The first session was taken up with essential preliminaries and then by an introductory paper by Professor Arce of Cuba, to be considered alongside the one by Andre Dumas in the Study Guide.

On Thursday, after the election of Rev Dr Allan Boesak as vice-chairman, the section decided to begin by discussing question 2 of Professor Arce's prepared questions: How do the powers of oppression manifest themselves?

Reference was first made to page 20 of To Ottawa 1982 and Onwards, which singles out two areas of priority for Alliance responsibility: South Africa and Taiwan. In view of the painful withdrawal of black South African delegates from the opening Communion, the situation in South Africa had to be faced first.

During this session, thirteen speakers contributed and the following points were made:

The "graceless powers" operate as networks of great complexity. The motivating force behind the drive for power was often the desire for self-preservation, which is contrary to a gospel which offers no guarantees of security.

The church must be definite in its references to particular, concrete situations, as Paul was when he spoke of the powers of oppression. Only in this way can we make sure that the church is cooperating with the power of God and not working against it; if it fails to cooperate, God will use those outside the church.

Reformed tradition could be strikingly relevant: the Heidelberg Catechism recognized that silence, as well as the spoken word, can be a blasphemy. We have to speak out against apartheid, but must also be clear about the ways in which our opposition is based on our Christian faith. It was felt by several speakers that it was the essence of our faith that was challenged by apartheid. Some churches have succumbed; therefore, the whole future of Christianity in Africa, with global implications, was at stake.

Reports were made about efforts made by various churches to hold useful dialogue with the white Dutch Reformed Church. After visits to South Africa, several delegations from Reformed churches in Holland, Switzerland and Germany had decided that further dialogue was useless. It was essential that church members should understand the reasons for this, and the book just published, Apartheid, Change and the NG Kerk, by JHP Serfontein was recommended as an invaluable source of factual material. It also must be recognized that when the church responds fully to a critical situation, the "graceless powers" also take action. In Egypt, for instance, many church leaders have been imprisoned. This kind of repression does sometimes awaken the church to its true witness, but it may also result in division. The controversy caused by the South African rugby team's visit to New Zealand had revealed disturbing divisions within churches.

We are the church, so when the church itself is found to be on the side of oppression, the guilt is ours.

In a reply to a direct question from the delegate from Egypt on the specifically Christian involvement in the struggle in South Africa, Dr Boesak emphasized that black Christians suffered doubly: from the identification of the church with the apartheid policy, and from the results of the policy itself.

On Friday, our discussion opened with a statement by Mr van den Berg, representing the NHK in South Africa, in which he explained the reasons why his church has not condemned apartheid. He emphasized the growing population, of which 40 per cent are under 15; the need for many new job opportunities; the demand for housing; and the huge investment required in education. Since South Africa had accepted responsibility for the changes involved in meeting these needs it could not be considered as a government dominated by greed and the lust for power. Thus the church accepted the political approach which was granting full rights to the many minority groups who wished to retain cultural and traditional identity. He felt that South Africa was solving the problems arising from its own situation.

Dr Allan Boesak replied. He agreed about the struggle for survival, but saw the policies given moral justification by the white Dutch Reformed Church as policies of death. Death, quite literally, for many young children in the terrible conditions in the "homelands", but also death for the possibility of a harmonious, multiracial future for South Africa. Apartheid is unique in that its racialist structure is institutionalized, legalized and imposed by the minority of 4.5 million whites on nearly 22 million blacks and others. These policies originated in the mission of the Dutch Reformed Church in the name of Christ. Thus the integrity of the gospel was at stake, and he believes that apartheid is a sin, a betrayal of Reformed tradition, and a heresy.

Professor Arce suggested that Christian leaders should discover what fetishes had led to false ideological positions which destroyed human beings, and denounce them. Open discussion then resumed, with about ten further contributions. More examples were given of fruitless attempts by churches at dialogue with the white Dutch Reformed Church. They could only be resumed if the DRC changed in essential ways. Legalized injustice and lack of freedom, with the deliberate purpose of removing the black population and securing indefinite white supremacy, directly contradicted the assertions of the white DRC. Otherwise, why was the suffering, which had been mentioned as inevitable, experienced only by blacks? They were being removed from their own land as if they were aliens. Such changes as were proposed would bring no benefits to blacks, who were still deprived of their rights in the new proposals for the president's council, which aimed at separating them from the Coloured and Indian minorities.

The statement by the delegate of the white Dutch Reformed Church that a church should not impose a point of view on its members was considered to be contrary to Reformed tradition, which calls for communion both with God and fellow Christians in coming to decisions. The maintenance of tradition had to be combined with new vision. Professor du Preez of the NGK then explained the historical origins of his church's missionary policy. The separation of black from white churches was not due to convictions of racial superiority but only to the recognition of different needs. The decisions of 1857 were the outcome of the missionary endeavour of the Dutch Reformed Church which had brought into being various daughter churches.

In answer it was noted that other Reformed churches had discarded colonial ideas of dependence and had created, in the reorganized Council for World Mission for example, a body of churches equal and interdependent in which the term "daughter church" no longer corresponded to reality.

Finally, there was a return to the issue of communion services between blacks and whites, forbidden in the DRC. On page 147 of Booklet 3 the condemnation of apartheid is clearly set out. The realization that members were to join at the Lord's table with those who habitually excluded black members had come to some delegates as an unexpected shock.

A delegate of the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan spoke about the situation there, where the general secretary, Dr Kao, is serving a seven-year prison sentence, unjustly imposed by the Nationalist Government. Seven others from the church are amongst numerous prisoners. The booklet, Taiwanese Voice was recommended: it outlines the complex situation where the Presbyterian Church over many years has alone spoken out on behalf of the Taiwanese people. There has been no general election since the last war, and the 14 million Taiwanese have no rights since they are unrecognized by the Nationalists, who consider themselves to be the true Government of China. They have been consistently supported by investment and arms by the US, until the recent American efforts to resume relations with the Communist Government of China. This is clearly another example of "graceless powers" at work, and surely also the power of God, seen so clearly in Dr Kao's Christian mission and service to his fellow prisoners.

A delegate from Korea was invited to describe the situation there, as outlined in the documents distributed. He identified two "graceless powers": one was the American-based Control Data Company, which had decided to close its factory in Seoul, throwing 300 out of work. They blamed this unjustly on the unrest caused by the one organization which has upheld human rights in South Korea, the Urban Industrial Mission (UIM), which grew from the PCK but is ecumenically supported. The PCK has one million members. Over 400 people, including many church leaders, were in prison for demonstrating for human rights. The church holds regular prayer meetings for their families in its support for the working people: again the power of God is seen at work. The Reformierter Bund in Germany has been active in support, and delegates were urged to inform themselves and do all possible to encourage the PCK in its work.

At the extension of the session arranged for the afternoon Professor Esser outlined the theological concept of grace. "Our discussion of grace must avoid two errors, the assumption that grace is a material property and that grace is anonymous. Rather, grace is always found in the relationship between two persons, where the qualified makes the unworthy a partner. We find grace in the One who helps us. Authentic grace is thus beyond our understanding, for God takes on himself our broken situation. Thus sin is nowhere incarnate, save in Christ, who was 'made to be sin' for us. We are gracious only in and through Jesus Christ."

There was considerable discussion on the interpretation of this concept in relation to various forms of oppressive power including governments, economic systems built on greed, and corporations which exploit people in countries not their own. Where the church identifies too easily with such powers we should be suspicious. It was strongly felt that we must give churches every encouragement to resist these forces, and the Alliance can help in this.

The application of the doctrine of grace to groups and powers presented difficulties. A "graceless power" was perhaps best identified as an unjust one, and such powers may be the result of a kind of idolatry when our ideals become distorted. The discussion focussed on theological formulations, but was constantly brought back to concrete situations, and the churches were urged to help those who suffered from injustice. There was a need to name and denounce regimes in Latin America, the Philippines, Europe, and many others, but it was recognized that the Alliance must not become involved in a series of denunciations where it could not usefully intervene.

The attention of delegates was drawn to Matthew 18, which presented the dilemma that self-righteous indignation was not always the proper Christian response. In this connection reference was made to the Heidelberg Catechism 83-85. This issue has to be carefully weighed. It was also affirmed that the church must never be indifferent to injustice, and that, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, not to act can be a contradiction of love. Confronting a church with violations of human rights and injustice is not easy but may be a duty exacted by loyalty to Christ. The power of grace does allow us to say No to the "graceless powers".

At our final session this paper will be read, together with the brief report for the plenary session, and the resolution will be voted.