Friday, June 15, 2007

Interesting Anglican resource from South Africa (history)

A Summer Series post.

This from the website of Cluster Publications in Pietermaritzburg:

Compromise and Courage:
Anglicans in Johannesburg 1864–1999 - A divided church in search of integrity
Peter Lee
Published 2005
Price: $24.00 or SAR120.00
432 pages
ISBN 1-875053-50-6

Ever since Anglican Christians began to live and work in the then Transvaal in the 1860s, tensions were built into the life of the church: Imperial policy, colonial attitudes, black and white Christians meeting in different congregations, and deep differences about Christian witness in a conflicted society. At times the church showed remarkable integrity and courage over issues of race, land, housing and unity – not only under apartheid, but long before. Yet the church also reflected superficiality, racism and moral compromise. Peter Lee racks the story, reviewing previous debates and introducing much new material, including the first lives of some of Johannesburg’s bishops.

Peter Lee served as rector of three parishes in Johannesburg in the 1980s – Orchards, Alexandra and Yeoville – before becoming canon missioner to Bishop Desmond Tutu. At the division of the diocese in 1990 he was installed at Sharpeville as bishop of the Diocese of Christ the King. His first degree is in History.

“Bishop Peter has given us an outstanding, sympathetic and very well researched history of some quite splendid servants of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in this history of the Diocese of Johannesburg.” --Desmond Tutu

2 comments:

John the organist said...

This is interesting as I grew up in Yeoville and left SA in 1973. Have been back once and how Yeoville has changed!

Jane R said...

I'm sure it has! Was that your only time back? And hallo John, thanks so much for stopping by.