A time to pursue and cherish transforming and beautiful traditions

Nico Koopman

Dear Children

In this 30th year of democracy in our country, we observe Heritage Day on September 24 to reflect on and celebrate our rich and diverse heritage, traditions and practices as South Africans.

As part of this year’s festivities, we should also ponder the impact of different traditions and practices on our lives.

Tradition literally means things that are transmitted from generation to generation. In a religious context, tradition refers to the spiritual and ethical insights and values that are transmitted over millennia.

According to British philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre, practices refer to the communal, collective, co-ordinated, coherent, chronological activities that we participate in, for the sake of the inherent good thereof, and for the sake of the good that it brings into being. In communities of faith, people participate in practices like worship, service-rendering, dialoguing, witnessing, communing, learning and teaching.

South African theologian John de Gruchy introduced the notion of transforming traditions. This expression has a twofold meaning. It refers to the fact that traditions can transform the world around them. A good tradition will transform reality in the direction of dignity for all, healing for all, justice for all, freedom for all and equality for all. The second meaning of transforming tradition is the fact that a good tradition consistently transforms itself internally.

In this regard, American theologian Jaroslav Jan Pelikan said: “Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.”

Traditionalism, or bad tradition, has an arrogant sense of self-sufficiency and perfectness; it is not open to criticism from outside and from inside; it believes there is not a possibility for new things, for things that can be said or done for the first time.

Good tradition, on the other hand, is always self-critical, is always open to external criticism, is open to other voices, learns all the time, lives in conversation with the past, identifies and rid itself continuously from dehumanising elements.

The practices that we engage in can also function in either a humanising or dehumanising way. Transforming practices renew themselves continuously and renew the world around them. As humans we need practices. These practices should, however, always pass the test of human dignity for all. In all walks of life – personal life, professional life, public life, planetary life – the acid test for good traditions and good practices is whether they advance dignity for all, healing for all, justice for all, freedom for all and equality for all.

Religious institutions that impact the lives of so many people, especially in Africa, should apply this test to their practices. They should ask themselves important questions like the following: How does the creation of feelings of guilt impact human freedom? How does the false expectation of the prosperity gospel with its promise of riches if you obey specific religious rules, affect the self-image and dignity of poor people, especially when they are not liberated from poverty? How does the portrayal of men as superior to women in various ways impact upon the dignity, worth, esteem and flourishing of women?

Cultural practices should also be measured with the yardstick of dignity. Initiation practices that impact negatively on the health of young men, and that even lead to death, should be viewed through the lens of dignity and healing for all. Practices like female genital mutilation should be assessed through the lens of dignity, especially for the most vulnerable.

Our traditions and practices in the political and socio-economic spheres of life should also be critically scrutinised. We should test the political and economic policies that these traditions and practices produce by asking whether they advance dignity, justice and equality for all.

As someone who works at a university, I believe traditions and practices in primary, secondary and tertiary education should also pass the test of dignity, healing, justice, freedom and equality.

Traditions and practices of learning and teaching, research and innovation, social impact and internationalisation, sport, arts and culture, and especially of life together on campuses and in residences should embody and advance dignity and justice on our campuses and in our societies.

Educational institutions represent to a large extent the collective dreams and visions of societies. Since they represent what societies aspire to become, they par excellence should be spaces where dignity and justice prevail.

French philosopher Paul Ricoeur describes the ethical life as a life where what is wise, just, right, good and ultimately beautiful reign. Ethics finds its climax in aesthetics. Beauty is the culmination point of what is ethically sound. Our campuses are excellent when they strive for and embody what is beautiful – beautiful traditions and practices. Universities and other educational institutions are creators and curators of beautiful traditions and practices, but also critics of ugly traditions and practices.

So, children, as we celebrate this year’s Heritage Day, let us pursue and cherish transforming and beautiful traditions and practices!

*Professor Koopman is Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel at Stellenbosch University.

Cape Times