop Desmond Tutu to bring the full might of that high office to bear on matters of social justice, however uncomfortable, controversial or delicate the matter may have been.
Personally, I rate Bishop Makgoba in the illustrious company of theologians such as Reverend Alan Boesak, Dr Beyers Naude and Bishop Joe Seoka. These theologians have inspired my own search of the meaning and consequence of the ministry of Jesus in a manner that is decolonised, uncaptured by its imperialist and oppressive orientation and unfiltered by the sponsored worldview that would divorce Jesus from His divine role as a radical change agent for equality and justice.
As someone reared in the Pentecostal tradition, the readers would appreciate my consumption of his articles, pronouncements and his brilliant book titled FAITH & COURAGE, even more within the context of us functioning in different church traditions.
I have particularly been impressed with Archbishop Makgoba’s framing of the church’s role and activism in the national discourse. He remains one of the church’s prized ambassadors in articulating authentic and decolonised Gospel positions on a plethora of matters of national interest. That obviously demands of him to keep abreast of unfolding narratives and a sharp insight into how matters of the judiciary, economy, justice, constitutionalism, governance and policy formulation and implementation intersect with the most accurate interpretations of the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ. Jesus despised inequality so much that he violently cleansed the Temple through whipping.
Needless to say, I may not have always agreed with either the form or the content of his publicly-articulated views. But I’ve always respected his views nonetheless. Intellectual courtesy demands that I remain respectful to the interlocutor who took the time to express and substantiate his views, as a prerequisite for meaningful, even robust, engagement.
The Archbishop has made sure that there exist no single proverbial no-go areas where the Gospel of Jesus cannot find expression in a creation that is entirely God’s, not even the political terrain. And as such his contribution to the Kingdom agenda cannot be understated. Unlike the well-funded mostly right-wing theological formations, masquerading as intercession networks, whose sole purpose is to fulfil the historic role of missionaries that distract the attention of the oppressed from endemic inequality and dispossession, he has a sterling track record of advancing the agenda of the poor, marginalised and vulnerable. I note that even this very weekend there’s a clarion call for prayer which, to the undiscerning spirit, may very well be a noble initiative. But ask yourself why the prayer priorities are never about farm evictions, income disparities, racially skewed ownership of agricultural land, prize fixing amongst lead corporations and unequal wealth distribution, and you’ll be empowered to decipher the real agenda of these latter day “prayer worriers” who operate from a premise that Jesus is satisfied with the status of the formerly oppressed. But I digress.
It is against this background that I enter the debate on the Bishop’s handling of the rape accusations against a colleague by the Rev June Major. Rev Major’s extended traumatic ordeal plays itself out on the watch of the theologian with a high public profile for his work and advocacy against, inter alia, women abuse.
She levelled disturbing allegations against him in relation to his alleged indifference, lack of support and even of attempts to cover up the incident. These are very serious allegations against a very serious public voice. The image of her camping outside his official residence on a hunger strike is a metaphor for the wholesale powerlessness of survivors of sexual violence. It’s a disturbing picture, more so because of the quality and integrity of the person it drew our attention to.
The Gospel of Jesus is premised on compassion for the vulnerable, regardless of the identity of those perpetrating violence against the vulnerable. The Bishop knows this. He also knows that the change of the covenant has ushered in a change in the priesthood. The image of the priest walking pass the naked, bleeding and dying man was the parable Jesus used to accentuate how the Law turned priests into cold, callous and indifferent custodians of a religion that has love, solidarity and service as basic tenets.
His valuable, prophetic voice is being compromised for as long as he doesn’t take immediate and significant measures to dispel the allegations against him. He should start by taking us into his confidence on what he has done, personally and institutionally, to render support to a rape survivor from within his own presbytery. If this four year ordeal to seek justice is that of an empowered, educated woman, then what are the prospects of an ordinary, poor, inarticulate victim of sexual violence?
You have taught me Bishop that we must traverse any terrain, however delicate and uncomfortable, and in that liberty I beseech you to demonstrate the bold leadership that is your trademark and have the difficult discussions, learn the urgent lessons and expose the areas in which our march towards justice has still a few mountains in sight.
