Opening Worship -- Triennial National Conference of the SA Council of Churches

 South African Council of Churches (SACC)

Triennial National Conference 2024

“Behold, I have set before you life and death, choose life so that you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Opening Worship Service

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba

President

15^th October 2024

May I speak in the name of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of our lives, Amen.

Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Distinguished Guests, Conference Delegates, welcome to our opening worship at this Triennial National Conference of the Council. I have also been asked to speak to you tomorrow in what will be my final presidential address, so to avoid duplication, I will observe the customary protocols then, and tonight I will turn our attention to exegesis in the context of worship, firstly by contextualizing the Bible passage which constitutes our Conference theme.

Deuteronomy 30, verse 19, is part of Moses’ final address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Moses lays before them a choice: life and prosperity through obedience to God’s commandments, or death and destruction if they turn away. Going to my favourite Johannian passage, the choice is abundant life for all in Jesus Christ for those who enter by the gate, as opposed to the life of a thief and a robber who does not know Jesus but who breaks in another way.

This choice that Moses and Jesus have laid before us does not allow for neutrality; it is an either/or decision, and there is no sitting on the fence. As Professor Sarojini Nadar recently posted, we are called not to neutral prayer but to active engagement with all of those on the periphery of society, whether in our own nation, elsewhere on the continent such as in Sudan, or beyond, such as in Palestine. The choice our theme presents us is between Life and Death, not just in terms of our physical mortality, but in terms of broader spiritual, ethical, and communal realities. Choosing life means living in harmony with God’s will, which involves building a community of justice, love, and solidarity, but also, dare I add, a community in which we express compassion for one another.

What might choosing life in South Africa’s context mean? I will elaborate on this tomorrow, but briefly stated, it means drawing on the richness of our heritage in standing unequivocally for the marginalised and the oppressed in our society and beyond. And, I have to emphasize, it means doing this no matter how unpopular it may make us with those around us, including friends and past comrades, and especially those friends and ex-comrades who now live comfortable middle-class lives.

Choosing life means, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the pastor and theologian who was murdered by the Nazis, repudiating what he called “cheap grace” and instead fighting for “costly grace”.

Cheap grace, Bonhoeffer said, is “the deadly enemy of our church.” He added: “Grace is represented as the Church's inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.”

In contrast, he described costly grace as “the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which one must knock (Mt. 7:7-8)... Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son... It is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.”

Choosing life in South Africa today must involve fighting for costly grace. It means condemning without fear or favour the sins of our post-apartheid reality, and the complicity in those sins of those in government who are responsible for them. It means condemning the legacy, as well as the continuing reality, of systemic injustice, poverty, inequality and division. In this context, choosing life is about actively applying the sub-theme of our Conference, building a community of justice and solidarity by seeking justice, reconciliation and healing from the wounds of the past.

The SACC's strategic goals are relevant here:

Firstly, on Economic Justice. The yawning gap between the wealth of the richest and the persistent poverty of the poorest is a form of “death” that denies many South Africans access to a dignified life. The Church, through its prophetic witness, is called to advocate for economic policies that build life and not perpetuate cycles of death.

Next, on Social Solidarity: We must highlight the need to build a society based on solidarity with the marginalized, the unemployed, and the women and children who suffer from discrimination and violence. Choosing life means ensuring that no one is left behind or deprived of the opportunity to thrive.

On our goal of working for Justice as an Expression of Choosing Life, in scripture, justice is not merely a legal term but a call to action to restore wholeness, equity, and right relationships in society. Justice means standing with the oppressed, advocating for fairness, and restoring dignity to those who have been marginalized.

Choosing life must also encompass Environmental Stewardship—caring for the earth, since environmental degradation disproportionately affects the poor. Advocating for policies that protect the environment is essential for ensuring that future generations can live in a healthy, sustainable world.

Turning to the practical application of our programme, for the SACC this means working actively in areas like land reform, addressing economic inequalities, alleviating poverty and pushing for policies that reduce the gap between the rich and poor. It also involves addressing corruption, which steals from the future of children and undermines efforts to build a just society.

Key to expressing Solidarity in Community is practising Ubuntu Theology, in which we draw on the African concept of ubuntu — “I am because we are.” This resonates deeply with the biblical call to community and solidarity. Building a community of justice is not just about individual morality but about collective responsibility and mutual care.

Expressing Solidarity in Action includes creating alliances between churches, civil society, and communities to address social injustices. It means standing with those who suffer, particularly in the areas of housing, education, and healthcare, and advocating for systemic changes.

Our Conference theme does not apply only to those of us in the here and now. It must mean Choosing Life for Future Generations, since it speaks to a choice between life and death affecting not just individuals but their descendants. In South Africa, this is crucial given the long-lasting effects of apartheid. The decisions made today—whether regarding climate change, economic justice, gender justice or social cohesion—will shape the future for children and future generations.

In conclusion, the Church is called to be the moral compass of society, challenging unjust systems and promoting policies that prioritize life and dignity. The role of the South African Council of Churches is crucial in leading this charge by engaging both the government and communities in dialogue and action. Today we are challenged to revive a strong and visible ecumenical family in South Africa. I endorse the challenge but humbly request that, as in the Lucan walk to Emmaus, we approach making changes to what is already a strong formation with humility, working with other societal formations and not leaving them behind.

As this Conference charts the course ahead, I urge each one of us to approach our debates and our decisions in the spirit of the prayer we composed ahead of our country's National and Provincial elections earlier this year:

Now, as you go out in the world from your village, your township, your flat, or your suburban home,

Whether walking, by taxi, by bus, by train, car or truck

To your schools, colleges or workplaces,

Whether they be the fields and the forests, construction sites or power stations, factories, or offices,

Go forth into the world in peace. Be of good courage.

Hold fast to that which is good,

Do not reply to evil with evil,

Strengthen the faint-hearted,

Support the weak, and help the afflicted.

Show love to everyone,

Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

May God bless our beloved country, South Africa.

Amen.