Christian Nationalism and Anticommunism in ….

Christian Nationalism and Anticommunism in Twentieth-Century South Africa is based on original research done by Dr Ruhan Fourie. It explores the intricate relationship between Afrikaner anticommunism and the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa during the twentieth century. It examines how anticommunism among ordinary Afrikaners was shaped not just by global politics but by the DRC’s profound influence on their daily lives and beliefs. The text reveals the DRC’s crucial role in legitimising the opposition to and suppression of perceived communist threats, including black dissent, thereby embedding a persistent fear of communism within the Afrikaner community. The church’s influence also made it a fertile ground for right-wing opportunists to gain political clout, a dynamic thoroughly examined in this monograph. Ultimately, the book concludes that anticommunism functioned as a vehicle for nationalist unity (and uniformity), a paradigm for Afrikaner identity, and a legitimiser of the Afrikaner’s perception of its imagined moral high ground throughout the twentieth century. We believe this book is a valuable resource for the Church, academia, and the general public, and we acknowledge the significance of this contribution to understanding our past as we look toward the future.