I. Since Nairobi 1970, The World Alliance of Reformed Churches has not really given much attention to the issue of racism. Granted, it may have taken a deliberately low profile on this matter because of its desire to support the World Council of Churches in its efforts to combat racism. Or it may have wanted to give its member churches ample opportunity to give such support. It may have argued that duplication of such efforts is not necessary. Be this as it may, we are convinced that the time has come for the World Alliance to take a firm stand on the issue of racism, a stand which will be its own, based on its concern for and solidarity with those churches within its fellowship who suffer under racism, and based on its own understanding of the gospel and the Reformed tradition.

There are a number of reasons why we believe that WARC should assume a more active role in the struggle against racism.

Throughout this century, black thinker and activist WEB Dubois has been proven absolutely correct in his assertion that one of the problems of the 20th century will be the race problem
The admirable work of the WCC in this regard for the last ten years or more has shown beyond doubt the insidious and extremely dangerous nature of racism.
Moreover, instead of abating, racism has grown. Christians in western Europe and Great Britain become increasingly aware of the problem there, and in the United States racism in numerous ways has once more taken on a cloak of respectabi1ity.
Racism has taken on new, more subtle forms and has found powerful allies in such ideologies as militarism, nationalism and national security.
In the political field, it seems as if "liberal politics" has come to the end of its solutions and its energy. In the United States, for example, the impasse is painful. and the general reaction of many liberals is to "out-conserve" the conservatives. The responsibility of the church in such a situation is now greater than ever before, not only to challenge the myopic theologized patriotism of yet another brand of "evangelicalism", but to proclaim the vision of the kingdom of God, transcending the narrow boundaries of race and nationalism and bringing justice to the poor and oppressed.
A last reason lies in the reality of the situation of the Republic of South Africa itself. Not only is South Africa the most blatantly racist country in the world, it is also the country where the church is most openly identified with the racism and oppression that exists in that society.

In 1980, black Christians made a statement in which this painful realization was put on record:

"...the churches to which we belong, have conformed to the patterns of a racist society. The persistent cries of the black people that the church is not consistent with the demands of the gospel of Jesus Christ have fallen on deaf ears". ¹

Whilst this was said of all churches in South Africa, it remains, true that the white Dutch Reformed churches must assume special responsibility for the situation. At the same time, the work of the WCC has not directly influenced these churches and the only truly ecumenical family that remains to utter the direct prophetic word is WARC.

Something else must be said, however. While black Christians in South Africa are almost unanimous in their acclaim and support for the actions of the WCC and to a lesser extent that of the Lutheran World Federation. the about three million blacks in the member churches of WARC remain painfully uncertain about the stand of their own confessional family. This is all the more pressing, since it is the Reformed tradition which had been so effectively and ruthlessly used to justify black oppression and white racism in South Africa.

All this is of singular importance, for the struggle in South Africa is not merely against an evil ideology, it is against a pseudo-religious ideology which had been born in and being justified out of the bosom of the Reformed churches. The consequences of this for the future of the Christian church in South Africa are staggering - for ultimately, beyond denomination and tradition, the credibility of the gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake.

II. It is not our intention here to join the current debate about the "right" definition of racism. Even while this debate is going on, the oppression of people on the basis of colour, the dehumanization and suffering, the exploitation and rejection, continue. The cries of anguish of the rejected children of God are far more articulate, and the suffering and pain far more real, than mere definitions will allow.

Yet, we must have some idea of what we are talking about, even if only to give our discussion some direction.

First of all, racism is an ideology of racial domination that incorporates beliefs in a particular race's cultural and/or inherent biological inferiority. It uses such beliefs to justify and prescribe unequal treatment of that group. In other words, racism is not merely attitudinal, but structural. It is not merely a vague feeling of racial superiority, but it is a system of domination, with structures of domination - social, political and economic structures. Or put another way: racism excludes groups on the basis of race or colour. But it is merely an exclusion on the basis of race, but exclusion for the purpose of subjugating or maintaining subjugation. It is in this light that the current "changes" in South Africa's racial policies must be understood. The government, instead of bringing about fundamental changes that will secure meaningful participation, peace and wellbeing for all, is making certain concessions, which will do more than allow a selected group of blacks to have limited economic benefits, limited political participation under white control. The overall effect is not to bring justice to all, but to strengthen white supremacy. Here the church is called to be particularly watchful and sensitive, so that we acquire the ability to ask questions of a fundamental nature. Racism is an ideology which justifies white supremacy.

Secondly, racism has not always been with us. It is a fairly recent phenomenon which had become an essential part of an historical process of cultural, economic, political and psychological domination. It manifests itself in all these areas. It is important to note that racism became essential to what Helmut Gollwitzer had called the "capitalistic revolution": "the revolution of the white, Christian, Protestant peoples that would spread all over the world to open the era of slavery which even today, (albeit not in the same form) is not yet ended".² We note this to make the point that racism cannot be understood in individual, personal terms only. It must be understood in its historical perspective and in its structural manifestations.

But, thirdly, however these observations may be, the Christians must say more. Racism is sin. It denies the creatureliness of others. It denies the truth that all human beings are made in the image of God and Father of Jesus Christ. As a result, it not only denies the unity of all humankind, it also refuses to acknowledge that being in the image of God means having "dominion over the earth". Human beings were created in the image and likeness of God. In the Bible, "image" and "likeness" do not allude to any kind of physical likeness, but rather describes our unique relation to God. The likeness is not so much morphological as functional, dynamic.

The whole story of Genesis 1 and 2 is an attempt to give expression to this creaturely relatedness to God. The responsibility that flows from this relationship is "dominion over creation". This has not only to do with the source of this power - God - but also with whom we are to share this unique gift: our fellow human beings. At the same time, we are reminded in Genesis 2 that this "dominion" is service, that there is an interdependence between human beings and between human beings and creation. To have this dominion is to share this dominion - it is to be truly human. It means to be able to be, to live in accordance with one's God-given humanist. It means to be able to realize this essential humanity in the social-historical world in which we have responsibility.

To share in this dominion as a free person created by God enables human beings to become the subject of their humanity, to assume responsibility, to act responsibly and in acting to realize their own being and that of others. All this racism denies. It usurps this power to be truly human for one group only, and it justifies this action by placing the other on a subhuman level, not truly human, or not "equal", or "equal, but...".

Racism is a form of idolatry in which the dominant group assumes for itself a status of higher than the other and through its political, military, and economic power seeks to play God in the lives of others. The history of white racism is full of examples of this.

Racism has brought dehumanization, has undermined black personhood, destroyed the human beingness of those who are called to be the children of God. It has caused those who are the image of the living God to despise themselves for they still cannot understand why it should be their very blackness that calls forth such hatred, such contempt, such wanton, terrible violence.

Most of all, racism denies the liberating, humanizing, reconciling work of Christ, the Promised One who has taken on human form, thereby reaffirming human worth in the sight of God. Through his life as a man he has given flesh and blood to the words of the psalmist concerning the life of God's weak and needy people:

"From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight". (Ps 72.14)

Through his life, death and resurrection he has reconciled people to God and to themselves, he has broken down the wall of partition and enmity, and so has become our peace (Eph 2.14). He has brought us together in the one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God who is the Father of us all (Eph 4.5, 6).

Racism has not only contaminated human society, it has also defiled the very body of Christ. And it is the Christians and the church that through years have provided the moral and theological justification for racism and human degradation.

III. Which brings us to the South African situation. In 1981, the South African society is still one based on white racism, maintained by escalating violence and oppression. Legalized discrimination in all areas is still a way of life. Apartheid means that as recently as 1970 whites, only 17.8% of the population, received 71.9% of the national income, while blacks received only 19.3%. It means that white greed and avarice claim 87% of the land whilst 13% is "allotted to" black people. Apartheid means that blacks are denied any meaningful participation in the political decision-making process so that the very word "democracy" has become a farce. It means a capitalist economic structure for which atrocities like the migrant labour system apparently are necessary; a system that, as South African economist Dr Francis Wilson has pointed out:

...can and does, compel old people living amongst their friends and relatives in familiar surroundings where they have spent their entire working lives, to endure resettlement in some distant place where they feel they have been cast off to die. This system can, and does, force a man who wants to build a house with his wife and children to live instead for all his working life in "bachelor" barracks, so far away from his loved ones that he sees them only briefly once a year, and his children grow up without his influence, regarding him as a stranger. One may close one's mind to these facts; one may dismiss them as being isolated casualties for the sake of a greater goal; but the harsh reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of people in South Africa who are cruelly affected in this way...³

Apartheid means that the most important thing about a person is not that he or she is a human being created in the image of God with inalienable rights, but his or her racial identity. It is racial identity which determines everything else in a person's life with an overwhelming intensity. Apartheid means that hundreds of children must die - not only from hunger and malnutrition amidst South Africa's plenty, but mercilessly shot down by riot police on the streets of our townships. But why go on; one should not pretend that the deep human suffering caused by this system can be described in words.

All of this is not unique. South Africa is not the only place in the world where oppression and exploitation are the daily bread of the poor and the defenceless. What is unique however, is the role of the churches, more specifically, the Reformed churches. In a very important address given in 1980, Rev DP Botha has shown conclusively that the present policy of apartheid is essentially the missionary policy of the white Dutch Reformed churches. Which means that the white DRCs have not only provided a theological justification for this policy, it has also worked out in considerable detail the policy itself. It is the white DRCs who from 1932 on had sent delegation upon delegation to the government to get proposals for racial legislation accepted. It was this church who had worked hard to devise practical policies of apartheid which could be implemented by the government, while at the same time formulating a theological construction to justify the policy plans. It was these plans the church had finally presented to the Nationalist Party in 1947 who accepted them as the programme that became a winner at the polls in 1948.⁴

It is no wonder that the Kerkbode, official mouthpiece of the DRC, wrote with pride in 1958: "As a church, we have always worked purposefully for the separation of the races. In this regard apartheid can rightfully be called a church policy".⁵

In fact, Mr Botha says: "The role of organizations like the FAK and the Broederbond fade into insignificance compared to the overwhelming role of the church (the white DRC) in preparing the Afrikaner to accept and vote for a socio-political programme that would revolutionize South African life.⁶

And this policy is "all-embracing, soteriologically loaded", complete with a theology to rationalize it. As such it has become a pseudo-gospel, challenging the very authority of the gospel in the lives of all in South Africa. And today, the white Reformed churches in South Africa have not yet been able to repent, to correct their stand on the basis of a new understanding of the gospel. In spite of all the open human suffering, the violence necessary to maintain the system, the damage done to the church of Jesus Christ, apartheid still has their support. Our Reformed churches have been divided on the basis of race and colour, a situation which is still being defended as a truthful expression of the will of God and a true interpretation of the Reformed understanding of the church.

Within the Reformed family, racism has made it virtually impossible to share with one another that most significant act within the community of the faithful, a natural expression of the unity of the body of Christ: the Lord's supper. And so white and black Reformed Christians miss the meaning of the sacrament which Calvin so much wanted to impress upon our minds:

"Now since he has only one body, of which he makes us all partakers, it is necessary that all of us also be made one body by such participation... We shall benefit very much from the sacrament if this thought is impressed and engraved upon our minds: that none of the brethren can be injured, despised, rejected, abused, or in any kind offended by us, without at the same time, injuring, despising, and abusing Christ by the wrongs we do; that we cannot disagree with our brethren without at the same time disagreeing with Christ; that we cannot love Christ without loving him in the brethren".⁷

IV. The World Alliance of Reformed Churches is a confessional family. The rationale for its existence, the strength of its existence is the uniqueness and significance of the Reformed tradition and its contribution to the witness of the church of Jesus Christ in the world. It is clear that it has a special responsibility in this particular situation. Since 1976 the crisis in South Africa has taken on frightening proportions. The events of 1980 have underscored this and the blood of hundreds of children on the ground is a chilling reminder of the sacrifices needed to still the cravings of the Moloch apartheid had become.

It is in the light of this that black Christians have said:

"We realize that the critical situation in this country has reached a critical stage and that God is calling the church as a liberating and reconciling community to identify itself with the oppressed and the poor in their struggle for the dignity which is theirs as human persons created in the image of the Triune God".⁸

WARC has no less than ten member churches in South Africa. The vast majority of them form the "poor and oppressed" the statement talks about. They have a right to know what the Reformed tradition has to say about a situation like theirs. As far as the white member churches are concerned, they have direct responsibility and the power to change the situation fundamentally if they want to. They should be addressed in terms of that responsibility and in terms of the historical development of apartheid as regards the churches. WARC should accept the challenge to address the meaning of apartheid as undergired by the gospel and presented as commensurate with the Reformed tradition.

WARC should reaffirm that racism is a sin; reaffirm its support for the WCC and encourage those member churches who are also members of the WCC to continue its prayerful support of the WCC programme to combat racism.

With regard to the South African situation, WARC should accept it has a special responsibility. It should declare that apartheid, in the words of the 1978 synod of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church, is "irreconcilable with the gospel of Jesus Christ". But if this is true, and if apartheid is also a denial of the Reformed tradition, then it should be declared a heresy which is to the everlasting shame of the church of Jesus Christ. To accept the Reformed confession is more than a formal acknowledgement of doctrine. Churches who accept the confession thereby commit themselves to show through their daily witness and service that the gospel has empowered them to live as the people of God. They also commit themselves to accept in their worship and at the table of the Lord the brothers and the sisters who accept the same confession. Confessional subscription should lead to concrete manifestation in unity in worship and in working together at the common tasks of the church.

It is one thing when the rules and laws of unjust and oppressive governments make this difficult or impossible for the church. But it is quite another thing when churches willingly and purposely reject this unity and togetherness for reasons of racial prejudice as the white Reformed churches of South Africa have consistently done.

In South Africa, as we have noted, apartheid is not just a political ideology. Its very existence as a political policy has depended and still depends on the theological justification by certain member churches of WARC. For Reformed churches, this situation should constitute a status confessionis. This means that churches should recognize that apartheid is heresy, contrary to the gospel and inconsistent with the Reformed tradition, and consequently reject it as such.

We are not unaware of the fact that for WARC this may become a difficult issue. But this is an issue too long deferred. It would be well to remember the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, that fearless partisan in the service of Jesus Christ as he spoke to the ecumenical movement in a time not unlike that in South Africa today:

"Not to act and not to take a stand, simply for fear of making a mistake, when others have to make infinitely difficult decisions every day, seems to me to be almost a contradiction of love... Too late (in our situation) means "never". If the ecumenical movement does not see this now and if there are none who are "violent to take heaven by force" (Mt 11.12) then the ecumenical movement is no longer the church, but a useless association for making fine speeches..."⁹

And, in terms of the meaning of racism, remember the words of Calvin as he reminds us of 1 Cor 7.23: That we have been redeemed by Christ at so great a price as our redemption cost him, so that we should not enslave ourselves to the wicked desires of men - much less be subject to their impiety.¹⁰

Notes

1 Statement by the black participants at the SACC consultation on Racism, February 1980, published in the booklet under the same title, Johannesburg, 1980.

2 H Gollwitzer, Schwarze Theologie, Ev. Theol, January 1974, pp.45,46.

3 Francis Wilson, Migrant Labour in South Africa (Johannesburg, 1972), p.189.

4 Botha, DP, Church and Kingdom in South Africa.

5 Die Kerkbode, September 22 1948, pp.664, 665.

6 Botha, DP, Church and Kingdom in South Africa.

7 Calvin, Institutes, Book IV, ch. XVII, par. 37.

8 Statement.

9 Bonhoeffer, writing to Henriod of Life and Work in Geneva in the 1930s. Gesammelte Schriften, VI (München, 1974), pp.350ff.

10 Institutes, Book IV, ch. XX, par. 32.