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January/February 1998

Dear Friends,

At the moment there is a concerted attack upon Christian education and Christian civilisation in South Africa. Through multi-religious and multi-cultural reforms the school youth is to be taught an anti-Christ-ian life and world view. Prof. J.S. Malan, editor of Die Basuin, writes in Vol.7:12, December 1997: "At present we are witnessing the most intensive and bitter attack against Christian civilization and Christian education which South Africa has ever seen in its entire history. Through multi-religious and multi-cultural reforms in the field of education the youth of our country will, in state schools in the next few years, be subjected to the deceit and pressure of a well worked out anti-Christian life and world view." The Government hopes to have the new system in place by the year 2005.

Much of the foundational work is being done by the universities. The Council for Scientific Research, some ecumenical organisations, such as the SA Council of Churches (SACC), and other pressure groups are also zealously promoting multi-religious education. Even a new body has been founded, the new National Association for Multireligious Education (NAME), which acts with international support. Teacher training curricula are being rewritten and teachers invited to attend reorientation courses.

The most interesting promoters of the anti-Christian reforms are Christian leaders, among them Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, a Roman Catholic priest and leading liberation theologian, who is now Deputy Minister of Education. In July 1997 the University of South Africa (UNISA) hosted a Conference entitled "Why multi-religious Education?" Notable representatives of the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP), among them Profs J.S. (Kobus) Krüger and Gerrie Lubbe, contributed to the debate. Prof Krüger, head of UNISA's Department of Religious Science, gave the keynote address. He repudiated Christian National Education, calling it mono-religious because it favoured only one, namely the Christian, religion. Like Fr Mkhatshwa he stressed that South Africa (which is two thirds Christian) is a multi-reli-gious country which needs a multi-religious approach. The underlying idea is that all religions are equal and have the same origin. The child must therefore learn about the good elements in all religions, "enrich" himself through such knowledge and build bridges between the religions and races. The ultimate aim is to create a religious globalism (a mystical international brotherhood between all faiths) which prepares world citizens for the coming New World Order. In this new order religious exclusivity will have no place.

Since the early 1970s the humanist-oriented United Nations have zealously promoted the ideology of world unity and world peace. They called into being the World Conference on Religion and Peace (WCRP) as a Category 2 non-governmental institution to help create unity and peace throughout the world. The South African chapter of the WCRP has been particularly active, and both Prof Krüger and Dr Gerrie Lubbe of UNISA serve on its executive. Even Archbishop Desmond Tutu has given his name to its annual Peace Lecture. Together with members of the S A Council of Churches the WCRP played a significant part in the development of the multi-religious Constitution of South Africa, and now, through the proposed multi-religious educational system, they promote the total secularisation of South Africa.

In August 1996 UNISA published a handbook for multi-faith education for students and teachers entitled "The Human Search for Meaning - a Multireligious Introduction to the Religions of Humankind". Authored by J.S. Krüger, G.J.A. Lubbe and H.C. Steyn this book describes the differences and common features of the various religions. The non-Christian religions are described in glowing terms, whereas the Christian religion is questioned. Its historical events are not seen in terms of God's plan of salvation, but in secular terms. Even the dating is secular. Instead of BC (before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) the authors use BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era). The authors do not speak about the creation of man, but about his evolutionary "hominisation". Man and his religion, they claim, probably originated in Africa - not as the Bible states in the Middle East.

Since Africa is perceived as the possible cradle of humanity and religion, the description of African reli-gions is favourable. Christian missionaries are said to have misunderstood the African concept of God. The handbook states further, that whoever claims that Africans worship their ancestors is distorting the facts. Religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrism, and Bahai, are also described in positive terms. Like the World Council of Churches (WCC) which, at its Assembly in Canberra, 1991, claimed that God is already present in all religions and cultures, the reformers of religious education seem to think that Christian mission work is unncecessary. In their handbook even Atheism, Communism, and Humanism are dealt with sympathetically. Only Christianity is viewed in a critical light. The histori-city of Biblical events is questioned and Bible-believing Christians are categorised as fundamentalists.

For twelve whole years the children of this country are to be compulsarily "enriched" with this assortment of religious ideas. They will have to walk through a jungle of demonism, mysticism, humanism, and atheism. Prof. Malan appeals to the consciences of the reformers. He writes: "I would like to... invite the Theologians and religious scientists of our country to prayerfully reevaluate their views of Jesus Christ in the light of Biblical statements. There is a tremendous amount at stake: firstly your own salvation, then that of your students, and finally the churches and the wider community whom you serve. - We live in times of great changes in our country and the world. Academics have a great influence on the shaping of the future course of education, the practice of religion and related disciplines. The popular stream of thinking goes in the direction of holism, synthesism, and unity as building bricks of a new world order. The resulting religious syncretism is absolutely frightening. It means the end of a basically Christian approach in a number of public structures, including Christian education in state schools."

When all things are taken as true, then nothing is true. For Truth is bound up with the religion of Truth - with Truth personified, who said of Himself: "I am the Truth." (John 14:6) How can anyone find truth in astrology, mysticism, occultism, or humanism? How can mystery and magic produce a sound mind and a sure purpose? Truth cannot prevail where there are fifty different points of view produced by fifty differ-ent religions. A confusion of beliefs, or no belief at all, will reduce human thinking to foolishness. - How can one find truth in life, in science, art, and religion, if there are no spiritual and moral signposts? If all religion is made equal, there is no religion left. If the Ten Commandments are only one set of rules among many, the pillars on which civilisation rests are gone. Relativism and nihilism must bring about decline.

Only ONE religion can give permanent Truth, only the Christian religion. It is authoritative and final as to first principles. These principles were not thought up by men, as in so many other religions, but given by God. We worship a demanding God, a God who dictates how we should live. The principles of our religion are given on stone tablets and are immutable. As long as we believe in the triune God we cannot argue with what is on the tablets. How then can we allow our children and children's children to learn to reject the absolutes of our religion? How can we allow them to "enrich" themselves with other faiths? The hostility towards Christianity which they will encounter in the classroom will fill them with contempt for the faith of their fathers. It cannot but lead to a general secularism. The more they imbibe the New World religion of "liberty, equality, and fraternity" with all its promises of making them like gods, the more they will cast off all restraints on their conduct and lower themselves into a disorderly life.

The purpose of education is not that man become godlike and control all things for the sake of man. The aim of knowledge is to use it as a gift of God's grace to live on earth as called of, through, and to Him, to work for the glorification of His name and towards the coming of His Kingdom. Christian education, then, centres on equipping a person for his life's task, to the service of God and his neighbour. That means that the ultimate purpose of education is: to raise up well equipped and independent adults who serve the triune God according to His Word, and who are prepared to use His gifts and talents for God's honour and for the service of all those amongst whom He places them.

May God bless you richly,
D Scarborough.

Much of this letter is based on Die Basuin of December 1997 and February 1998.