Ubuntu - a soteriological ethic for an effaced umntu in a post 1994 South Africa : a black theology of liberation perspective

Abstract

This thesis sets out to explore Ubuntu as a soteriological ethic for the liberation of an effaced umntu in the post 1994 South Africa from a black perspective. It is conducted from the perspective of Black Theology of Liberation and it sets out on the premise that Ubuntu is consonant with the objectives of Black Theology of Liberation. It is theoretically informed by Ramose’s position of Ubuntu as African philosophy and Dussel’s theory of modernity as an extension of the European influence to the other parts of the world. The effects of that extension of the European influence have been dire to the peoples who were colonised and the effacement of umntu has been one of the consequences of that influence. The post 1994 South African society still bleeds from the effects of that dominance, which reached its zenith during colonial and apartheid periods. Those periods were characterized by acts of ukunxaxha (hamartos – missing the mark) and an assault to the image of God. The 1994 transition became a change of face politically, but the socioeconomic conditions are still averse to the nonpersons. Umntu continues to be undermined, marginalised and denigrated. Umntu is wounded and broken. The study explores Ubuntu as a strive towards wholeness and further explores ukunxaxha, guided by the Ubuntu philosophy from the perspective of Black Theology of Liberation. In its findings, the study upholds Ubuntu as an African philosophy and as a progression towards wholeness. The study discovers that umntu has been effaced under the influence of modernity in its various manifestations from context to context, which in South Africa were colonialism, apartheid and current wave of globalisation, corruption and greed. The study proposes Ubuntu as a liberative soteriological ethic where umntu lives in harmony in a three-dimensional relationship of the living dead, the living and the yet-to-be-born, another aspect of wholeness. Ubuntu fosters communalism, interconnectedness and interdependence. The fulcrum of Ubuntu is umntu ngumntu ngabantu. The epistemology of Black Consciousness and Black Theology of Liberation shows that Ubuntu remains a relevant soteriological ethic for the liberation of umntu. Ubuntu buyahlangula, buyakhulula. The study, thus, proposes a new community of Ubuntu that will promote human dignity, equality, peace, justice and prosperity. That community is based on the three pillars, namely just socioeconomic order, unshackled church and academia. That is a revolution. The Accra Confession provides the basis to deal with the empire towards the establishment of a just socioeconomic order. There is need to lift the poor for them to stand up against empire in all its manifestations. There is need for decolonising the mind in all the three spheres – society, church and academia. Black Theology of liberation has a big role to play in this venture. The expropriation of land should be done with the main motive being to promote the dignity of the effaced people.