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Lessons from the Contradictions of Nelson Mandela's Life

28 February 2014

Lessons from the Contradictions of Nelson Mandela's Life

by Debbie Loh

 

 

WAS Nelson Mandela a Christian? As the world mourned the loss of a great statesman and architect of South Africa's peace and reconciliation, many pondered this question. Mandela rarely touched on God or his faith in speeches or writing; yet, his public life spoke of the very same values that Christians cherish: forgiveness, sacrifice, justice, redemption.

An article in Christian Today , written after Mandela's death on 5 Dec 2013, notes his Christian upbringing, involvement with a Christian university student group and the Bible study classes he taught as a youth. He faithfully attended Sunday worship during his 26 years of imprisonment, and studied Islam while at Robben Island. After his release, Mandela spoke at various Christian events, in which he expressed clear convictions about Jesus the risen Messiah who conquered death, and identified the struggle for racial equality with the Lord's experience of poverty, suffering, persecution and ultimately, crucifixion.

In reality, Mandela's life was complicated and some historians have accused the media of sanitizing his legacy. As a youth, he was willing to use violence and formed the militant wing of the African National Congress. On the personal front, his first wife accused him of adultery, he had difficult family relationships, and there are hints from interviews with his children that he wasn't a good parent.

Yet, the world remembers him as a statesman, father of South Africa, grandfather of the world, peace maker and international mediator. He won the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the crown amongst the 200 other honours and awards he also received.

If anything, this paradox reminds us of a Biblical pattern - God's use of flawed men and women to achieve a greater good. Mandela himself reflected on the contradictions in his life and wrote:

"...a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying to be clean. One may be a villain for three-quarters of his life and be canonized because he lived a holy life for the remaining quarter of that life. ...In real life we deal, not with gods, but with ordinary humans like ourselves: men and women who are full of contradictions..." (from Conversations with Myself).

 

A 'closet Christian'

It has been noted that Mandela chose not to speak openly about his religious beliefs for fear of the divisions that it could cause to fragile South African unity.

The African news portal, Mail & Guardian, described Mandela as "a closet Christian" and notes his aversion to speaking about his faith in public in case Christianity became misused as a political tool. In his guardedness, Mandela was rejecting the modus operandi of white Afrikaners who used Christianity to support the view that whites were God's chosen people while blacks were subservient.

It is not the intention of this article to make a judgement on whether Mandela's reluctance to label himself as Christian was an appropriate testimony. Rather, it is to focus on the fact that he lived out the Gospel's values of forgiveness and reconciliation in his public leadership role instead of just talking about it.

This gives us food for thought as Malaysian Christians become more engaged in society, politics and government in this fractious climate. What does our identity as Christians mean for the harmony, blessing and good of all in the nation, unless we walk the Gospel's talk?

 

The truth comes first

In upholding those values, Mandela was able to balance his commitment to what he knew to be true, just and righteous while at the same time build bridges of reconciliation. More often than not, we are driven either way to polarizing positions or ineffectual compromise.

Mandela knew the art of balancing commitment to justice with concrete demonstrations of love and reconciliation. While not backing down from the truth of his political and moral cause (racial equality), he also reached out to whites, forming a coalition government with FW de Klerk as first Deputy President (can we even begin to imagine this in our local politics?) and got black South Africans to support the national rugby team, the Springboks, by wearing a team jersey. Symbolic as it may have been, it was a masterstroke that united the nation.

Most of all, Mandela understood the importance of upholding truth and accountability as prerequisites for genuine healing, peace and reconciliation.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate human rights abuses under apartheid gave a hearing to both victims and perpetrators, with amnesty given to the latter as a means to uncover the truth. Though not perfect, the commission was deemed largely successful in helping South Africa transition to a multicultural democracy.

This has relevance to Malaysians now, for pursuing justice involves speaking truth to power. The Christian ethos of being peacemakers and turning the other cheek has more often been interpreted as meekness of the doormat variety, a reluctance to display resistance when standing for the truth. But genuine healing and reconciliation comes only after wrongs and abuse are first admitted. Thus Mandela saw to it that an accounting took place.

May we learn from his life that flawed as we are, we can be of use to God; as vocal as we may be about our faith, it means little unless we live it; and as much as we shout "Justice!" we must first seek the truth.

 



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