Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Diakonia concerned over eThekwini Affairs
Diakonia Council of Churches is deeply concerned by the current state of affairs at the eThekwini Municipality, which will adversely affect service delivery in the greater Durban areas. Last week’s resignation, then withdrawal of Cllr Zandile Gumede’s resignation as eThekwini Mayor together with the postponement of the swearing in ceremony of Mayor-elect Mr Mxolisi Kaunda has…
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Breaking through the Backlash: Allan Boesak on Homophobia and the church
DIAKONIA Council of Churches recently partnered with The Other Foundation, the Durban Lesbian and Gay Centre for the Breaking Through the Backlash: Transformative encounters between LGBTI people and the churches in Africa, conference in Durban. Diakonia hosted a public discussion with renowned anti-apartheid leader, theologian and author, Prof Allan Boesak, where the topic was explored further.…
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Blessed are the Peacemakers GFS 2019
Diakonia Council of Churches, whose legacy of working towards a just society for more than four decades, once again calls people of faith to our annual ecumenical Good Friday service at dawn on Friday 19 April. The event which is a highlight of Durban’s Easter weekend activities begins at dawn at the Durban Exhibition Centre…
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SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK CONTINUES AT DIAKONIA
Diakonia Council of Churches, which for more than four decades has worked towards a just society, will continue their important programme work after the organisation emerged from a recent hard-hitting financial crisis. As a consequence of some of our key overseas funding sources changing their funding priorities, the organisation was at risk of closing its doors…
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DIAKONIA DISTANCES COUNCIL OF CHURCHES FROM NICSA VIGIL
Diakonia Council of Churches wishes to distance itself and its member churches from the night vigil and march organised by National Interfaith Council of South Africa’s (NICSA) this week. As the Council of Churches, we stand firm for peace, hope, truth and justice; especially in light of the very heavy political discourse currently occurring in…
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Flash Back Friday: Diakonia’s GFS making SABC news
Incase you missed it, click on the video clip below of Diakonia’s Good Friday Service making the news: https://youtu.be/Zx1cveoDM5o Our organisation is still in urgent need of funds to continue our social justice work. And we would appreciate your assistance in making this possible.
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Diakonia hosts urgent Xenophobia meeting, interfaith prayer
Diakonia Council of Churches hosted an urgent interfaith meeting to address the recent xenophobic threat against the INK (Inanda, KwaMashu and surrounding areas) community north of Durban. Church leaders and concerned members of KZN’s interfaith community held the meeting last week to follow up on a threatening letter which was addressed to the Somalian and…
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Standing firm at Lent
Today is one of the most important holy days in the Christian liturgical calendar. It is the day which opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Ash Wednesday takes place 40 days before Easter Sunday and is observed by many Christians, especially from mainline traditional churches, throughout the world. “Ash Wednesday comes from the…
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16 Days of Activism Campaign: Unite to end Abuse and Violence
Gender-based violence is unfortunately one of the social ills, which plagues our country, particularly KZN much too frequently. The alarming rate at which abuse of women and children occur in our society is of great concern to Diakonia Council of Churches, as an organisation that focuses on gender justice as part of our work for…
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CONVERSATIONS@DIAKONIA SOUTH AFRICA’S SOCIO-POLITICAL CLIMATE: PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE – LUKHONA MNGUNI
SOUTH AFRICA’S SOCIO-POLITICAL CLIMATE: PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE ADDRESS BY LUKHONA MNGUNI 17 OCTOBER 2017 DENIS HURLEY HALL Chairperson of the Diakonia Council of Churches, Rev. Ian Booth; Executive Director, Ms Nomabelu Mvambo-Dandala and your colleagues; Leaders in the various strata of our society. Guests, ladies and gentlemen, I greet you all. We gather…
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DIAKONIA LECTURE AND AWARD PRESENTATION
Coral Vinsen a worthy recipient of the 2017 Diakonia Award Diakonia Centre: Friday, 1 September 5pm for 5.30pm Diakonia Council of Churches hosted the twelfth Diakonia Lecture, which included the presentation of the eleventh Diakonia Human Rights Award to veteran human rights activist Coral Vinsen, on Friday, 1 September at the Diakonia Centre. The evening…
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CONVERSATIONS @ DIAKONIA: THE SOUTH AFRICA WE PRAY FOR – REVD DR FRANK CHIKANE
CONVERSATIONS @ DIAKONIA: THE SOUTH AFRICA WE PRAY FOR ADDRESS BY THE REVEREND DR FRANK CHIKANE 25 July 2017 Denis Hurley Hall, Diakonia Centre, Durban The Chairperson of the Diakonia Council of Churches, Revd Ian Booth; The Executive Director, Ms Nomabelu Mvambo-Dandala; The rest of the Leadership of Diakonia; Esteemed Church Leaders; Leaders of the business…
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SAY NO TO ABUSE NOT JUST ON WOMEN’S DAY AND MONTH BUT ALWAYS
The increasing and alarming rate of abuse of women and children in KwaZulu-Natal in particular is of great concern to Diakonia Council of Churches, an organisation that works for social justice, and gender justice is an integral part of our core focus on social justice. Beside getting local churches to reflect on issues of gender…
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DIAKONIA GENDER AWARENESS DAY
Diakonia Council of Churches recently held a Gender Awareness Day.
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A Call to the eThekwini Municipality: Do Not Buy Casspirs
We are outraged at the plan for the City of Durban to purchase militarised vehicles to deal with protests by the people of the Durban. This marks an alarming and unacceptable escalation of the local state’s increasingly repressive and intolerant response. The protest actions themselves highlight the deep crises and challenges that we need to…
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Diakonia unites politicians and people of faith at Good Friday Service
Diakonia Council of Churches once again celebrated the victory of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on Calvary at their ecumenical Good Friday Service on Friday, 14 April. The annual service is an important day in the South African Christian calendar as well as a highlight event in the Durban Easter holiday cultural line up. This year, despite…
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CALL TO PRAY FOR SA IN SILENT PROTEST AT DIAKONIA’S GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE
Diakonia Council of Churches is deeply concerned by the current trauma South Africans are facing with the recent state Cabinet reshuffle and the country’s downgrade to junk status by rating agency Standard & Poor this week. As we prepare for our annual Good Friday Service, we call on all people of faith to join us…
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Good Friday Service 2017 theme: Whom shall I send?
Diakonia Council of Churches, which recently celebrated 40 years of working towards a just society, presents its annual ecumenical Good Friday service at dawn on Friday 14 April starting at the Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) before processing – in silence – through the streets of the city, to the Durban City Hall. The well-established tradition…
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DIAKONIA STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO US TRAVEL BAN
Diakonia Council of Churches is appalled by the travel ban imposed by US President Donald Trump on citizens from seven majority Muslim countries. The reasons for the travel ban are short-sighted and ill-informed by facts. The Human Rights Watch have issued a table (attached) in which the numbers of Americans killed by other humans is…
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“PRINCE OF LIGHT: RENEW LOVE AND PEACE”
ECUMENICAL ADVENT CELEBRATION 6 DECEMBER 2016 READINGS: Isaiah 601-7 ; and John 11-14 The theme for this year: “Prince of Light: Renew Love and Peace” is a continuation of the message of the 40th anniversary year of Diakonia: keeping the social justice flame alive. For during Advent we are reminded that the light has…
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SOCIAL JUSTICE FLAME RE-IGNITED AT DIAKONIA’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Diakonia Council of Churches reaffirmed their and the churches role to develop and strengthen social justice activism and get the next generation of activists excited about working for social justice and human rights at their 40th commemorative gala dinner at the Greyville Convention Centre on Friday 25 November. Chairperson of Diakonia Council of Churches, Revd…
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Celebrate Diakonia’s 40th Anniversary
Celebrate Diakonia’s 40th Anniversary: Commemoration Gala Dinner Greyville Convention Centre: Friday 25 November Diakonia Council of Churches celebrates 40 years of working for a transformed society. To acknowledge this important milestone, a gala dinner will be hosted at Greyville Convention Centre on Friday 25 November, themed Keeping the Social Justice Flame Alive! The keynote address…
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DIAKONIA STATEMENT ON OUTCOME OF STATE CAPTURE REPORT INTERDICT
Diakonia Council of Churches welcomes the resolution of the “State Capture Report” case, in which the President, Mr Jacob Zuma voluntarily withdrew his interdict thus resolving the matter in a speedy manner. We also welcome the decision of the NPA announced on Monday 31 October to withdraw the charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, charges…
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KEEPING THE SOCIAL JUSTICE FLAME ALIVE!
DIAKONIA’S 40th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION GALA DINNER Over the years, Diakonia Council of Churches (hereinafter referred to as Diakonia) has enjoyed a rich history within Durban, South Africa and internationally. Its rich history has enabled the organisation to survive throughout the past years, regardless of the challenging funding climate. In light of the 40 years of…
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DIAKONIA AWARD FOR MADONSELA
Public Protector Adv Thulisile Nomkhosi ‘Thuli’ Madonsela has been conferred with the Diakonia Human Rights Award for ‘extraordinary courage, patriotism and steadfast opposition to injustice, corruption and maladministration.’ Adv Madonsela was honoured during the annual Diakonia Lecture, which she also delivered, on 8 September. In the citation, the Diakonia Council noted her unwavering commitment to…
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‘CHURCH VITAL FOR PEACEFUL, FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS’ – MASHININI
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) cannot manage peaceful free and fair elections on its own without the involvement of religious leaders and other civil society organisations. IEC Chairperson, Glen Mashinini, said this while addressing worshippers, among them religious leaders and representatives of political parties, during a prayer service for peaceful, free and fair elections, organised…
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WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?
Reflecting on the August local government elections during the Annual Meeting, Diakonia Chairperson, Revd Ian Booth, urged the church to be born again with a new identity where none are excluded from being brothers and sisters. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Revd Booth noted that the most despised “other” was the hero because…
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QUEST FOR PEACEFUL, FREE AND FAIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS
With 13 000 candidates against the slightly less than 2 000 council seats up for grabs in the province for the August local government elections, competition is ‘huge and serious’. This was said by the KwaZulu-Natal Chief Electoral Officer, Mawethu Mosery while addressing a pre-election roundtable organised by Diakonia Council of Churches, on 21 June.…
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Bruised but healed through the cross
“Our souls, soil and society need healing. But first we need to lance the boils to release the ugliness within. This is the way of the crucifixion on the cross, a terribly painful experience.” Methodist Bishop of the Natal Coastal District, Mike Vorster, told thousands of worshippers while delivering the sermon during the early morning…
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Ubuntu in SA a myth – Oakley-Smith
South Africans have allowed themselves to believe in the myths of Ubuntu and the ‘rainbow nation’ and these have prevented the nation from moving forward in addressing racism. This is according to Teresa Oakley-Smith, Founder and Managing Director of Diversi-T. Oakley-Smith was facilitating transformative conversations on racism organised by Diakonia Council of Churches on 29…
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Good Friday Service – Commemorative Plaque at old prison wall
A plaque commemorating the first Diakonia Good Friday service was unveiled at the remaining wall of the former Durban Central Prison, on 1 April. The unveiling coincided with the 30th Anniversary of the annual ecumenical early morning service. It was on 5 April 1985 when the first ecumenical Good Friday service procession wound its way…
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DIAKONIA AWARD FOR BISHOP VORSTER
Methodist Bishop of the Natal Coastal District, Mike Vorster, has been conferred with the Diakonia Human Rights Award for being a true servant of God and champion of the poor and marginalised who has worked tirelessly to bring God’s love and compassion to the “least of these”. Bishop Vorster, who was recently honoured as a…
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CREATING A SOCIALLY COHESIVE SOCIETY
Social cohesion comes through narrowing the distance between black and white, closing the gap between rich and poor, and giving hope to the hopeless. This is according to Yaa Ashantewaa Archer-Ngidi, Founder and Director of the Institute of Afrikology. Archer-Ngidi was delivering the annual Diakonia Lecture under the theme Creating a socially cohesive society, on…
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“RELIGION NOT OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE” – VERRYN
Former Methodist Bishop of Johannesburg and veteran human rights activist, Revd Dr Paul Verryn has urged the church not to make Karl Marx’s dictum that religion is the opium of the people, come true. Dr Verryn was addressing the Diakonia Annual Meeting under the theme “Churches and church groups as social justice hubs and centres…
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