Knowledge, Values, and Beliefs in the South African Context Since 1948: An Overview

Abstract

KNOWLEDGE, VALUES, AND BELIEFS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT SINCE 1948: AN OVERVIEW by Ernst M. Conradie and Cornel W. du Toit Abstract.In this contribution, an overview of the distinct ways in which the interplay between knowledge, values, and beliefs took shape in the South African context since 1948 is offered. This is framed against the background of the paleontological significance of South Africa and an appreciation of indigenous knowledge systems, but also of the ideological distortion of knowledge and education during the apartheid era through the legacy of neo-Calvinism. The overview includes references to discourse on human rationality (as an implicit critique against ideology), on the use of social sciences in theological reflection, on the teaching of evolution in public schools, on science and religion, and on religion and ecology. The essay concludes with a survey of some of the major voices regarding the interface between religion and science in South Africa.

INTO TERRA INCOGNITA: CHARTING BEYOND PETER HARRISON'S THE TERRITORIES OF SCIENCEAND RELIGION

“…In the same way that recent editions of Zygon have addressed the study of science and religion in different religious contexts, so they have also looked at the ways in which scholarship in science and religion may be affected by the particular local culture in which it is carried out, with articles reviewing the development of the study of science and religion in ( inter alia ) Germany, South Africa, and Latin America (see Evers , Conradie and du Toit , and Silva , respectively). In these different contexts, issues such as the partitioning and reintegration of Germany, the appreciation of indigenous knowledge systems in post‐apartheid South Africa, and the difficulties presented by isolation from other scholars can all be introduced to add richness to the science and religion discourse.…”

Far Away and at Home: Multiple Interactions of Religion and Science

“…In 2015, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science had various essays on religion and science in different countries around the world, in Asia (Balslev ; Kim ; Li and Fu ), Latin America (Silva ), Africa (Conradie and Du Toit ), the Middle East (Guessoum ), and Europe (Brożek and Heller ; Evers ; Oviedo and Garre ). One more essay in this series appears in this issue.…”

The Relevance of Continental Philosophy of Religion for Theology in Contemporary South Africa

“…In South Africa, theology is contextualised in different ways: as public theology (De Villiers 2011); in terms of ecology (Conradie 2013); as feminism (Haddad 2013), and in faith/science dialogue (Conradie & Du Toit 2015;Veldsman 2010). This kind of contextualised theology aimed at being socially relevant does not ignore God's transcendence and sacredness.…”