The Independent Churches of the Coloured people of the Cape Flats.
The Coloured people of the Cape Flats, which lie at the foot of Table Mountain adjacent to Cape Town, represent a people unique in many ways. Racially, they are the product of the mixing of several groups over the period of many years, but culturally they are very similar to the Whites who rule present-day South Africa. They have a strong religious heritage going back to their origins, and all the best known denominations and churches are to be found among them, and are generally well-supported. However, in the course of the past years, a considerable number of Independent Churches have appeared, and it is the purpose of this study to describe these groups as to their origins and make up, and to enquire into the reasons for their appearance. An early problem faced was that of classification, and when none of the widely-used forms put forth by authors in the field seemed to fit these particular groups a system based upon the individual's view of his linking to God and his personality type, revealed in his worship experience and practice, was devised. This is a division into Participant Type and Observer Type Churches. Case histories of meetings held by representatives of each of these groups reveal the differences between them, and also give insight into the manifestations of the differing personality types. Attention is given to the Independent Church Ring, an attempt to bring together into one body many of these groups, and a chapter is included on the leadership of the churches. The role of women in the churches is examined briefly, and an attempt is made to explain why the same people who formed no Independent Churches while in District Six immediately upon their expulsion became active in such a program in spite of the availability of the same denominations within which they had worked for many years. In a final chapter, the classifications here given are compared with a more general model suggested by Professor J. S. Cumpsty and which to a degree grew out of the findings of this same research.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations