A new assembly inaugurated

Today I spent the morning in Vällingby. As the general secretary of the Swedish Bible Society I was, some time ago, invited to attend the inauguration of the Pentecost City Church in Stockholm. I gladly accepted the invitation and today was the day.

This specific Pentecostal denomination has its origins in Ghana. It was formed in 1953 and has over 20 000 congregations with more than 4 000 000 members worldwide. This is "mission to the north". The worldwide church in changing landscapes.

The congregation rents a venue in Vällingby. It used to be a place where an organisation of immigrants from Syria had its operations. The leader of the Church told me that since the Government of Sweden had changed its policies and decided not to give grants to such organisations, the Syrians moved out and the Pentecost Church could move in. Some companies were also looking at the same venue, but the landlord were Christian and decided to allow the Church to get the contract. 

The history of this Church started already in 2016. I quote from a text that was part of the program for this occasion:

The story began in 2016, when the leadership of the Church of Pentecost – Sweden headed by the then National Head, Ps Livingstone Joseph Mensah, carved a small group of young adults from the Central Assembly to start a PIWC using the English language as a communication tool to spread the gospel within Stockholm and its environs. These young adults met weekly to pray, study God’s Word, and encourage one another. Their heartfelt prayer and desire were simple: that God would raise a church where people from every nation could experience His presence, find a spiritual home, and be equipped to spread the gospel. The congregation started meeting in a rented hall in Hallunda, using the mornings between 10 and 12 on Sundays for services. Out of this humble beginning, God began to move. Resources were limited, yet faith abounded.

Dr Ben Debrah presents the leadership of the Pentecostal 
City Church of Stockholm.

We were further told that Apostle Dr Ben and Mrs. Oheneba Akua Debrah came from UK in 2021 and took over the leadership of the Church of Pentecost – Sweden. The text continues:

They were convinced that God had called this small group of young adults not only to plant a congregation, but to establish a spiritual family which is very much inclusive and opened to people from all walks of life. Despite the challenges at the time — such as inadequate permanent meeting spaces, barriers to becoming more culturally and racially diverse, and financial constraints—the fellowship grew steadily. /…/ Today a small group of 8 which begun this journey records a total congregation of 76 comprising 4 nationalities.

We were three guests. Nausikaa Haupt who is an Ecumenical Officer at the Christian Council of Sweden was one of us. She also represented the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm and Bishop Anders Arborelius. Olof Edsinger is the General Secretary of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance. He was well known to especially the Dr Ben Debrah. And then it was me.

The hospitality of the congregation was warm and welcoming. Dr Ben preached over Acts 19 (the full chapter was read) and the theme was: Jesus and the city. It was a contextual sermon wanting to encourage the congregation to influence the city of Stockholm in a transforming way. He spoke about gangs and drugs and how the problems we have in Sweden cannot be changed with new legislation. Jesus is the cure!

I was especially impressed by three young males who delivered some Spoken words. I believe that this young, vibrant Church walks the talk.

After two and half hour, which to me – with my South African experience – was not especially long, the service ended and we were all invited to “fika”. That was one of few Swedish words used. One of the Bible readings, however, was read in Swedish. Also the announcements were given both in English and Swedish.

When I left the building a second service had already begun. It was the Ghanaian part of the worship – in Twee – one of the most used languages in Ghana. Dr Ben told me that this service would be much more African and vibrant. After having opened the door to the hall and seen for myself I realised that this was the case.

Probably half of the service we sang worship songs.
And the worship was led by a number of different, young persons.

At one stage some of us just had to enter the floor
and start dancing.

At the end of the service Dr Ben asked if someone was
there for the first time. Thos persons were all ask to come
in front and introduce themselves.

Emmanuel is the local Pastor.

A group of young women were responsible for the technical part
of the service.

This is how the stage looked like when I arrived.

This is the entrance of the Church building.

Dr Agnes Aboum

Dr Agnes greats the German State President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
at the 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, in 
Karlsruhe i Germany in 2022. (Photo: Albin Hillert, WCC).

Yesterday Dr Agnes Aboum, former moderator of the World Council of Churches, died. She was 73 years. Such a loss for the ecumenical movement. She was elected moderator at the 1oth General Assembly in Busan, South Korea, on 2013 and she resigned last year, at the 11th General Assembly in Karlsruhe in Germany.

She was born in northwest Kenya in a family with four brothers. She came to Sweden in 1976, learned Swedish and earned a doctorate in missiology.

We met a couple of times. Both in Busan and in Karlsruhe. I remember Dr Agnes as a strong leader who at the same time was humble. As a moderator of the WCC you need to be firm. In Karlsruhe there was a priest who had talked several times in the plenary. When he raised his card for yet another comment, Dr Agnes told him, mildly, that he had spoken enough and that she must allow others to get a chance. If my memory serves me well, I think he sat down and smiled.

The World Council of Churches has issued a press release with more information.

After her return to Kenya last year she was appointed as a lay canon of the Anglican Church of Kenya. On Youtube she speaks about this and says:

It is a new chapter in my spiritual pilgrimage of justice and peace.

This pilgrimage has now come to its goal. May she rest in peace!

A very special evening: South Africa – Sweden

It is probably the third time I meet Lindiwe Mabuza. The other two times we never got a chance to talk. I saw her at

The Swedish People's Parliament Against Apartheid in Stockholm 21-23 February 1986

This unique meeting was held in Stockholm a few days ahead of the assassination of Sweden’s Prime Minister, Olof Palme.

The second time I saw her was at

Modern Solidarity – What did we learn from Southern Africa’s liberation?Popular Movements’ Meeting 11-12 April 2008 – Sigtuna Folk high school

Lindiwe Mabuza is a South African poet. But she has also served as the African National Congress’ Chief Representative to Scandinavia from 1979 to 1986. She was also South Africa’s Ambassador to Germany, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United Kingdom.

The reason for the occasion was the launch of her book:

Tambo Lenyoka: Enduring friendships – Olof Palme and Thabo Mbeki

She read three of the poems. One about Oliver Reginald Tambo. The second about Olof Palme, who Tambo called his brother. The third about Thabo Mbeki, former President of South Africa. Tambo called him his son.

The first poem uses the praise name of Tambo, if I understood it correctly, which is

Lenyoka

It means the bone of a snake and has given name to the whole book. The audience listened very attentive to the poems. It was a special moment. In between the readings a few other persons gave their views on the importance of the link between Sweden and South Africa.

The seminar was moderated by Angela Muvumba Sellström. At the table:
Lindiwe Mabuza, Tor Sällström, Velaphi Mzimba, Anders Bjurner, and Michael Selekane.

While Lindiwe Mabuza read her poems, Vusi Mbulali painted a picture of
OR Tambo and Olof Palme.

The seminar was held at Fredens Hus (The house of peace) at Uppsala Castle. It was jointly organized with Uppsala University’s Forum for Africa Studies.

Me and Velaphi Mzimba.

Three South African artist, who have contributed to the book, also spoke at the seminar. They were: Velaphi Mzimba, Vusi Mbulali and Michael Selekane.

I bought a book and of course had it signed. Lindiwe Mabuza wrote:

To Kristina and Anders. Many thanks for years of solidarity and assistance to pur people and country.

A very precious dedication But it is important to realise that the fight against racism continues. In Fredens hus we were surrounded by an exhibition called

Svart kvinna (Black woman)

10 March 2014 Fanna Ndow Norrby started an Instagram account where she posted a few stories about expressions of racism that she had experienced. The morning the day thereafter she had 10 000 followers. Some of the stories were posted on the walls in the room where we were seated. Lindiwe Mabuza were quite concerned that racism exists in Sweden today. She was not used to that when she lived here. 

She told us a story about a visit to a school A young boy - maybe eight years old - had listened to her stories about apartheid and responded about how the whites in South Africa treated the blacks:

I don't care what they say about them. I like her.

Fyris Chamber Choir, Fair Trade and isiZulu

With this blogpost I am touching on a number of issues at the same time. I am sure that the heading indicates that.

First of all. Saturday 28 April our Fair Trade Shop Globalen will serve coffee, tea and biscuits to its customers. In Swedish this is called

Lördagsfika

Lördag means Saturday. Fika is a concept which is not easily translated into English. It describes the whole activity when two or more persons drink coffee and tea together. It is usually one of the first words you learn when you visit Sweden. We arrange Lördagsfika once a month and it has become an important activity in our calendar. More customers come to the shop which means that we sell more fair trade products. This is of course our main objective. But equally important is to create a good atmosphere in the shop and in our organisation. We are very happy to have two competent halftime employees in our shop but a lot of work is also done by volunteers. I see a number of volunteers in the shop these Saturdays. And we also experience that it is a good opportunity to recruit new volunteers.

Well, Saturday 28 April the choir in which my wife and I sing, Fyris Chamber Choir, will sing outside our shop. At 1 pm. The program will be traditional. This is the beginning of a long weekend where Sweden celebrates springtime. 30 April is a very special day in Sweden and especially in Uppsala. Engineering and Science students arrange a dramatic River Rafting activity in the middle of the medieval city in the morning. In the afternoon all students gather outside the University Library and following the Vice Chancellor’s example all don their white student caps simultaneously exactly at 3 pm. Directly after one of the oldest choirs, OD, sings traditional spring songs at the same place. After many ball dinners in different venues all gather outside the castle at 9 pm when the oldest student choir, Allmänna Sången, sings the same traditional spring songs. This short concert is every year broadcasted in radio.

From 2018 I hope that we have founded a new tradition. Fyris Chamber Choir sings spring songs outside Fair Trade Shop Globalen. Future will show.

So, what about isiZulu? I was reading a book, looking for some other information, when I coincidently found an old translation of one of our spring songs, in isiZulu. Well, to be honest, it is not a translation – it is a new text. If I understand it correctly it is a text about rain. The coming of rain in South Africa is easy to compare with the coming of spring in Sweden. Therefore I am convinced that Hedvig Posse, who wrote the text, if not translating literally captured the essence of the song with her new text. Hedvig Posse was a Swedish missionary in South Africa from 1887 until her retirement.

To sing this text outside the Fair Trade shop will be one small example of the fact that contacts between countries are important. In the end of the nineteenth century (and for many years) Sweden sent missionaries to South Africa. Today South Africa send Fair Trade products to Sweden. Time changes but the strong links remain.

Vill Du lyssna på några takter ur sången, från en av våra repetitioner, så kommer den här:

If one of my isiZulu speaking readers could read through the text and tell me what you think about the text I would be thankful. And also about our pronunciation in the short video clip.

An open society

On the website of Al Jazeera I found this photo. Dedicated police who also
show vulnerability. A sign of an open society. Photo: Noella Johansson/EPA 

Yesterday afternoon a beer truck ploughed into a department store in central Stockholm. An event similar to terror attacks in Nice and Berlin (to mention two cities in Europe). It has happened in many cities around the world but in Sweden this was the first time. (A suicide bomber tried to cause damage in 2010).

It did not come as a surprise. Sweden is part of the world and what takes place elsewhere can also happen here. Obviously!

The reaction from our Prime Minister, Stefan Lövfen, represents the sentiments of many. In a press conference yesterday evening he told media that an investigation will find out if this was a terror attack. If so, he said, it is clear that the objective of terrorism is to undermine democracy. The message from the Swedish state is: you will never, ever win!

It reminds me of the message former Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Norway conveyed after the massacre on Utøya, near Oslo in 2011:

Our response is more democracy, more openness, and more humanity.

This is also what I hope for in Sweden. And I believe that it is possible. After the attack yesterday a hashtag started

#openstockholm

This has become a signal that the right response is more openness. As an example people in Stockholm opened their homes to those, who could not leave the city, since all train traffic had been stopped.

As we now enter the Holy Week this is also what I wish. The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, not as a warrior, but in humbleness. This is the right approach. 

Moving 2

I wrote the blog post "Moving" on 4 July this year. Today I am writing "Moving 2". The meaning behind this is simply that our belongings from South Africa have arrived. After almost 3 months. Mostly on a ship but also on trucks.

Almost nothing was broken. Thank you, Crown relocation.

Moving

I am always impressed, how professional the movers are.

My wife watching the movers reverse out through the gate.
There goes our belongings. See you in Sweden!

Time for some cleaning. I'll take the bathrooms! J

Dearer than the Tutu's

Leah and Desmond Tutu celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary today. SABC sent a few minutes from St George's Cathedral in Cape Town, when they renewed their vows.

My parents-in-law have just celebrated their 60^th engagement anniversary and we are looking forward to their 60^th wedding anniversary later this year.

To me they are, of course, dearer. They are two of my most important role models. I will not explain why, because my father-in-law will become too proud. (In Swedish his title is: Svärfadren!)

When we move back to Sweden next week, they are one important reason. Of course we want to be closer to them.

Congratulations, my dear parents-in-law!

1955 - 2015

Economical apartheid

When I was 20 I came to South Africa the first time. Apartheid was still a reality. In the legislation and in praxis! I remember one time, when I went to the post office in Athlone (or was it a police station?) and tried to enter through the entrance with a sign:

Non-whites only

Someone stopped me and I had to go to the other door. But I came in and found myself in the same room as people who had used the other door. The only difference was that I was in another queue.

Apartheid is no longer part of the South African constitution. In reality South Africa has a long way to go, before reaching equality.

When I go to hospital I am aware that many others cannot afford to go to a private hospital and end up in a long queue again. In the state hospital! Sometimes the private and the state hospital are neighbours. It feels as if very little has happened.

When I flew with British airways from >Sweden to South Africa last week a similar thing happened. Different queues. (Yes, it happens in every airline!)

Of course the person who is prepared to pay more is entitled to get a bigger seat. I understand that. But why are different queues needed? The people in business class will not leave before the rest of us?

British Airways even takes it to another level. The sign for those in the fast track have such a big sign but the rest of us have a tiny little one.

We understand!

But of course, I am still among the privileged few that get to travel by air at all. I know that.

"First, Club World, Club Europe, Business UK
and Executive Club." People who don't share queue
with the rest of us.

This sign says: "General Boarding"
and is rather difficult to see.

Sweden and South Africa: say #NoToXenophobia

A cold wind is blowing over the world. A xenophobic wind. Where does it come from? And why does it start now?

Is the answer to this trend more police and more military presence? That is not what I believe – but that is what I see.

Two examples. One from Sweden and one from South Africa.

I read in a local, Swedish newspaper – Hallands Nyheter – about a public lecture where the author Mietek Grocher, 88 years old, talks about his experiences as a holocaust survivor. Suddenly five to six men enter the hall. They sit down on the front row. Some of them are dressed in so called bomber jackets. One of them has had his head shaved. Everyone understands that they are from a neo-Nazism organisation. They are there to intimidate and they succeed. People are scared and the principal of the school does not know what to do except to call the police. But the police cannot do anything. On the website of the organisation called the Swedish Resistance Movement it is clear that they were behind the action.

Xenophobia, which so often links to anti-Semitism. Mietek Grocher says, according to Hallands Nyheter, that he is used to this.

Isn’t that terrible? He survived the holocaust and now he has to go through similar things again? Sweden 2015.

South Africa 2015. I read this in Mail and Guardian:

The South African government has now called on the South African National Defence Force to “reinforce the work of police”, “exert the authority of the state” and “reclaim the streets” in areas where xenophobic violence has been reported.

When I read the article it describes how people, who are not South African citizens, are being stabbed or even shot. It’s terrible!

This wind is of course also blowing in Nigeria, Syria, Libya, Ukraine and in many other countries.

My point with this blog post is that more police and military will not solve this. We as citizens have to stand up, united and say no to xenophobia.

Soccer

Compared with  Swedish soccer
admission fees are very low.

It would be wrong to describe me as a soccer fan. I go to soccer matches on a regular basis – approximately once every second year. Mostly this happens in Kalmar (Sweden) together with my in-laws.

When we lived in Bloemfontein I think I attended three fixtures in four years, so during that period I was extra active.

Yesterday it happened again. This time together with a friend from Sweden. Maritzburg United vs Moroka Swallows. We came a bit late and missed the first goal, which ‘Team of Choice’ (nick name for Maritzburg) scored in the first half.

The match was not very well played but towards the end of the second half, Moroka Swallows (from Soweto) also scored a goal. We thought that this would be the result. Before the referee announced three minutes extra time, we decided to leave, but then we realised that Moroka Swallows scored a second goal.

It was nice to be there and too hear a few vuvuzelas (not so many and not all the time). I think, however, that people were a bit surprised to see two, elderly (!) white men with umbrellas climbing up the stands. It is so strange to experience the almost total absence of white people in soccer arenas. If we had attended a rugby match it would have been almost (but not totally) the opposite.

Transformation takes time!

On the stands without roof very few people were to be found.

Fall in Sweden

With the help of four out of five children our summer cottage in Sweden was closed down for the season. Winter is about to arrive. South Africa: here I come!

Garden furniture under tarps.

And the boat under another tarp.

Can you keep a secret?

Today I heard about a new app. Secret! According to Wikipedia is Secret

… an iOS and Android app that allows people to share messages anonymously within their circle of friends, friends of friends, and publicly. It differs from other anonymous sharing apps such as PostSecret, Whisper, and Yik Yak in that it is intended for sharing primarily with friends, potentially making it more interesting and addictive for people reading the updates ...

And I also read how this app has affected young people in Sweden. The Local writes:

Swedish police are struggling to know what to do with a new batch of criminal reports filed by teenagers upset about a controversial app that allows users to post comments and pictures anonymously.

I even heard this news in Swedish TV, which I can watch via SvT Play. I was surprised. Teenagers, a principal and a police were interviewed. All were very serious. No one suggested the most natural answer:

Uninstall the app!

Later I saw this post from one of my Facebook contacts. It is actually a bit true:

We talk so much about leaving a better planet to our kids, that we forget about leaving better kids to this planet.

Educate your children Say NO to them every once in a while.

Seriously: what kind of friendship is that?

On the eve of election

On Thursday I walked the short distance from our house to campus for the second last isiZulu lesson. On my way to campus I saw a car with three men dressed in yellow t-shirts. ANC-supporters! I had to stop and after having greeted them (in isiZulu) I asked them about the upcoming election. They were all convinced that the ANC would get a land sliding victory. I asked them about Jacob Zuma and Nkandla and whether this would affect the election result.

We are walking from house to house on a daily basis and this is not an issue.

This is also my impression. Most of the voters do not care about the alleged corruption. A majority of them will vote for the ANC because that is what they have done since 1994. A few months ago I thought that the ANC would get close to 50% of the votes but now my impression is that they rather get 60%. We’ll see. When I talk with people and especially when I see colleagues and friends updating their statuses on Facebook I understand that the support the ANC has is still over whelming. The ANC national chair person, Baleka Mbete, has said that the ANC will get 70% or even more. This according to the eNCA.

This, the fifth, democratic, South African General Election is going to be held on Wednesday 7 May. Today a number of parties have held major rallies. The most impressive was of course the ANC rally at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. The stadium was, according to Eye Witness News, filled to capacity. This means 95 000 people. Even Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was there, says the Mail and Guardian, dressed in black as she still mourns the death of her ex-husband Nelson Mandela. A woman in that situation is culturally not allowed to speak publically. In some parts of South Africa she would not even have been allowed to take part in a gathering of this magnitude. But she was there.

One of the biggest differences when I compare election campaigns in South Africa with those in Sweden is the large number of people attending rallies in South Africa. I know that they are bussed to meetings. I know that all of them get a free T-shirt. Maybe they get free food, I am not sure. But they also enjoy dancing, singing and being together. After all it is a sign of a vibrant democracy. My view may be contested but compared with the Swedish electorate that sits at home watching debates on TV, there is a difference.

The other parties also gather people. The DA had a concert with tenths of thousands of people, according to radio the other day. But the opposition parties are struggling. They are just too many. Not people, but parties. And they have made a huge mistake, I think. They are talking a lot about corruption, which is a huge problem. But they should have focused more on their own, alternatives.

My hope is that the ANC gets fewer votes than a two third majority and that the more moderate parts of the party gain in strength. After all there are a number of very good ANC-people.

ACDP, AZAPO, DA, Cope, IFP, VF+, APC, UDM, UCDP, PAC are just a few of the parties.

ANC and its alliance partner SACP was missing in the illustrtion above.
 Not to mention two of the new parties: Agang SA and EFF.

IsiZulu – Easy Zulu?

Our course book

Thursday was a busy day. After lectures, supervision of students and a long meeting with the Research and Higher Degrees Committee, I rushed home to let the dog out. And then I rushed back to the Old Main Building, room 114, where the Basic isiZulu course was going to start 17h00. It was not a good idea to run when the temperature was +35 degrees centigrade and the lecture room is without air conditioner or a fan. To make it worse the class didn’t start on time. So all my rushing was in vain. Why do I never learn?

The class had met already the previous week but I could not attend because I never got information about the venue. But it’s OK. Kulungile – as we say in isiZulu! I believe I will catch up with the rest.

The pedagogy is interesting. I am not used to reading sentences in chorus. And I am especially NOT used to teachers laughing out loud (I am not kidding) when students make mistakes. As a Swedish person I get offended. (We do that easily in Sweden! In Swedish it is called to be “kränkt”. Which means to be insulted or offended. The word is often misused. It is a serious matter when people really get “kränkt” and one should not to use the word carelessly. It is not fair to people who really get “kränkt”.)

When I looked around I saw that everyone else also laughed out loud. White, black, coloured, Indian etc. People from South Africa, who do not speak isiZulu and people from other African countries – all were laughing! So I started to laugh myself.

The first part of the lecture was a mix between a class and a stand-up-comedy performance, where we all performed. When I analysed the situation I realised that there was a lot of tension that needed to be released.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal has decided that all staff needs to take this course if they want promotion. And undergraduate students need a similar course to obtain their degree. The reason I have blogged about before. More than 10 million people have isiZulu as their mother-tongue. There should be an opportunity for people to use their first language at university level. The project is not restricted to KwaZulu-Natal. Other provinces do the same – with their different vernaculars.

So, what did I learn? This, for instance:

A: Ungubani igama lakho? (What is your name?)

B: NginguAnders. (My name is Anders.)

A: Ungubani isibongo sakho? (What is your surname/family name?)

B: Isibongo sami nginguGoranzon. (My surname/family name is Goranzon.)

So, this weekend I have asked as many as possible about their name. Even if I already knew them! Practice makes perfect!

A national day of prayer and reflection

This can be read on the Governments official website on the death of former President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela:

Government reiterates President Jacob Zuma’s call to faith-based organisations and society at large to hold prayer services across the country to reflect and celebrate the life of former President Nelson Mandela. Today, 8 December 2013, has been declared as a national day of prayer and reflection.

Last week I was asked to lead the service in Eastwood, where we usually attend church. By then I was not aware of Mandelas death, let alone of the national day of prayer and reflection. So, yesterday, I phoned and asked our Dean Myaka for advice. His thought was that the prayer should focus on three things:

I. Prayer for Mandela's family II. Celebration of his life III. A prayer that the leaders of today and all of should live Mandelas legacy in our lives

Before the service started I therefore asked three of the elders to lead us in prayer around these three themes. It became a touching moment, which started the service.

For me it was natural to focus on Madibas life in the sermon so therefore I publish the sermon her:

Sermon on the Second Sunday of Advent 2013

It is not difficult to find a verse in one of our bible readings that would make us think of Madiba. I read from Isaiah 11 verse 10:

A day is coming when the new king from the royal line of David will be a symbol to the nations. They will gather in his royal city and give him honor.

And also from the same chapter of Isaiah verse 3 and 5:

He will not judge by appearance or hearsay; he will judge the poor fairly and defend the rights of the helpless.

and

He will rule his people with justice and integrity.

I believe that Mandela fought for the poor and those who seemingly are helpless. But one can of course discuss if any person is helpless? On the contrary I believe that every person has power – sometimes s/he only needs help to find courage to use it.

The gospel today, from Matthew 3, is about John the Baptist. He was the last but not the least of all the prophets of the old covenant.

Can we compare Mandela and John the Baptist? I think so. Especially Madiba before he was imprisoned. I do believe that he was a prophet. As powerful and fearless as the Baptist. But after his release something changed. Remember, what he said after his release when he spoke to the nation:

I stand before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people.

The Nelson Mandela that came out of prison was the nation builder and the reconciler.

Based on this, I would like to start my sermon in the Gospel and end in the Isaiah reading.

1. The axe is ready to cut down the tree …

John the Baptist is also a judge. His judgments are fair but not always pleasant. He continues:

… every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.

This can be said into every human situation. I would like to say that the rich of this world and of our South African society is like that tree. It is not bearing fruit. The fruit was meant to be enough for everyone. But it is not. The fruit is not being shared.

If John the Baptist could come back to this country – but also to my own country, Sweden – he would have a lot to do. He might say to the leaders:

You snakes—who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send?

We must of course, each and every one ask ourselves: could I have done more? But it is my belief that the Baptist was talking to people in privileged positions and not to the poor. This is important to remember. At the specific moment he spoke to the leaders of the nation at the time.

It could have been Mandela before he was imprisoned:

True, the struggle will be a bitter one. Leaders will be deported, imprisoned, and even shot. The government will terrorise the people and their people and their leaders in an effort to halt the forward march; ordinary forms of organisation will be rendered impossible. But the spirit of the people cannot be crushed…until full victory is won.

This he said in 1951. In many ways we still have a long way to go. But there is hope. Isaiah writes:

2. The Royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout out from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David’s descendants.

Traditionally we have read this as a prophecy pointing towards Christ. Jesus Christ is that branch that will sprout out. But the prophet speaks about branches in the plural. And we know that one image of the Church is a tree. Where Christ is the stem and we all are branches.

Let this be our prayer that God will give us courage and wisdom to be those branches, which will give new life and hope to the whole world. Branches that will bear fruit and share those fruits with others.

3. The Peaceful Kingdom

This is the vision of Isaiah. The peaceful Kingdom where

… wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats.

We all know, that there will be no peace without justice. Likewise reconciliation needs justice in order to work.

In 1985 a number of theologians in South Africa published the Kairos Document. Those theologians made a difference between Church theology and Prophetic theology.

About Church theology and reconciliation they said – and remember that this is said five years before Mandela was released:

In our situation in South Africa today it would be totally unChristian to plead for reconciliation and peace before the present injustices have been removed. Any such plea plays into the hands of the oppressor by trying to persuade those of us who are oppressed to accept our oppression and to become reconciled to the intolerable crimes that are committed against us. That is not Christian reconciliation, it is sin.

Prophetic theology on the other hand brings hope:

Jesus has taught us to speak of this hope as the coming of God's kingdom. We believe that God is at work in our world turning hopeless and evil situations to good so that his "Kingdom may come" and his "Will may be done on earth as it is in heaven." We believe that goodness and justice and love will triumph in the end and that tyranny and that tyranny and oppression cannot last forever. One day "all tears will be wiped away" (Rev 7:17; 21:4) and "the lamb will [li]e down with the lion" (Is 11:6). True peace and true reconciliation are not only desirable, they are assured and guaranteed. This is our faith and our hope.

Through Madiba much has been achieved but there is so much more to be done. We pray that God will continue to lead Gods people.

South African media - here we come!

I sent a photo and some text to the Campus Electronic Newsletter: UKZNdabaOnline. They published it. I wrote the text. But I did not choose the heading:

UKZN Theology Experts Contribute to Conference in Sweden

But I don't mind! The funny thing is that I am using the same office as Kenneth Mtata used before.

Here I am together with the Church of Sweden Archbishop (Most Rev Dr Anders Wejryd) 

and Rev Dr Kenneth Mtata.

The scholar from South Africa

Me, Right Rev. Anders Wejryd and Kenneth Mtata 

(Kenneth has been lecturing at UKZN. I actually got his office!)

The conference is over. I am on my way back home. Home to South Africa. I realise this is my home right now. For many reasons.

First of all my wife is there. I shouldn’t forget our dog, but my wife is after all far more important. Now one could argue that I just left four of our five children in Uppsala. How can I say that I go home, when I leave them behind? Because they are all adults now. But it was nice meeting all of them during my short visit in Sweden. Even the one that lives in Gothenburg.

Another reason for realising that my home is in South Africa I got at the last panel discussion of the conference. One of the last questions put to the panel included a reference to “the scholar from South Africa” and when the person who spoke continued I understood that he referred to me. “The scholar from South Africa” - nice!

But also during the conference it struck me that we work differently in South Africa. The students and teachers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal are more concerned with the society they/we live in. The theology, even if it deals with the history of Christianity, are more interested in the contemporary church. The theology is contextual. In this conference there were of course a lot of contextual theology but also a number of lectures and presentation about times and situations long passed. And I reacted to that. Have I become so South African already?

But of course, sometimes you also need to dwell on things and dig deeper into very isolated phenomena in order to understand. The big picture consists of details. Some of us are truly interested in details and they also contribute to a greater understanding. But that is not really my interest. In a sense I reacted to the theme of the conference, form this contextual perspective:

Remembering the past, living the future.

My questions is:

What about the present?

I am homeward bound. In many ways.

Who qualifies to be a blood donor?

In Sweden i used to be a blood donor - when I was a student. After some time my Hb became a little bit too low, so I haven't given blood for many years. I would like to do it again. I believe it is important. Even crucial!

At my university, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, staff and students are given an oppurtunity to donate. Today about 60 persons donated. Wonderful.

Two minibuses from the South African National Blood Service on campus.

Just ouside the door to the New Arts Building this sign was to be found today.

Why not donate blood just inside the entrance to the university?

Just like in Sweden all donors get something to eat and drink after donating blood.

Land and Promise

As reported in another blog post we have received our work permits. One of the first things, therefore, after returning to South Africa will be to send our passports to the agency that has helped us. They will then take the passports to the Department of Home Affairs so that the visa will be issued in the very same passports. This is good to have when we travel out of the country and come back.

Yesterday morning it would have been good to have them issued in the passports. Clever us had booked single tickets from Sweden to South Africa. On Arlanda, the airport outside Stockholm, this was questioned: 

How do you expect to enter South Africa, without work permit on a single ticket?

Oops! We explained to the person who checked in our luggage, that we do have permits but they have not yet been issued in our passports. Somehow the person and her superior bought this story. We got our boarding cards.

Today one of the bible readings in church was taken from Hebrews 11. The author writes about Abraham:

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; (Hebrews 11:8-9 – New International Version)

Of course there are many differences. God's promise to Abram, who became Abraham, was about getting heirs. But we interpreted the text into our situation and felt that it had to do with a promise to be able to enter another country. What we did, after boarding in Stockholm and asking ourselves if we were going to be allowed to enter South Africa, was to practice the art of trust. We said to ourselves:

Let us put this into the hands of God.

When we arrived to O R Tambo in Johannesburg, we went to the passport control and when the person asked us what brought us to South Africa, we answered:

We come from Church of Sweden to visit our partner church.

Before he commented, I said the same thing in seTswana:

Rona re go twsa Sweden, re tla etela Kereke ya Luthere ko Africa Borwa.

Maybe my seTswana is a bit weak, but it was good enough for the officer and he smiled and said:

Welcome back to our country!

Our country! Yes, it can be interpreted as his country and also ours. At least this is how we feel and also felt, when the reader in church this morning read about Abraham and how he trusted God.