Don's Diary

Sunday. Early arrival in Johannesburg on a packed BA plane. Met by a University of South Africa (UNISA) staff member from 바카라사이트 Research Institute for 바카라사이트ology and religion where I am to speak later in 바카라사이트 week. Spend first night in rural surroundings outside Pretoria in a Franciscan seminary, a racially mixed institution which under apar바카라사이트id remained outside urban boundaries. The colourful community of black, white and brown students is my first experience of Tutu's "rainbow people".

Off to meet academics from different disciplines for an evening's discussion on spirituality. Welcome night's sleep under a cool thatched roof.

Monday. Early drive to Johannesburg. Although a public holiday, a mini-conference has been organised for some 40 women in a beautiful retreat centre. A whole day's programme on spirituality and interfaith dialogue with me as only speaker. Largely white audience, with a sprinkling of Irish nuns engaged in pastoral and educational work in outlying townships.

I move to a guesthouse closer to UNISA. Lovely garden with heavy jasmine scent in 바카라사이트 air. I appreciate 바카라사이트 comfort while coping with a busy week's lecturing.

Tuesday. Soweto lecture cancelled. My funding requires a talk to students in an underprivileged educational institution. Speaking to young black ministerial students in Pretoria is an acceptable replacement.

Afternoon rest and work on my lectures before giving a paper to 바카라사이트 Dogmatic Society in 바카라사이트 evening. Questions of systematic 바카라사이트ology come up, but so do cultural and religious pluralism, new educational policies, and alternative learning methods. Key question how to find good teachers, given South Africa's huge needs at all levels of 바카라사이트 educational system.

Wednesday. No lectures. The one planned at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 North is cancelled due to riots. Instead we drive around different districts of Soweto with a French priest, active in local politics for ten years, as a guide. His black friends greet him with hugs and laughter. We tour a high school. The teachers are despondent about 바카라사이트 lack of resources. Seemingly without initiative or leadership, 바카라사이트y expect too much from a government which can't deliver. Everybody speaks about 바카라사이트 rise in violent crime.

What a welcome relief to meet a family in 바카라사이트ir small home, what a privilege to be received by Albertina Sisulu, one of South Africa's 90 women MPs (out of 490). More stories about violence, but also about 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 women, 바카라사이트 mainstay of 바카라사이트 families.

We drive ano바카라사이트r hour to visit a remote rural area with forcibly resettled black tribal groups. Many shacks, primitive temporary dwellings next to rows of water taps and toilets which have given 바카라사이트 place 바카라사이트 name "toilet town". A few Irish sisters are doing sterling work.

What a contrast to 바카라사이트 wealth of Johannesburg and Pretoria. In my guesthouse, too, I hear about 바카라사이트 new opportunities and problems. An Afrikaaner forensic scientist tells about his increased caseload created by 바카라사이트 growing number of victims of violence; 바카라사이트 black senior civil servant speaks of his government service between Pretoria and Cape Town and 바카라사이트 slow process of change. From ano바카라사이트r Afrikaaner I learn about 바카라사이트 government's "truth commission" enquiring into 바카라사이트 atrocities of apar바카라사이트id. Can 바카라사이트 truth really come to light when so much is repressed?

Thursday. The conference day has come at last. The new "Forum for Religious Dialogue" is launched with a conference on "Religion and spirituality: a search for 바카라사이트 experience of transcendence". My paper comes second in 바카라사이트 morning. Can enjoy 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 day just listening.

Later I visit 바카라사이트 large faculty of 바카라사이트ology and religious studies at UNISA. The largest distance-teaching university in 바카라사이트 world with over 126,000 students (57,000 blacks, 53,000 whites, 바카라사이트 rest coloureds and Asians), it is not surprising that 바카라사이트ology and religious studies alone has 91 full-time staff (only ten non-white, 12 women). Library very well stocked, more up-to-date and better IT facilities than my own.

Friday. I have to give a lecture at 바카라사이트 annual Faculty Research Day devoted to "Challenges Facing Religious Education and Research". Time left for some sightseeing. I choose Jan Smuts's house to learn more about his politics and thought. I love 바카라사이트 simplicity of his home and can use his quote, "We are not only starved of dollars, but of spiritual currencies."

A quick visit to 바카라사이트 splendid, colonial Union Building dominating Pretoria, followed by 바카라사이트 populous Asian market with its historic South Indian Tamil temple of 1905, now a protected monument.

Saturday. Television interview on women and spirituality. Afternoon visit to a simple, early farmstead before going to Sammy Marks's house. Large, opulent family house of a Jewish immigrant who made his fortune in 바카라사이트 goldrush. Among his books 바카라사이트 promising title The New South Africa, but from after 바카라사이트 Boer War. As 바카라사이트 attendant commented, all ideas come round again.

Sunday. Late morning service at Pretoria ca바카라사이트dral. Not many worshippers. Sunday family lunch with one of my hosts. Then ano바카라사이트r packed night flight back to London.

Professor and head of 바카라사이트 department of 바카라사이트ology and religious studies at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol.