Abstract:
The future of a black theology of liberation (BTL) has been in question since the demise of
apartheid in South Africa. The constitution of democracy in the country has raised questions
about the relevance and purpose of such a theology in the wake of a new dispensation. Can we
continue to promote the idea of ‘blackness’ in a democratic South Africa? Extracting from the
contributions of the late Professor Vuyani Vellem, and as a tribute to his work, this article aims
to show that BTL definitely has a valid role for relevance and continuity. The author conducts
a literature review of the material produced by Vuyani Vellem and identifies the emerging
trends in which BTL continues to be alive and relevant.
CONTRIBUTION: The scholarly contribution of this article is its focus on the systematic and
practical reflection, within a paradigm in which the intersection of religious studies, social
sciences and humanities generate an interdisciplinary contested discourse.
