Revisiting the Kairos document after 40 years: A challenge to the churches in South Africa

Abstract

It has been 40 years since the publication of the important Kairos document in 1985. Although much has changed in South Africa, many things have also remained the same. Millions of people are still suffering, and this has once again brought the country to the brink of disaster. That is what this article is about. It provides a short overview of the context and key content of the Kairos document, followed by an examination of the various aspects of the current crisis in the country. It then affirms the fact that the Church is an important agent of change before moving to an important meeting that took place between the South African Council of Churches and Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa. This meeting, which took place within the National Dialogue Initiative, serves as an important indicator, that the government also recognises the important role that the Church can play in bringing change to the country. In the last part of the article, the Rustenburg Church conference of 1990 is used as an example for a Lekgotla of Christian churches and Christian organisations. The article concludes by emphasising that the best way to celebrate the Kairos document, is for Christians to rise as one to save the country from disaster.

Contribution: This article revisits the Kairos document of 1985 as an example of how the churches in South Africa can answer to the current challenges in South Africa.