Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) has announced that its team will be visiting multiple cities across South Africa to meet with religious leaders and to present an important update on key issues where freedom of religion is under threat. Commencing in East London on May 21 and 22, the […]
Tag: religious freedom
Latest Christian uproar highlights our ‘dualism’ — Afrika Mhlophe
South Africa’s 2019 National elections are done and dusted and the results tell an interesting tale. As to be expected, the ANC took the lion’s share of the vote and will continue to govern for the next five years. What stands out for me is something that took place immediately […]
Court declines to clarify Dutch Reformed Church ‘same-sex’ judgment
The Pretoria High Court on Friday refused the application by the Alliance Defending the Autonomy of Churches in South Africa (ADACSA), asking the court to clarify its judgment in Gaum vs General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church. More particularly, ADACSA wanted clarity on whether the court’s judgment, which declared […]
When religious practitioners and organisations go wrong — Michael Swain
By Michael Swain, executive director of Freedom of Religion South Africa How greater levels of voluntary and self-regulatory accountability can effectively resolve problems It seems that every day there is another article or TV exposure of some so-called pastor or prophet doing something that is either outright criminal or borderline at […]
Court asked to clarify judgment against Dutch Reformed Church
The Alliance Defending the Autonomy of Churches in South Africa (ADACSA), who appeared as a Friend of the Court in the case of Gaum versus General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church, has filed an application with the Pretoria High Court to obtain clarity from the judges regarding their recent […]
Dutch Reformed Church won’t appeal judgment
The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) synod has decided to abide by a controversial Pretoria High Court ruling ordering the church to allow ministers in same-sex relationships and the solemnisation of same-sex civil unions. The decision followed a vote in which a “significant majority” of 48 synod members supported a proposal […]
Muslim majority Azerbaijan opens arms to Evangelical leaders
Originally published in CBN News The Shi’ite Muslim majority country of Azerbaijan recently invited more than a dozen evangelical pastors on an official visit to the nation. But why would the president of that country be interested in evangelical Christians? Azerbaijan is located on the Caspian Sea, bounded on the […]
‘New CRL Commission needed to rebuild trust between state, religious communities’
The South African government must wisely choose new commissioners for the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights (CRL) in order to regain the trust of religious communities, says religious freedom scholar Professor Christof Sauer. “The actions and attitudes of the Commission in the past five years […]
DRC judgment doesn’t force all churches to marry gays, but sets dangerous precedent
Last Friday a full bench of the Pretoria High Court ruled that a 2016 decision by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) Synod to reverse its 2015 decision to remove the celibacy requirement for homosexual ministers and to solemnise same-sex civil unions, was both procedurally and constitutionally unlawful. While technically nothing […]
Proposal to outlaw physical discipline at home scrapped
In a major turnaround, a proposal which would have criminalised parents spanking children has been removed from the latest draft of the Children’s Amendment Bill which will be submitted to Parliament for consideration. Unlike previous versions of the Bill, the latest draft makes no mention of “chastisement” or “discipline”, which […]