Johan Heyns

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Johan Heyns
Johan Heyns

Johan Adam Heyns (May 27, 1928 – November 5, 1994), was an influential Afrikaner Calvinist theologian and moderator of the general synod of the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK). He was assassinated at his home in Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria. Although his murder was never officially resolved it is widely believed[1] that it was directly related to his criticism of Apartheid. Nelson Mandela paid homage to him as a martyr for his country[2] and a soldier of peace.[3]

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[edit] Early life

Johan Adam Heyns was born on the farm Bloemkraal at Tweeling in the Orange Free State, South Africa.

His father, Flip Heyns, wanted to become a missionary, but could not afford to do so and became a farmer instead. His mother, Maria Beukes, was exiled to Saint Helena during the Second Boer War. Her marriage to Flip Heyns was her second. Since her first marriage did not produce any children, Maria promised God that if he would bless her with a son, she would raise him for His service. Although she did not tell Heyns about this promise until years after he had already been ordained as minister, Heyns would later admit that his mother had played a significant role in his eventual decision to become a cleric.[4]

Being an Afrikaner was important to Heyns since his schooldays. His interests in politics started early, and he became a leader of a youth group in the Ossewabrandwag while still in primary school. (During breaks he would hold meetings and make speeches - an activity which was stopped by the school principal). Despite his father being the leader of the local branch of the National Party and Heyns’ early affinity for politics, he would never formally join the ruling party. Although he maintained a strong pro-national stance, his views were tempered through his ability to maintain a unique critical perspective – an asset which would later become a hallmark of his work.[5]

During his high school years the family moved to Potchefstroom and operated a boarding house. His love for the Bible and his faith in God was noted by several theology students who were lodging at the Heyns’ residence. At school Heyns was an average student, and showed little interest in the subjects at hand. He did however display a flair for debate and independent thinking on complex topics - after one such discussion (regarding Darwin's evolutionary theory) one theology student voiced his concern to Heyns’ parents that the young man might be losing his mind.[6]

[edit] Higher Education

Johan Heyns completed his undergraduate studies at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education where he formed a lifelong friendship with Hendrik G. Stoker, the South African Calvinistic thinker and a central advocate of the Philosophy of the Cosmonomic Idea.[7] Stoker’s reasoning had a marked influence on the rest of his academic career.[8]

Heyns completed his training as a minister at the University of Pretoria, and decided to continue his theological studies at the Free University. In 1953 he obtained a Ph.D. under the supervision of G. C. Berkouwer with a thesis titled Die Grondstruktuur van die Modalistiese Triniteitsbeskouing (The Basis of the Modalistic Trinity View).

In 1961 he obtained a second Ph.D. (in philosophy) under the supervision of Stoker. His thesis was titled Die Teologiese Antropologie van Karl Barth vanuit Wysgerig-Antropologiese Oriëntering (The Theological Anthropology of Karl Barth from a Philosophical-Anthropological Orientation).[9]

[edit] Career

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In 1954, after completion of his theological studies in Amsterdam, Heyns became an ordained minister and served at the Ysterplaat congregation of the NGK. Towards the end of 1960 he transferred to Rondebosch where he counted several Afrikaner politicians amongst his flock (including Hendrik Verwoerd, John Vorster, and PW Botha).

Heyns' academic career started in 1966 when he was appointed as lecturer in dogmatic subjects at the University of Stellenbosch. In 1971 he succeeded A.B. Du Preez as professor at the University of Pretoria where he stayed until his retirement at the end of 1993.

During the more than 20 years that Heyns served the NGK as a professor, he exerted an enormous influence on the church. He was distinguished by a large number of publications [10] and he filled many public positions in the church, causing him to be regarded as one of the best known theologians in the NGK. [11]

[edit] World View and Theology

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[edit] Views on Apartheid

In the 1980’s and the early 1990’s Heyns became a central figure in the struggle to change the NGK’s stance on Apartheid, leading to the church’s eventual rejection of that policy.[12] In 1982 Heyns publicly rejected the notion that Apartheid was the will of God, and caused a furor at that year’s synod by openly supporting multiracial marriages. For a year he stayed out of favor with the church hierarchy, but reemerged in 1986 to become moderator - the highest position in the church. He immediately tried to persuade the church that there was no biblical foundation for Apartheid.

Following the NGK Synod of 1986 (at which Heyns presided), tens of thousands of church members and congregations broke away to form the Afrikaans Protestant Church.[13] In September 1989, at a time when the government indiscriminately crushed all protest marches, mediation by NGK leadership under Heyns convinced the government to allow peaceful protests. [14] This heralded the first swing away from the armed struggle to a strategy of non-violent confrontation.

In 1990, speaking for the NGK, Heyns declared Apartheid a sin. His theological contributions had a large impact on changing the thinking of the Afrikaner government.[15]

[edit] Assassination

On Saturday evening, November, 5 1994, Heyns was playing cards with his wife and three grandchildren (then aged 2, 8 and 11) at his home in Pretoria. He died instantly when an unidentified attacker using a .303 caliber rifle delivered a single gunshot through an open window. The bullet entered at the back of his neck and left near his eye, leaving a wound as big as a man's fist.[16]

Although the police would not speculate on a motive, many were convinced that Heyns was killed by extremists.[17] Shortly after his assassination a secretary of Die Burger, an Afrikaans newspaper, received threats that three Afrikaans-speaking cabinet members would be next. The caller told the secretary that he had already lost everything as a result of affirmative action: "We belong... I belong to no organization. And this will not be the last one." Subsequent threats followed, indicating that Mandela was also a target.[18]

Heyns' assassin left very few clues, and no arrests have been made.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Monitoring The Transition To Democracy In South Africa, by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, January 16, 1995 - paragraph 78
  2. ^ Address by President Nelson Mandela to the Constitutional Assembly, Cape Town, May 8, 1996
  3. ^ Anti-Apartheid Minister Shot Dead in Pretoria, The New York Times, November 7, 1994
  4. ^ JA Heyns en die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en Apartheid D.Th. dissertation by Henry Hofmeyr Williams, page 1
  5. ^ JA Heyns en die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en Apartheid D.Th. dissertation by Henry Hofmeyr Williams, page 3
  6. ^ JA Heyns en die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en Apartheid D.Th. dissertation by Henry Hofmeyr Williams, page 4-6
  7. ^ Theological Development In the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, by S.A. Strauss. Published in the Theological Forum of the Reformed Ecumenical Council, Vol. XXIII, No. 4, December 1995
  8. ^ The Christian Afrikaners A Brief History of Calvinistic Afrikanerdom from 1652 - 1980 by Rev. Prof. Dr. Francis Nigel Lee, page 84
  9. ^ JA Heyns en die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en Apartheid D.Th. dissertation by Henry Hofmeyr Williams, page 75
  10. ^ "Bibliografie: J.A. Heyns", by R. Venter, 1988. Published in "'n Woord op sy Tyd", Wethmar & Vos (ed.) pages 238-245
  11. ^ "Prof. dr. Johan Adam Heyns - anno sexagesimo", by P.B. Van der Watt, 1988. Published in "'n Woord op sy Tyd", Wethmar & Vos (ed.) pages 1-8
  12. ^ Heyns was Strategies op Regte Tyd om N.G. Kerk te laat Beweeg, article in Bult, June 2006, page 30. In Afrikaans.
  13. ^ The Apartheid Bible Revisited by Prof. Bobby Loubser, University of Zululand
  14. ^ Article in The Natal Mercury, September 14, 1989
  15. ^ The Apartheid Bible Revisited by Prof. Bobby Loubser, University of Zululand
  16. ^ 1995 Threat: Madiba's Next, news article in Die Burger, March 16, 2004.
  17. ^ Anti-Apartheid Minister Shot Dead in Pretoria, The New York Times, November 7, 1994
  18. ^ 1995 Threat: Madiba's Next, news article in Die Burger, March 16, 2004.

[edit] See also

[edit] Sources