South African Theological Response to
Lausanne III
Johannesburg, 1-2 November 2011
By Kevin G. Smith
ORIENTATION
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Meeting
A group of 22 Christian leaders gathered on 1-2
Nov. 2011 in Johannesburg to explore a theological
response to Lausanne III for the South African
church. The meeting was initiated by TEASA and
organised by SATS. The participants included
theologians, pastors, and Christian leaders from
several missional organisations.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Purpose
The delegates spent the two days discussing the major
themes of Lausanne III with reference to the South
African context. The purpose was to address two
questions:
1. How do the key issues raised by Lausanne III apply
to the South African context?
2. What critical issues in the South African context
were not addressed by Lausanne III?
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Format
The meeting devoted one session
to each of the major themes of
Lausanne III, and an additional
session to two specially chosen
themes (Pentecostalism and
Prosperity Teaching). Each session
began with a plenary address,
and concluded with a time of
discussion. In some sessions, a
formal response followed the
plenary address.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Plenary Speakers
• Dr E. Mbennah (TWR)
• Prof. N. Botha (UNISA)
• Prof. F. Jabini (SATS)
• Dr E. Mahlangu (UP, AoG)
• Mr P. Tarantal (OM)
• Prof. L. Kretzschmar (UNISA)
• Dr E. Mathole (GBC)
The Other Delegates
• Rev. M. Ntlha (TEASA)
• Mr R. Botha (James 127)
• Dr K. Smith (SATS)
• Rev. C. Molebatsi (EBC)
• Pst. T. Ntlohola (Vineyard)
• Rev. M. Sono (GBC)
• Dr F. Shayi (ICBM)
• Pst. P. Veysie (AE; Ridgeway)
• Dr C. Peppler (LVC)
• Pst. T. Tselapedi
• Mr P. Vumisa (INSERV)
• Pst. D. Slabbert (WENSA)
• Dr M. Mzondi (Back to
Basics)
• Dr N. Schluter (JBC)
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
OUTCOMES
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Introduction
The slides that
follow present
some of the issues
that were raised at
the consultation.
The points that follow:
• are not summaries of the
papers that were delivered;
• are not presented in any
particular order;
• do not necessarily represent
the consensus of the meeting
or the views of the organisers;
• are based on notes taken by
Drs ZL Erdey and KG Smith.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Exegetical Approach
• Our theological response to contextual issues must
be an exegetical-hermeneutical approach. We cannot
build evangelical theology purely or primarily by
reflecting on praxis.
• Our practical or contextual theology must engage
with present praxis, but it must formulate an
exegetical response.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Research
• There was a sense that something may be very
wrong with the church in South Africa, and a
balancing sense that our perceptions may not be
based on a true understanding.
• We need to be engaged in ongoing research to
ensure that we rightly understand the condition of
the church in South Africa, and that we hear the
perspectives of all segments of the church.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Truth of Christ
• We must bear witness to the true Christ in our
pluralistic world. Many are preaching ‘christs’ other
than the Lord Jesus Christ revealed in the word of
God.
• There are many distorted portraits of Christ being
propagated by well-meaning but ill-informed
preachers (e.g. Christ the vending machine).
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Apologetics
The growing influence of pluralism in our country raises
the need for ongoing, robust, contextual apologetics.
• We need more advanced training in apologetics for
pastors and theologians within the African context.
• Pluralism is not only a force in society; it is also a
force at work in the church. We need to think
through the growing trend towards theological and
ecclesiastical pluralism.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Theology of Power 1
• African Christianity needs to develop a biblical
theology of power.
• Issues of power, especially economic power (who
controls the purse), are important factors in issues of
justice and peace (reconciliation).
• The shift of Christianity towards the global South is
not yet reflected in its international power bases.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Theology of Power 2
• Those with power often do not exercise their power
to help the poor and the weak. The portrait of Jesus
as the Suffering Servant needs to be recovered in the
South African church.
• Prof. Botha called for a ‘power analysis’ (praxis and
theology), leading to a theology of power and
authority.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Prophetic
Voice
• We may have lost our voice because
we have lost ‘the moral high ground’,
i.e. lost credibility.
There was extensive
discussion about
regaining the
church’s prophetic
voice in society, so
that the church is
able to speak into
societal issues and
concerns.
• We can only speak with credibility
when we demonstrate that we are
taking the lead in the area of
reconciliation.
• We need to be prophetic in terms of
understanding ‘the signs of the
times’.
• The prosperity movement may be
raising questions and meeting needs
that we have not recognised.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Two Portraits of Reality
• We need to listen to a statistical picture of what is
happening in South Africa, but we must also balance
that portrait with a narrative approach that listens to
the stories of ordinary Christians living out their faith
in extraordinary ways.
• An ideologically-based interpretation of the situation
(e.g. reconciliation) runs the risk of skewing the
stories that do not fit its framework.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Threat of Secularism
The primary ‘other faith’ in South Africa seems to be
secularism. Islam, Hinduism, Judaism are small minority
groups, but secularism is growing amongst all people
groups.
• The South African Constitution is overtly a secular
constitution.
• The young, urban South African population is heavily
influenced by secularism as a philosophy and value system.
• Pluralism is waging war against religion, especially Christianity.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
The Next Generation
• Robert Botha advocated an alternative approach to
healing a nation: focus on the next generation. He
argued that we spend too much energy trying to heal
adults (therapeutic approach) and too little trying to
shape the minds and futures of the children.
• We should focus more on those whose minds are not
yet formed. If we can reach them, we can bring
about positive and lasting change.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Radical Discipleship
• We recognise the deficiency of transformative
discipleship as a factor that permeates many of the
problems facing the church today.
• Integrity, simplicity, and humility lie close to the
heart of discipleship.
• Christians can only lead out of a place of wholeness,
and minister effectively from the basis of a biblical
worldview.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Strategic
Audiences
We need a welldeveloped
theology and
strategy for living
and ministering
among the
following groups in
our society:
• The poor
• Foreigners
• Women and children at risk
• People of other faiths
• Oral learners and non-readers
Question: What role should foreigners play in
integrating other foreigners into the church?
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Issues of Christian Identity
• The critical issues of humility, simplicity, and integrity,
together with their antitheses—pride, materialism, and
hypocrisy—are closely related to people’s sense of
identity.
• We need to understand the forces that shape the way
believers think of themselves (e.g. issues of race, gender,
and past experiences).
• Proper identity is vital if people are to live and lead out of
a place of wholeness.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Pentecostalism
• Pentecostalism was identified as an important submovement of the evangelical church in South Africa, but
one that has often been misunderstood. We need to
correct many popular misunderstandings about
Pentecostalism.
• We need a proper understanding of Pentecostalism’s
potential contribution to evangelism and missions in
South Africa. The Pentecostal church needs to
contextualise its mission.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Prosperity Teaching
• We need to develop and promote a biblical theology of
prosperity, which provides hope but avoids manipulation.
• We need to teach the younger generation the dignity of
work and the value of education, inspiring them to
become professionals with a biblical worldview.
• In the face of rampant secularism, materialism, and
consumerism, it is critical to teach the church about
simplicity and contentment (Matt. 6; 1 Tim. 6).
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
African Models of Mission
• Several participants expressed frustration with the
South African church’s over-dependence on western
models of mission and ministry.
• We need to develop distinctly African alternatives. In
some cases, we have already developed African
approaches to mission and ministry, but we have not
published and disseminated them as viable
alternatives.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Spiritual Forces
• We need to revisit our theology of the spirit realm,
and the role of spiritual forces in breaking down
society, assaulting the church, and promoting
violence and crime.
• The biblical perspective surely lies between Western
theology’s disregard for the spirit world and African
traditional religion’s obsession with it.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Contemporary Abuses
• Selling indulgences (healing oil; prayer cloths)
• Distorted concepts of ‘the anointing’
• Pastors as kings in their chiefdoms
– Pastors with armour-bearers
– Pastors with lofty titles (Apostle; King)
• Poor people, smart cars (mammon-based identity)
• Lack of accountability structures (e.g. offering deposited
into pastor’s account)
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
Islam
• Islam is a growing force in Africa, and is seeking a
gateway into South Africa, which is the key nation in
Southern Africa.
• We need a deeper social understanding of Islam. We
need to move beyond teaching theological students
the basics about Islam, and help them to understand
the social forces of Islam more deeply.
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III
THE END
South African Theological Response to Lausanne III