Beyers Naudé 1915-1963 : die vorming van 'n dissidente Afrikaner

Date
2018-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Beyers Naudé is known for his anti-apartheid theology and activism from the 1960s onwards. Yet, before this activism, he was a minister in die Dutch Reformed Church, member of the Afrikaner Broederbond, and longtime proponent of the policy of apartheid. His deeprootedness in the Afrikaner-establishment gave him a unique position in the struggle against apartheid. This studie attempts to analise this paradoks of Afrikaner and struggle-hero through an in-depth biographical work that investigates the formative years of Beyers Naudé. Thereby it is established how Naudé came to the point where he left the Afrikaner-establishment in 1963. There is a whole corpus of literature about Naudés` struggle years after 1963, most being theological studies. However, this secular studie focuses on the build-up to Naudés` breakaway, which starts at his birth in 1915 and goes up until his last sermon as a DRC-minister in 1963. By utilising a range of archival sources, in conjunction with existing literature on Naudé, his route will carefully be traced through his childhood years (1915-1931), student years (1932-1939), formation as Afrikaner-minister (1940-1954), and eventually how he unmolded from minister to dissident (1955-1963). Dimensions of his earlier life, which was not necessarily political in nature, is examined, and by doing so a more well-rounded image of a ‘young’ Beyer is attempted. From this study it becomes clear that a series of outward-movements beyond of the Afrikaner-establishment brought Naudé to new insights about his convictions, his people, and justice. Change took place over time with certain markers which moved him to a deeper conviction to take a new direction by leaving the Afrikaner-establishment in 1963.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beyers Naudé is bekend vir sy anti-apartheid teologie en aktivisme vanaf die 1960s. Tog voor die periode van sy aktivisme was hy `n dominee in die NG Kerk, lid van die Afrikaner Broederbond, en vir lank voorstander van die beleid van apartheid. Sy diep gewortelheid in die Afrikaner-establishment het hom `n unieke plek besorg in die stryd teen apartheid. Hierdie studie poog juis om hierdie paradoks van Afrikaner en struggle-held te ontleed deur `n in-diepte biografiese werk wat die vormingsjare van Beyers Naudé ondersoek. Sodoende word vasgestel hoe hy tot die punt gekom het om in 1963 die Afrikaner-establishment te verlaat. Daar bestaan reeds genoegsame literatuur oor Naudé se struggle-jare na 1963, waarvan teologiese studies `n groot meerderheid vorm. Hierdie sekulêre studie fokus juis op die opbou tot Naudé se wegbreek wat strek van sy geboorte in 1915 tot sy laaste preek as NG-dominee in 1963. Deur gebruik te maak van verskeie argivale bronne, asook met die bestaande literatuur oor Naudé, word sy roete noukeurig gevolg deur sy kinderjare (1915-1931), studentejare (1932-1939), vorming as Afrikaner-dominee (1940-1954), en uiteindelik hoe hy van dominee na dissident ontvorm het (1955-1963). Hierdeur word ook gekyk na dimensies van sy vroeë lewe wat nie noodwendig polities van aard is nie, om sodoende `n meer volronde beeld van `n ‘jong’ Beyers te skep. Uit hierdie studie word dit duidelik dat `n reeks uitwaartse bewegings buite die Afrikaner-establishment hom tot nuwe insigte gebring het oor sy eie oortuiging, sy mense, en onreg. Daar het verandering oor tyd plaasgevind met sekere merkers wat hom tot verdere oortuiging gebring het om `n nuwe rigting in te slaan deur die Afrikaner-establishment in 1963 te verlaat.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Naudé, Beyers -- Biography, Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk -- Clergy -- Biography, Afrikaners -- Politics and government -- 20th century, Christianity and politics, Naude, Beyers -- Afrikaner dissidence, UCTD
Citation