Dominicans in Southern Africa Hold Symposium on Faith and Politics
Participants at Dominican Symposium on faith and politics
From July 10-12, the Dominican family in Southern Africa gathered at Emaphethelweni Dominican Community in Pietermaritzburg for a two-day blended symposium, on the theme “Faith and Politics”.
The inspiration for the theme was born from reflections on the political upheavals in South Africa, eSwatini, Zimbabwe and other countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), where cases of injustices, corruption and human rights abuses or violations are reported.
These cases have contributed to the widening gap between the rich and the poor, and the rising unemployment rates particularly among the youth, as economies remain static and countries fail to create employment opportunities.
As countries such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa and Namibia prepare for elections in 2023 and 2024, participants at the symposium discussed several questions based on different presentations: Should the Church participate in political matters, and if so, to what extent? How should faith communities respond to issues of corruption, injustices and political unrest? Should people of faith direct the moral choices that lie behind electoral allegiances? How does religious belief relate to politics? Does one dominate the other?
Thirteeen members of the Dominican family presented papers which were followed by substantial discussions and debates – seven Dominican priests, five Dominican students, all studying at St Joseph’s Theological Institute in Cedara, and a lay Dominican, Prof Terry Sacco, who also gave the keynote address.
Participants at Dominican Symposium on faith and politics
In her keynote address, Prof Sacco, president of St Augustine College of South Africa, said: “I open myself to being educated by you, expectant that wonder, joy, and anticipatory revelation infuse my being so that I leave our gathering changed and inspired. My educational stance is shaped by one in our communion of saints, Meister Eckhart who says, ‘unknown-knowing keeps the soul constant yet spurs her on to quest.’
“It is this Dominican way that encourages a search for truth that is continuously uncovered through the avenues of study, contemplation, action, and our being and sharing-in-community.”
The proceedings of the symposium will be published as an edited book by DOMUNI Press, a Dominican publishing house based in France.
This year’s symposium was organised by a steering committee chaired by Br Jacob Madondo OP with the support of Fr Isaac Mutelo OP, regent of studies; Fr Neil Mitchell OP, student Master; and Br Philippe Denis, lector and member of the studies commission.
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