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Introduction by Bishop Rubin Phillip
The issues related to land reform, redistribution, and usage in Southern Africa remain critical challenges for the Church in this region. The 'fast-track' land redistribution programme in Zimbabwe over the past few years has once more highlighted the fact that, if left unattended, the land issue will unravel and unwind with devastating consequences to both people and the land itself. The colonial legacy has left a pattern of unequal and unsustainable land distribution and usage across Southern Africa which is reflected in land tenure patterns in this region where vast tracts of arable land remain in the hands of a few large commercial farmers, while the masses of subsistence farmers and tenants still occupy land which is arid, overgrazed, and eroded. The governments in most of the countries in Southern Africa have developed land reform programmes to address these imbalances, but limitations both in terms of available funding and political will have resulted in these patterns remaining largely unchanged in the post-independence era (despite a change in the racial make-up of the commercial farmers in some countries). One of the most glaring inequalities in many countries remains that of excluding women from access and ownership of land, despite the fact that it is mostly women who till and work the land.
Over and against these unjust patterns of land distribution, the Church is summoned by Christ to speak a 'discerning word' to those in authority based on the biblical perspective that 'the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.' This asserts that all we seek to do in, with, and to the earth, must be done out of the recognition that this is God's earth. This means that 'all human life, and all living things, including the earth and its bounty, is a gift from God and is to be cherished, respected, and enjoyed by all, and any right to private property must be circumscribed by this recognition of God's fundamental ownership of all things. Every human owner must therefore recognise the "social mortgage" on property, meaning that property should be stewarded for the good not just of the owner, but for the good of others'.
With this understanding, 'we cannot, be party to any process or system that treats life or the earth as a commodity, nor anything that denies that all the people of the earth hold ownership of the resources of the earth in common under God.' In terms of land usage, the biblical view is one that supports sustainable livelihoods for the poor and marginalised in our society, as opposed to the pursuit of profit from land by large scale agri-business which strips the earth of its fertility and robs future generations of its benefits. Based on this understanding, 'we cannot support the dominant vision of sustainable development that undermines both the earth and the poor. Our commitment is to sustainable communities that live and develop by caring for, nurturing and sustaining the people of the earth and the earth which belongs to God, and which God has given us for our sustenance. This is a vision that has sustained the people of God for centuries in many and diverse circumstances. It is a vision that grows out of obedience to the God of Life' (quoted from SACC Environmental Justice Unit publication which was produced for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002).
Graham Philpott from the Church Land Programme summarises the key elements and principles of a theological perspective on land as follows:
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Land is a gift from God, to be equitably shared for the benefit of all humanity.
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Land is the 'locus of life', the place where life is lived and celebrated, the place that gives life and identity. There is a critical social function of land.
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'Ownership' of land is never absolute because this social function of land is paramount.
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We must acknowledge the propensity for commodification, accumulation and profit, leading to the exclusion of the poor and the denial of their rights in land. Our interventions must be to work against this and ensure redress.
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The Jubilee tradition affirms the redistributive nature of God's commitment to the poor, seeking to ensure just and equitable access to land and resources.
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Human work on the land should express the dignity of human labour and the joy of participation and cooperation because it is a privilege to be co-creators with God in the unfolding story of creation.
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It is judged as contrary to God's will where our working of the land strips the earth of fertility and robs future generations of its benefits. (Land in South Africa - Discussion Document for SA Churches - CLP Report, 2004:9)
Based on this brief theological perspective, the CPSA must seek ways to develop its own land to enhance the creation of sustainable livelihoods for communities, and continue to advocate on behalf of the poor and marginalised (especially women) in our Dioceses, to see land equitably distributed and developed as a sign of the coming reign of God (where the dominant vision is that of 'Shalom' - a time of well being, peace, justice and right relations between people and creation). This process begins with the Church identifying what land it currently owns and occupies by conducting a land audit, and then seeking to develop and transform this land in keeping with the above principles and values.
This consultative conference seeks to provide an opportunity for the CPSA Dioceses outside of South Africa to discuss the issues pertaining to land in their regions with a view to developing holistic strategies to transform the prevailing patterns of land tenure and usage through the development of strategic partnerships with other stakeholders. This report covers the background and proceedings at this conference.
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- 284Kb ~ 2 min (38 pages)
