Teologiskt café

Johanna Sjöström, Amanda Nyberg, Ingrid Hammarberg, Maria Bjerklow Dean,
Anders Göranzon, Selom Klu och Gerald West.

Tisdagen den 20 oktober 2015 var fokus på Svenska kyrkans utbildningsinstitut vid ett teologiskt café på School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics vid University of KwaZulu-Natal, i Pietermaritzburg, Sydafrika.

Johanna Sjöström, Amanda Nyberg, Maria Bjerklow Dean, Ingrid Hammarberg och undertecknad var det som stod för presentationen. Vi började med att kort berätta om Svenska kyrkan i synnerhet och Utbildningsinstitutet i allmänhet.

Vårt särskilda fokus var på ett av de viktigaste arbetssätten vid inistutet:

Writing as a way of thinking

Vi gick igenom en gnutta teori, delade sedan med oss av erfarenheter av att använda skrivandet på olika sätt i vårt arbete vid institutet. Men framför allt gjorde vi en övning tillsammans med dem som kommit till caféet. Det var glädjande nog en stor skara. Runt 20.

Det vi gjorde var något vi varit med om i både Uppsala och Lund. I olika grupper hade vi läst en dikt av Karin Boye. Uppgiften var att lyssna till texten ett par gånger och sedan stryka under ett eller fler ord, samt i en annan spalt skriva en kort kommenater, association eller dylikt.

Övningen hade fungerat bra i Sverige, så vi tänkte testa hur den skulle landa i Sydafrika. Eftersom dikten av Karin Boye förmodligen skulle fungera dåligt valde vi ett par bibeltexter. Vi började med Predikaren 3:18. Allt har sin tid, ni vet! Den gjorde vi som en slags exemplifierande övning bara vi fem, så att alla deltagare skulle fatta galoppen.

När var och en strukit undet sina ord och skrivit en stund läses texten en gång till av en ledare. När ”mitt” ord läses, ska jag direkt säga samma ord rakt ut i luften. Då pausar ledaren och den/de som strukit under just detta ord, får läsa vad de skrivit i andra spalten. Inget annat. Bara det de skrivit.

Sedan fortsätter läsningen. På så sätt får texten många klangbottnar och en rad nya tankar väcks.

Denna övning visar också på vilket sätt ”Writing as a way of thinking” kan vara demokratisk. Alla får ungefär samma möjlighet att bidra.

Det fungerade bra när vi gjorde vår egen läsning. Och det fungerade ännu bättre när vi inbjöd alla att vara med i en läsning av Psaltaren 23. Herren är min herde!

Det kom fram en del väldigt gripande kommentarer.

Det gjorde att någon frågade under frågestunden om vi i Sverige gör något av alla dessa tankar som väcks, eller om de får ”hänga kvar”. Med handen på hjärtat fick vi erkänna att de ofta blir hängande. Det blev en tankeställare för mig. Hur ofta det är vi sätter igång processer, som vi inte förmår fortsätta.

Oavsett vilket blev dock det Teologiska Caféet lyckat och vi fick många uppskattande ord efteråt.

Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace

Prof Isabel Phiri.

One of the questions to Professor Isabel Phiri, from the World Council of Churches, was about leaving or rather dropping the weapons on the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace. Should one do that temporarily or permanently? Prof Phiri answered:

Pilgrimage is about transformation. You are not the same at the end of the pilgrimage.

This conversation took place at a Theological Café at the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics at the University of  KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Guest speaker was the former Head of School, Isabel Phiri, who is now Associate General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

She was welcomed by Professor Roderick Hewitt but also by the present Head of School, Professor Jannie Smit. The Question and Answer slot was chaired by Dr Lilian Siwila. The topic of the presentation was:

Theological Reflections on the WCC Programme of Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace

She started with a brief background. The WCC was formed in 1948 and the aim was for churches to live together (or stay together, as it was put). At the 10^th General Assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea, the phrase was coined:

We intend to move together!

Thus a pilgrimage. Starting in 2013 and going on, at least until the next General Assembly in 2021. A pilgrimage open to member churches, partners but also to all people of good will. A Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace.

One important aspect was the built in conflict between Justice and Peace. According to Prof Phiri many people do not think that they can be combined. You have to choose. The calling of the ecumenical movement is to let  

Justice and Peace kiss each other (Psalm 85:10)

Therefore the image of a pilgrimage is helpful. On a pilgrimage you travel lights. Hence you have to leave some of your burdens. Things that wears you down. The ecumenical movement therefore needs to drop some of their conflicts. Or weapons, if we put it like that. Issues that divide us. Knowing that we all share in the brokenness of this world.

This is of course easy to say. But how do we do it? And what do we focus on? In this global pilgrimage there are eight focus areas. Eight countries, where there is brokenness specifically. The Korean peninsula, Syria, Iraq, Palestine/Israel, DRC, South Sudan, and Nigeria.

There will also be some milestones. In 2015 there is a focus on Climate Justice. People in Europe are literally making a pilgrimage to the COP21 in Paris. In Africa youth are making a similar pilgrimage – but on bicycles – to Nairobi. In 2016 the focus will be on the Middle East and especially the Christian Presence in the region. In 2017 the focus will be on Africa.

The Pilgirmage for Justice and Peace is the framework for all the work within the WCC this period.

Dr Lilian Siwila and Prof Isabel Phiri.

Bittersweet

It is sad! At the same time it is nice. Bittersweet! I am talking about the time to say goodbye.

Two weeks ago I preached at the Lutheran Theological Institute. After the service there was a short program with students and colleagues saying nice things. And so a present. After that vote of thanks. Many hugs. Some tears.

One and a half week ago the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics arranged tea for the staff. My wife and I had baked cakes. A nice speech from the Dean, some singing and a chance for me to say a few words about the time at the School.

Yesterday I preached in the Lutheran Church at Eastwood. It has not been part of my job description to lead services there from time to time. The same with my wife, who has made other contributions to the life of the church.

The way the congregation thanked us was overwhelming. This has been our spiritual home during 2½ years. The Sunday School had prepared a drama, the youth sang. The Women’s league did that as well. After some persuasion from the oldest member, Mrs Dolphin, the fathers also delivered an item.

My colleague, Rev. Kholiwe Biyela, spoke with warmth. Yes, it was in deed touching.

We were also given very nice outfits, to wear in Sweden. These are typical modern Zulu outfits.

We really appreciate all the farewells – each one in their own right!

We often say that South Africa is our second home country. This means that we will be back!

Some dancing was necessary!

Ny rektor på universitetet

Vår dekan, Jannie Smit, rektorn Albert van Jaarsveld
och den avgående rektorn Malegapuro Makgoba.

Vi har fått en ny 'Vice-Chancellor' och 'Principal' vid University of KwaZulu-Natal. Hans namn är Albert van Jaarsveld. Det finns olika aspekter. Den kanske mest uppenbara är han är vit. Han kommer närmast från 'National Research Fundation' (NRF) som kanske kan liknas vid Forskningsrådet.

I tisdags besökte han vår institution: 'School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics'. Han gör en slags Eriksgata och det är bra. Det som var märkligt var att den gamle, avgående rektorn, Malegapuru Makgoba, var med. Tanken var att han skulle få en chans att tacka för sig. Det gjorde han också men dessförinnan hade han mycket att säga.

Den nye rektorn berättade om sin tredelade vision:

'Academic excellence', 'transformation' och 'a culture of service'.

Det sista var en underförstådd kritik av företrädaren. Vårt universitet har verkligen präglats av dålig service. Inte minst klagar mina kollegor på det. Det finns i stort sett två slags personal. Akademiker, som ska undervisa och övrig personal, som ska underlätta för akademikerna att utföra sitt arbete. Det är givet att detta lätt kan resultera i uppdelningen herrskap och tjänstefolk. Jag tror den nye rektorn kan få samtliga anställda att förstå att båda grupper har del i en gemensam vision, nämligen att studenterna, som är den viktigaste gruppen, ska lära sig något.

Förre rektorn gick vid flera tillfällen i svaromål och det blev en ganska konstigt stämning, när det egentligen var den nye som skulle introduceras.

Nåväl, det var en relativt konstruktiv stämning. Alla fick chans att säga det de ville och det är ju liksom grunden i ett demokratiskt sammanhang.

Till sist skulle Makgoba (som är kusin till den anglikanske ärkebiskopen i Kapstaden och vars lillasyster var en av vår närmaste vänner i Bloemfontein, Motlago) tacka för sig. Det gjorde han, på afrikanskt manér, i form av en berättelse.

Den handlade om hans första tid som läkare. En patient återkom gång efter gång med skador på lever och bukspottkörtel. Till slut sa Makgoba att han inte ville se patienten igen, eftersom denne genom sitt alkoholmissbruk själv åsamkade sig sina sjukdomar.

Någon tid därefter var Makgoba jour på akuten. Han hörde hur samme patient kom och frågade vem som var i jour. När denne fick veta att det var Dr Makgoba, sa han:

Då är det bäst att jag går, för han vill inte träffa mig.

Jag frågade mina kollegor vad han kan ha menat. Deras tolkning var att han själv var patienten, berusad av makt och universitetet nu inte ville att han skulle komma tillbaka.

Edwin Cameron

Domaren i Konstitutionsdomstolen,
Edwin Cameron (Foto: Kristina Göranzon)

Första gången jag träffade Edwin Cameron var i Bloemfontein. Hans prisbelönta bok: ”Witness to Aids” lanserades. Jag köpte ett exemplar och fick det dedicerat. Efter att ha läst halva tänkte jag:

Denna bok vill jag recensera.

Det blev en anmälan i Kyrkans Tidning. Men för att ha mer kött på benen bad jag att få träffa honom. Då var han domare i Supreme Court of Appeal. Det var ett spännande möte på hans imponerande tjänsterum. Takhöjd 7 meter. Kändes det som!

Idag föreläste han om det konsitutionella läget i Sydafrika. 20 år efter de första demokratiska valen. Det skedde på Howard College, som är en av 5 campus på vårt universitet. Vår ”School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics” finns även där. Men nu var det nog School of Law, som arrangerade föreläsningen.

Twenty Years of Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law - Prize or Pain

Han började med tre frågor:

1. Vad betyder vår historia?2. Vad betyder det att leva i en konstitutionell stat?3. Vad innebär det att vara jurist?

I den tredje frågan riktade han sig särskilt till de juridik-studenter som fanns närvarande. Det var liksom en röd tråd genom hela föredraget. Vi kan inte enbart förlita oss på lagen. Den måste upprätthållas av framförallt alla jurister men ytterst hela befolkningen.

Cameron menade att Sydafrikas historia är unik. Ingen annanstans har förtyck upprätthållits genom lagstiftning som i Sydafrika. Det värsta med Apartheid, menade Cameron, var inte att folk dödades. Antalet döda var enligt honom – i jämförelse med andra länder – ”insignificant”. Under 100 000 under alla år. Att jämföras med t ex Rwanda där 10 000 dog om dagen.

Apartheid hindrade människor från att leva! Apartheid förnedrade människor. Förtycket gick djupare.

Cameron fortsatte att tala om betydelsen av Sydafrikas konstitution och underströk att det nya också var sociala och ekonomiska rättigheter, som inte fanns med i interim-konstitutionen från 1993 men skrevs in i den nu gällande konstitutionen från 1996.

Det var p g a dessa skrivningar som Treatment Action Campaign framgångsrikt kunde driva frågan om fria Antiretrovirals (ARV). Cameron var en av Thabo Mbekis största kritiker och hade en del beska omdömen om den f d presidenten. Cameron lever själv med HIV, så han vet vad han talar om. Men när Mbekis regering överbevisades av rättsväsendet att de handlat olagligt, så ändrade sig Mbeki. För detta gav Cameron honom ”credit”.

Jag skulle vilka sammanfatta hans föreläsning med några ord han själv sa:

The constitution is ours to win or lose.

På de frågor han fick svarade han flera gånger genom att vända frågan till den som ställt den:

Vad kan Du göra?

Så menar han också att domare och jurister också måste ta ett personligt ansvar för rättsstaten. De kan inte gömma sig bakom paragraferna.

En av frågorna handlade om Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng som för ett tag sedan uttalade sig och sa att religion behövs för att stärka rättsväsendet. Cameron tyckte det var bra. Men jag tror inte han håller med Mogoeng. Cameron är, vad jag förstår närmast ateist. Men han anser ändå att det är bra att en kollega kliver fram och säger vad han tycker. Cameron menade också att Mogoengs utspel missförståtts.

När hustrun och jag sammanfattade våra intryck, så var vi fyllda av hopp. I sydafrika finns en fri press. Och många fristående, statliga insitutioner som har integritet. Och i Sydafrika finns Justice Edwin Cameron.

Nu köpte vi hans senaste bok: "Justice. A personal account." Det blir nog
en till recension snart. Det var roligt att Edwin Cameron kände igen mig. Men
det första han frågade var: "Hur mår Din fru?" (Foto: Kristina Göranzon)

Church of Sweden - what kind of organisation are we?

What kind of entity is the Church of Sweden (CoS) when engaged in activities with partners internationally? Are we a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), a Faith-Based Organisation (FBO) or something else?

Steve de Gruchy
died in 2010
while tubing
on the Mooi River
 with his son.

In 2012 a book was published in Honour of Steve de Gruchy, former Dean of our School:

Living on the Edge. Essays in Honour of Steve de Gruchy Activist & Theologian. 

The book is edited by James R Cochrane, Elias Bongmba, Isabel Phiri, and Des van der Water. Cluster Publications. Pietermaritzburg.

In one of the essays "Faith Amid Turbulent Currents on a Living River" Gary Gunderson writes about the ARHAP (African Religious Health Assets Programme). This programme distinguishes between FBO’s and FFE’s. FFE stand for: Faith Forming Entity. Gunderson writes:

FBO’s are nearly always organized around a temporal, functional purpose that tends to downplay the most distinctive thing of relevance to those in them, which is to express the faith nurtured in their particular FFE.

As an employee of the International Department of the CoS I sometimes ask myself questions based on this distinction. If we go back in the history of the CoS we have traditionally tried to hold together the two: we are both an agency that seeks to transform the lives of people through the kind of temporal programmes that Gunderson speaks about. At the same time we are a church, with all its implications.

The Facebook page of our international department does not even describe us as an FBO. It says that we are an NGO. To me, that is a concern.

'Svenska kyrkans internationella arbete' means
'the Church of Sweden's International Work'.

The FFE concept is useful to me. It shows that there is a tension between different aspects in our international work. I believe it has to be. Other churches have solved this by having one organisation for aid (like the Norwegian Church Aid) which is not the same thing as the Church of Norway.

My points here are:

1. The Church of Sweden International Work is definitely not a non-governmental organisation (NGO). I hope this will be changed on the Facebook-page.

2. I agree that we need to live in the tension between being a faith-based organisation (FBO) and a faith forming entity (FFE).

3. It takes two to tango. Church relations are important if we are going to live up to our vision to be both an FBO and an FFE. In our Church relations we connect to roots both in the congregations of the CoS and deep down in our partner churches.

In the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics at the UKZN we try to keep this together. Many of my colleagues describe themselves as at the same time church people, activists and academics. Yes, there are tensions from time to time but it is impossible to separate those aspects. As the CoS we have a lot to learn from this.

Open Day - some photos

This morning I took part in the Open Day at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. My colleague, Clint, brought his I-pad and asked somebody to take some photos. The open Day started at 9. My time slot was 9-10. What I didn’t know was that there was general information between 9 and 10 and only thereafter an opportunity for the students to visit the different tables. So, nobody came during that time. I decided to stay on a while. I didn’t get any difficult questions. The only time I messed it up was when somebody asked about one of the degrees and I only heard half the question. I thought the person asked how many credits made up the degree and I answered 364. But the person was asking how many points she needed to apply, meaning how many points from her high school certificate. (Usually one needs between 20 and 30, so my answer “364” was really a nonsense answer.) One of my colleagues heard what I said and filled in. It is always good to be together with more experienced people.

We were a number of teachers at the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics table.

A dad, together with his two children, is seeking information about our School.

Open Day at Campus

I am glad to have a brochure in my hand tomorrow.

Tomorrow - open day at the Pietermaritzburg Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal! I volunteered to go there together with Xolani. It’s only for one hour. After that two other colleagues will come. But still: will I manage?

The event is organized for grade 11 and grade 12 students. They come to our campus for an orientation. Xolani and I will answer questions about the course that our school offers for 2014. Our School is the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics. I think I can answer questions about the BTh (Bachelor of Theology). I guess I could come up with something about other disciplines like classics and ethics. Even philosophy would be in my reach. But Cognitive Science? I didn’t even know that there is such a discipline. In the brochure it is explained like this:

Cognitive Science is the name for a coalition of separate disciplines that together attempts to understand the nature of information processing in human and other systems. Traditional core disciplines in cognitive science include computer science, linguistics, psychology and philosophy.

I understand the idea but what kind of modules are offered? What do you become after having obtained a BA in Cognitive Science?

Other questions I don’t want to get is about application requirements. There is some information in the folder but if the students have more question? How is the South African Secondary School organized? Fortunately the students themselves are still at high school, so they will probably know.

Then we have merits, credits, clusters, semesters, majors, electives etc. The terminology is partly still new to me. I am so glad that Xolani is there with me. He is South African. He’s been a staff member at least a couple of years. I will contribute with my presence and I will try to look friendly. The interacting-with-young-people-thing I think I can managed quite well. And so I will probably learn a great deal myself.

Politics in isiZulu

All education is political.

Education is a political tool for designing society.

The course name is: “Transformation-centred Christian Education”.  With iNyanga* Herbert Moyo from Zimbabwe as lecturer it goes without saying, that the course will be contextual. I am glad to be his colleague. Earlier this week he collected his doctorate at the graduation. From my position I was able to take a nice picture:

iNyanga Moyo is being capped by the Chancellor of UKZN.

If all education is political, Christian education is also political. If education is used by politicians to design society, it can also be used in the church, to design society or at least to influence the society, in which we live.

We discussed about heaven. Traditionally Christian Education in general and sermons in particular have been interested in teaching people about heaven, instead of dealing with the situation in this world. In class we agreed (I think) that there is no contradiction to teach both about heaven on earth and heaven eschatologically. (Eschatology = theology about the end of time). The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and especially the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics (SRPC) wants to be contextual. Theology which has no relevance in ordinary life is not so common here.

This means I learn a lot about this society, when we do theology together. Like the words for “politics” in isiZulu.

“Umbusazwe” is a word for politics which also means “fighting”. Many politicians use it, because politics in the past meant fighting against apartheid. But it also meant that different political parties were fighting with each other. And some of these groups are still fighting.

But there is also another word: “umbangazwe”, which means: “governing”. If one uses this term, politics becomes something else.

My only problem is of course, that I don’t speak isiZulu. But it still gives me some insight in how people in this context understand a phenomenon like politics. When we talk about it I must be aware, that the word “politics” can mean different things. Just like any other word.

* iNyanga is traditionally a kind of doctor, which in English would be described as an herbalist. Therefore Herbert uses the seTswana word Ngaka, when he talks about me.

 

Course RELG702 continues

Just back from campus. Today we met the Method and Theory class (post graduates) for the second time. The staff has agreed to have a specific theme, like a case study. It was introduced today. The coming 10 Wednesdays ten different teachers will discuss this theme from ten different perspectives. The question, as I understand it, is to help the undergraduates to develop a critical mind in their research. The theme is: Climate change and environmental responsibility. We saw a short film, produced by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in 2011. “Have you seen the rainbow?” I can recommend it! A short version is available on Youtube.

The film describes the situation of the people living on the small Tuvalu islands close to Australia in the Pacific Ocean. With global warming they might be totally under water in the future. School children were interviewed and told us about their fears.

After two lectures had elaborated on the theme from a WCC and a UN perspective, students were invited to take part. Two questions arose. First of all the feeling that the developed countries in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 1992 seem to argue that they cannot commit to mitigation of climate change if it affects their economies negatively. The student raising this inequality felt that developed countries expect from the developing countries to stop their development, because it would affect the environment negatively. To this student it is unfair. Why should not the developed countries take their responsibility?

Another student then asked if the developing countries really want to develop into the kind of countries that we were talking about? The lecturer challenged the student to say “we” about the developing countries instead of “they” which the student did.

Contextual theology! It is very good to be part of this. I myself feel challenged being from a so called developed country. Of course I am proud that the first environmental meeting mentioned by the lecturer was the Stockholm meeting in June 1972. And when he mentioned other important milestones like Cop 15 in Copenhagen and COP 17 in Durban I could say to myself: my second eldest daughter was at both those meetings. But having said this: I am still challenged.

Next week the theme will be dealt with from a biblical studies perspective. After that follow: Systematic Theology, African Theology, History of Christianity, Spirituality, Gender and Religion, Missiology, Practical Theology, Theology and Development and lastly Sociology of Religion. I believe this course will be extremely interesting. Maybe in the future I will get a responsibility to do one of the subjects.

For me it serves as a very good introduction into the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics but I am equally interested in the theme as such.