Screening the church: A study of clergy representation in contemporary Afrikaans cinema

• DOI: 10.4102/hts.v74i2.4891
• Publication Date: 2018-07-18T22:44:25Z
• Authors: Shaun Joynt; Chris Broodryk
• Keywords: Representation; Conservatism; Silence; Sociology of religion

The church-funded CARFO or KARFO (Afrikaans Christian Filmmaking Organisation) was established in 1947, and aimed to ‘[socialise] the newly urbanized Afrikaner into a urban society’ (Tomaselli 1985:25; Paleker 2009:45). This initiative supported sustained by Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), which had itself been part of sociopolitical ideological fabric Afrikaans religious life for while would guide Afrikaners through tensions between conservatism liberalism apartheid. Given cinema’s ties with political conservatism, we explore role – even centrality church cultural activity before 1994, then after 1994. Here, is an inclusive term that brings together various denominations Afrikaans-speaking churches, but mainly suggests domination DRC. After establishing way described above, move towards primary focus our study: exploring representation clergy contemporary film Faan se Trein order describe certain theological implications this representation. With reference Trein, article notes comments on shifts have occurred cinema over past decades. Osmer’s four tasks practical theology, namely, descriptive, interpretive, normative strategic are used reflection. due contextual dramas such as Broer Matie [Brother Matie], Saak van Geloof [A Matter Faith], Roepman [Stargazer], Stilte [Silence], Suiderkruis [Southern Cross] arrive at some preliminary conclusions about cinema.