594 pages ISBN 978 1 875053 73 5
Price: R250.00, £20.00 or $50.00 plus postage
Contact Cluster Publications
at: sales@clusterpublications.co.za
or Tel (033) 345 9897 or Fax (033) 345 9894
http://www.clusterpublications.co.za/index.php
Banking details: Standard Bank, Branch Code 057525, Account no. 052199185
The South African churches have made a substantial contribution to the struggle for real change in this country and the Church of the Province has pride of place in that historic line-up. Its consistency and forthrightness on national issues inspires us all.
Nelson Mandela, to Archbishop Tutu from Victor Verster Prison on 12 August 1989.
This book records the witness against apartheid of Anglican Church leaders, and assesses the importance of their contribution to the liberation of South Africa. It gives an overview of the recurring themes of the church-state conflict during the tenure of eight Archbishops of Cape Town, starting with Francis Phelps in 1936 and ending with Desmond Tutu, whose term as Archbishop of Cape Town concluded in 1996. The focus is mainly on the Archbishops of Cape Town, and some notable Anglican activists.
Well done for this great book. It is fascinating, well written and succinct and captures key historical milestones in an accessible manner and indeed makes history come alive. All Anglicans, in particular those who want to draw from a rich well of in-depth research and accessibly written history should read this account. More…
Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town.
Bob Clarke’s work fills an important gap in the history of the struggle against apartheid. Unlike a biography — for example, John Allen’s of Desmond Tutu — Clarke’s book attempts to chart the significance of the distinctively Anglican contribution to the struggle for justice…. this is an important work on Anglicanism, and deserves to be widely read. It comes from the mind of a serious historian, and the heart of a priest passionately committed to the gospel and the birth of the new South Africa. More…
Canon Edgar Ruddock,
The counter-balancing of great figures of bishops and archbishops with the experiences of ordinary people like the Calatas and Ncacas whom we know intimately makes the book attractive to all and reflective of our history.
Canon Prof Peter Mtuze.
Bob Clarke, Royal Naval Officer, ecclesiastical historian, courageous anti-apartheid minister's meticulously researched Anglicans Against Apartheid focuses largely on the leadership of the church, but provides many reminders of the role played by CPSA members during some of the dark days of our history.
Professor Michael Whisson
In the course of
his ministry as an
Anglican priest in South Africa, Bob Clarke worked in parishes and in
ecumenical contexts and as a Church History lecturer. He was
deeply involved in ministry to people detained without trial, as well as in
conflict resolution and monitoring South Africa's first democratic election
in 1994.
Born in India in 1936, Bob Clarke came to Natal with his family at the age of ten. After matriculating at Durban High School he went to England to join the Royal Navy, in which he served as an officer for eight years before resigning to study for the Anglican ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham. He served in parishes in the Diocese of Natal from 1971. From 1978-83 he pioneered Urban and Industrial Mission in Pietermaritzburg. His doctoral thesis for the University of Natal, on resistance to apartheid by the Church of the Province of South Africa over the years 1946-57, was completed in 1983, and forms the basis for some chapters of this book.
He moved to Grahamstown in 1984 where, during the turbulent final years of apartheid, his ministry included being Rector of a parish and lecturing in Church History and Industrial Mission at St Paul’s Anglican theological college. As Ecumenical Officer of the Albany Council of Churches he was deeply involved in ministry to people detained without trial during the States of Emergency, as well as conflict resolution for the Grahamstown Peace Committee. After 1994, when the 27 Regional Councils of Churches were dissolved and reorganised into nine Provincial Councils, Dr Clarke founded and directed Ecumedia, an NGO training church journalists. As Rural Dean of Albany and Grahamstown from 2000, he had oversight of 15 Anglican congregations in and around Grahamstown, until retirement in 2003. Bishop Thabo Makgoba made him an Honorary Canon of Grahamstown Cathedral in 2005. He is married and has two married daughters and three grandchildren.
Firstly I need to congratulate Bob on this great achievement. Well done for this great book, covering 60 years of faithful witness by ACSA archbishops as the scramble for Africa was being consolidated by apartheid. The book is fascinating, well written and succinct, and captures key historical milestones in an accessible manner and indeed makes history come alive
All Anglicans, in particular those who want to draw from a rich well of in-depth research and accessibly written history, should read this account.
This account is not only about ecclesiastical history but raises key socio-political and economic issues that our South African society had to contend with, and finally overcome. Bob’s first-hand involvement in the struggle against apartheid as a cleric, and the price he had to pay, make this book more authentic and alive.
Bob in his extensive research and study provides a compelling and succinct account of the Archbishops of Cape Town from 1936 to 1996, both the intensity of the challenges that they had to face, and their attempts to be faithful in their witness to God’s mission.
The book also captures interesting processes in terms of elective assemblies, and the degree and element of surprise. For example, when Joost de Blank was elected he was genuinely surprised, and he went to see Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher, whose advice was “I think you will find it your bounden duty to accept the task since the call has come to it, and I pray that whatever labours and alarms may await you in the future you will never have any reason to doubt that your decision at this moment is laid upon you by God.” A wonderful encouragement for any archbishop-elect!
The Archbishops during these times were called to be courageous and forthright. In one strong statement, Joost de Blank, dealing with the Group Areas Act, told Dr Verwoerd, “I am willing to step down and go back to my native land, provided you also do the same.” The range and complexity of ethical issues that they faced were enormous, and for that we give thanks to God for their witness and courage.
Bob captures the robust, elegant ministry of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a man of deep spirituality and prayer, a man of courage who was called at a most difficult time, when apartheid was at its tail, and it was biting the hardest. Archbishop Desmond Tutu through his commitment to prayer and the Eucharist was able to go on, and be courageous, and speak the truth to power.
But above all we give thanks to Bob, for his thoroughness, for his extensive research, and for writing it down.
I urge every Anglican and all the ecumenical partners, indeed anyone who wants to know about this critical time in our country, to read this book. I highly recommend this book, for all theological students, and Christians not only in this Province but all over the world who want to read, in an accessible manner, how God, through the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ, has used ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
+ Thabo Cape Town 01.02 2008