This dissertation explores the question of universalised justice conceptions, applied to address post-apartheid contexts without adequate contextual analysis. Its central argument is that without intentional contextualisation of social justice for the post-apartheid Namibian context, Christians will not be able to create meaningful, effective, and transformative policies, programmes, practices, systems, and justice institutions—no matter how advantageous and well-intentioned. Therefore, it is needful to re-evaluate political dialogues, social theories, and theological views advocating for social justice in Namibia. This research enters into dialogue with Allan A. Boesak’s theological notions of justice to extract what could be helpful or may require further reflection in the search to formulate particular Namibian contextual theologies of social justice. Post-apartheid communities long for healing and reconciliation, and they must do so in order to ensure meaningful co-existence with one another. However, they need to confront honestly the lingering socioeconomic effects of the apartheid system. Reconciliation needs to be more far reaching than mere sociality; instead, there must be a recognition that grave injustice was perpetrated. Both perpetrators and beneficiaries of the previous unjust system need to engage social and economic realities with a critical regard for a more just society. Achieving this level of understanding requires an authentic search for justice that is rooted in experiences, epistemologies, and expectations of Namibians, and the resources of the Christian faith. Otherwise, injustice will continue to be prolonged if the underlying conceptual presuppositions do not sufficiently capture and readdress the effects of the apartheid system from the understanding of those it disadvantaged. Apartheid did not only affect economic aspects of the lives of Black Namibians; it also intended to deprive them of their right to self-determination. This desire for contextualised conceptualisations to transform social justice notions reinforces the continued presence and effects of injustice for disadvantaged individuals and communities. The search for justice, beyond the political understandings, is profoundly theological and ethical. It seeks to discover a relevant theological language that will engage where the dialogues of justice are taking place to ensure that God’s image-bearers experience a sense of God’s shalom. As such, it is argued that the concept of social justice would have to consider all possible notions, even those that appear to be disagreeable because of how they have been abused for political and corrupt gain. While this is theological research, it takes cognisance that to be truly conversant, theology needs to identify and embrace systems and structures that would be its allies in the pursuit of social justice. In the search to identify what God is doing in the world and how we can be part of it, secular structures are not excluded in the search. This makes the task of theology missional (i.e., a participation in the work of God), as it seeks to make use of all available structures to ensure that the post-apartheid society transforms towards being more just and more human. Finally, the concluding chapter weighs the effects of theological participation in social justice for post-apartheid Namibia, not as a mere observer, but as a key component in advocating for justice and a more just society.
TOWARDS A CONTEXTUALISED CONCEPTUALISATION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR POST-APARTHEID NAMIBIA WITH REFERENCE TO ALLAN BOESAK’S FRAMING OF JUSTICE – Kasera, Basilius M. (Namibia, 2021-12).
