Novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie delivered a powerful TED talk in 2009. She raised the crucial issue that we can have pictures, stories and ideas about people groups and cultures that are too narrow, too restrictive and limiting. We can live lives with these stories in our minds, shaping the way we see and interact with people from these groups [...]
Many of us experience anxiety, guilt and even irritation sitting at the traffic lights on a wet winter day when a pleading face peers in our window, appealing for small change. You may search for small change and as you hand over a few coins, wonder if the money will be used for food or alcohol. Is there a better [...]
By Isiphambano Centre for Biblical Justice Penny Sparrow is a name which has become synonymous with racism in South Africa. In 2016 she wrote, referring to black people, that “These monkeys that are allowed to be released on New Year’s eve and New Year’s day on to public beaches towns etc obviously have no education what so ever so to allow them [...]
As we have conversations about race and diversity, it is important to clarify what we mean by the words we use. Below we clarify a number of key phrases or words that appear throughout the many resources on this site that address these topics. This is a list of working definitions, researched and collated, to create a starting point for [...]
One of the things that both challenges me – and yet fascinates me – about leading a congregation right in the heart of the city, is the fact that our city – and to some extent our church – is filled with some very wealthy people and some very poor people; people who live in extraordinary homes and people [...]
In May 2018, the Common Ground Rondebosch AM congregation hosted an insights evening on the topic of land. They invited in a range of speakers to guide, inform and spark discussion. These four videos capture the heart of the evening and will help you grapple with land and what can be done for the future of South Africa. Intro to [...]
It’s easy to find ourselves overwhelmed by the extent of inequality, immobilized by the politics or simply unsure about what we could be doing- if you’ve felt like that- then this is where you can start! Read how people who share the pews with you are responding to Christ in all kinds of places and ways. Adam and Rachel Why We [...]
This podcast series is all about us getting a better understanding of the lived reality of people in Cape Town and their experience of land and space. So many times, the topic of land can be spoken about at a head level, quoting facts and statistics. Other times, it is so emotive that people switch off when engaging. So [...]
Given the history and city planning of our past, it is possible to live in Cape town and not regularly be exposed to the stark difference of housing quality. Jonny Miller set out to display how unequal communities can be, as objectively as possible. By using drone photography, you can quickly see how two groups of people, separated by a [...]
As we grapple with matters of justice, we are convinced that engaging with a wide variety of perspectives and opinions is integral to forming your next steps. Check out these episodes by our friends at Isiphambano Centre for Biblical Justice, covering a few different topics on Land and Space. https://www.isiphambano.com/ In the light of the controversy surrounding the failure of the City of [...]
