Resumen

MEYFARTH, Leonie  y  NEL, Marius. Israel vision, the New South Africa and 'Afrikaners'. In Skriflig (Online) [online]. 2023, vol.57, n.1, pp.1-9. ISSN 2305-0853.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ids.v57i1.2917.

There is a growing number of Caucasian Afrikaans-speaking believers who are exposed to and accept the teachings of the British Israelite or Israel Vision movement. Some of these believers take their leave of or quit their former places of worship, while others remain and spread the Israel Vision teachings among fellow church members. This article, inter alia, asserts that Caucasian Afrikaans-speaking South Africans are ascribing to Israel Vision teachings in their search for a new identity in a post-apartheid South Africa. It utilises a comparative literature analysis from a Pentecostal perspective. To gain insight into the movement, the article considers the origin, growth and teaching of British Israelism. It furthermore attempts to understand the cultural shifting that some Caucasian Afrikaans-speaking South Africans have experienced since the importation of democracy in 1994 and what types of identity correction could be expected from such a group. When comparing the traditional Afrikaner cultural themes in terms of the Israel Vision teachings, it emerges that, according to the teachings of Israel Vision (and British Israelism), the Caucasian people are what is referred to as the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel - the covenantal descendants of Abraham. God has a specific plan for these tribes. Adherents of these teachings define their identity in these exclusive terms. This article attempts to define what the Bible teaches regarding the old and new covenant as well as exclusivity and inclusivity to evaluate the Israel Vision teachings. It concludes that it results in the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Saviour along with an unacceptable exclusivism of people of colour considering Scripture by limiting salvation to the so-called Ten Lost Tribes. This article aims to inform church leaders and Christians as regards the main teachings of the movement and its theological and existential dangers to assist believers influenced by the Israel Vision teachings. CONTRIBUTION: This research aims to contribute to the field of practical theology by determining that some white South Africans have attempted to restructure their culture after the forming of a democracy in South Africa (1994) by participation in ideological groups such as the Israel Vision movement and ascribing to British Israelism. The theological and ethical grounds on which these movements rest, pose a threat to the teachings of the traditional Christian denominations in South Africa due to the racist ideology that is inherent in these groups and aim to exclude the majority of South Africans from the faith community.

Palabras clave : British-Israel; exclusivity; inclusivity; Israel Vision; Afrikaners; doctrine of election; racism; identity.

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