Abstract:
Although no conventional biography of Allan Boesak has been published, either by
himself or others, as far as we are aware, we have enough data and information in various
places to make small beginnings of the long overdue task. Boesak's phenomenal
contribution to political theology, black theology and ecumenism both in South Africa
and internationally, deserves deliberate acknowledgement. In this essay, we attempt
an appraisal of the contribution of Allan Boesak to politics and theology by focusing
on key milestones and reflections in his life. We take our cue from Boesak’s own selfdefinition
of being a theologian and a political activist and proceed to explore some of
the roots and sources of his theology and political activism.