Home Institution
Trinity University
Publication Date
Fall 2018
Abstract
Within the South African context, there exists an intimate relationship between religion and politics. South Africa by definition is a secular society however data indicates that the South African population that is overwhelmingly religious. According to a General Household Survey published in 2015, 86% of the South African population identifies with some form of the Christian faith (“General Household Survey,” 2015). Historically religious civil society has played a prominent role in shaping the political climate and the political involvement of South African citizens. During Apartheid, Christianity played an influential role in the ideological formation and justification of the Apartheid political system, while simultaneously serving as a primary source of strength for those involved in the struggle. This study uses in-depth, semi-structured, narrative interviews to construct an understanding of the ways that Christian civil society organizations and South Africans belonging to the Christian faith understand and engage in politics during and post-Apartheid.
Disciplines
African History | African Languages and Societies | African Studies | Christianity | History of Religion | Peace and Conflict Studies | Politics and Social Change | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies
Recommended Citation
Struby, Calista, "Church and State: The Impact of Christianity on South African Politics during and Post-Apartheid" (2018). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 2907.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/2907
Included in
African History Commons, African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, History of Religion Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons
Program Name
South Africa: Social and Political Transformation