Die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap in die Wes-Kaap, 1838-1961, met spesiale verwysing na die sosio-ekonomiese en politieke omstandighede van sy lidmate

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This thesis deals with the history of the Berlin Missionary Society (BMS) thatcommenced their work in 1834 in South Africa. Due to financial reasons the ZuidAfrikaanscheZendinggenootskap (SASG), which coordinated missionary work in SouthAfrica, requested the BMS to take over their activities at the missionary station Zoar inthe Little Karoo. Their missionary work ofthe BMS rapidly extended to the neighbouringAmalienstein, then Ladismith, Anhalt-Schmidt (Haarlem), Riversdale, Herbertsdale,Mossel Bay, Laingsburg and Cape Town.Culturally and ethnologically, the field of work of the missionaries of the BMS in thenorthern provinces differed radically from that of their colleagues in the Western Cape.By 1838 the coloured communities of the Western Cape were already well acquaintedwith Western culture as well as with the Christian religion. This did not prevent themissionaries from applying a strict pietistic and patriarchal approach towards thecoloured people they worked amongst. As the owners of the land on which thesemissionary stations were established, the missionaries laid down strict rules andregulations and were able to control the spiritual and material behaviour of the membersof their congregations.Their approach had two important effects: The mlSSionanes, m emphasising theimportant role of education, opened doors to better living conditions for the variouscommunities on a short term basis that eventually created socio-economic empowerment.On the other hand, it led to opposition from within these communities, which in lateryears would have a profound influence on the political mobilisation of the colouredpopulation of the Western Cape.Financial problems and poverty became an integral part of the history of the BMS in theWestern Cape- and for that matter, in South Africa. This was especially apparent duringthe first half of the twentieth century, when two world wars had a devastating effect ontheir work. The effects during this time on the BMS and the communities they servedwere two-fold: Due to financial constraints, the BMS increasingly handed over spiritualand educational work to local pastors and teachers. Secondly, the missionaries came toassociate themselves with the rise of Afrikaner nationalism. Their low profile in opposingthe developing policy of apartheid - and even tacit approval of it - not only led to a breakwith the committee in Berlin, but also to the estrangement of many of their churchmembers.In 1961, the year in which a republican form of government was established in SouthAfrica and the Berlin Wall was erected, the German Lutheran missionary societiesamalgamated to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa (ELCSA) and thetraditional missionary work of the BMS came to an end.Compared with the missionary activities of the much larger Dutch Reformed Church inthe Western Cape, the role of the BMS may seem less relevant. When the impact of thework of the missionaries and their dedicated coloured church members are considered,their contribution to education and human development, is far bigger than their numbersrepresent. This allows them a place in the history and development of the Western Capewith its cultural diversity.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University