This book is an outcome of the conversation that occurred during the five days of intense discussion at two symposia initiated by the New Humanism Project. The struggle for a more humane society is both local and universal, and increasingly these are connected in our time. So while the conversation focused specifically on South Africa, the discussion was neither parochial nor insular in its scope and character. Hopefully, then, people beyond South Africa will find the contents of this book of value for them in terms of their own contexts.

This book is an outcome of the conversation that occurred during the five days of intense discussion at two symposia initiated by the New Humanism Project. The struggle for a more humane society is both local and universal, and increasingly these are connected in our time. So while the conversation focused specifically on South Africa, the discussion was neither parochial nor insular in its scope and character. Hopefully, then, people beyond South Africa will find the contents of this book of value for them in terms of their own contexts.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have starkly reminded us of the realities that threaten our future on planet Earth. Christian faith is not a way of escaping these realities, but of engaging them in the struggle for justice and peace—motivated by love, enabled by faith and sustained by hope. This is based on the conviction that in Jesus Christ the reality of God has become redemptively embodied within the reality of the world. Written within the context of South Africa but with global vision, and in conversation with the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this book is an attempt to stir up discussion and inform action in connecting worldly and transcendent reality. Inevitably this will be controversial, not least because that is something that Bonhoeffer risked. This is certainly true when it comes to the five realities that provide much of the book’s substance: the persistence of racism, the will-to-power, scientism and soulless technology, the conflict in Israel-Palestine, and the threat of wars and pandemics. Is it possible to believe in the God of Jesus Christ in such a world? If so, what does that mean, and how does it help us live creatively, redemptively, and faithfully? To answer these questions, the author examines the meaning of faith; the human desire for transcendence; and the need for conversion, wisdom, solidarity, and responsible freedom.

Hope is not an attitude—it’s a way of life. Therapist Ted Brackman, a colleague of Jim Wallis in the early Sojourners community, mines psychological, theological, and sociological insights in this practical and compassionate guide for “living well while ill.” Ted’s work was deepened by his eleven years with pancreatic cancer (after a nine-month prognosis). He developed and lived out a way of life animated by hope in the transcendent reality of God’s future coming to us in the present. In his writing, he is an honest, inspiring companion: • for those who struggle to face the next hour with courage and strength. • for those who feel defeated and need a new way forward that reframes the present. • for caregivers and advocates who need new tools for replenishing both internal and external resources. • for communities of faith seeking to bring change to, and empowering hope within, marginalized populations. For all those ready to find a new way of living when false hopes and distractions are stripped away, to learn how to build a foundation for personal, communal, and social thriving . . . Ted Brackman offers Bright Hope.

Examines the importance of South Africa's peaceful transition to democracy, especially in light of Nelson Mandela's belief that cosmopolitan dreams are not only desirable but a binding duty.

This collected work, written primarily by practical theologians, reflects on the phenomenon of corruption in the liberal democracy of post-apartheid South Africa. Liberal democracy has considerable salience in the contemporary world. Not only is it the form that many of the world’s most powerful and influential nations approve of, but it is a political system that has been tried – and used – by many developing countries. South Africa is described as predominantly Christian, and in such a context corruption should not be expected. However, it is strongly prevalent and undermines the values of both democracy and Christianity. Not only does corruption promote a general lack of trust in institutions and leadership, but it stimulates a perpetual culture of corruption that invades all spheres of life. The book suggests strategies for redressing the current ‘culture of corruption’. Although the chapters represent different perspectives, the shared objective is to emphasise that corruption is unethical, as well as to describe and explain why it is taking place and how the situation should appear. The explanation focuses on the negative consequence of corruption: it does not respect human dignity or the ‘otherness’ of others; it exacerbates poverty; it weakens religious values and norms; and it is not conducive to social cohesion in the country. The authors also share the theological premise that God is present in this world. In the kingdom of God, believers are encouraged to participate in the ‘clean-up’ process which includes combating the phenomenon of corruption.

This volume examines the crisis of humanities narratives in the context of neoliberal capitalism and of the emergence and consolidation of the metrics-driven, corporate, managerial university. Do narratives of the crisis of the humanities mobilize specific notions of value and prestige? How are these notions classed, gendered and racialized? How do narratives of the crisis of the humanities relate to current debates and contestations surrounding decolonization? Does the crisis of a traditional configuration of the humanities open up opportunities to use their institutional space for work that is both socially and politically relevant and academically rigorous? The aim is to provide a counter-narrative of the present and future of the humanities. In addition to the study of a multiplicity of media texts and other multimodal expressive forms, formats and platforms and genres, a communicative turn in the humanities entails deepening the study of the value chains in which they are inserted and their conditions of production, circulation and reception. Communicative and digital capitalism, now labelled the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is on its way to bringing its own waves of struggles and confrontations to our campuses and beyond, to which humanities scholars and activists can make a vital contribution—should some of us decide to do so. This book will be of interest to researchers and advanced students of art, literature, media and cultural studies, education, politics, sociology, and social and cultural anthropology. The chapters in this book were originally published in the journal Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies.

"In a South African context ... condemning apartheid is not enough. To make a non-racial, democratic, inclusive society viable and enduring, much more is required ? of which creative and imaginative theological thinking is not the least. Fundamental theological values and their implications for all the facets of society must be thought through ? not as an academic exercise, but as a grass-roots undertaking ? and the greatest challenge is to act in terms of this new understanding of society." - Bernard Lategan, Some implications of the family concept in New Testament texts

DEMOCRACY UNDER STRESS focuses on the global financial crisis of 2008-2009 and its implications for democracy. Why and how did the crisis come about? Are there any instructive lessons to be drawn from comparisons with the Great Depression of the 1930s? What are the democratic response mechanisms to cope with serious crises? Do they work? Is China a new trend setter? Do values matter? Are global democratic rules a possibility? These are some of the key questions addressed in the volume.

John de Gruchy is one of the greatest and most respected South African theologians of the past five decades. His work has left an indelible mark on both the South African and international theological landscapes. In this book he describes his theological journey, revisiting core themes, periods and sources. This is an enriching read, as De Gruchy engages with some of the greatest theologians in the history of the church ? notably John Calvin, Karl Barth, Karl Rahner, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Reinhold Niebuhr ? as well as with a wide selection of his fellow South African theologians.ÿ?ÿCas Wepener