Apartheid ideology framed Afrikaner rule as divine calling and destiny

Evidence

The Broederbond came to be identified with the messianic spirit of Afrikaner national fulfillment, its inevitable destiny, its calling. In the words of one well-placed commentator, General Secretary I. M. Lombard (and quoted by Dan O’Meara), “The Afrikaner Broederbond is born from a deep conviction that the Afrikaner nation has been planted [in South Africa] by God’s hand and is destined to remain here as a nation with its own character and its own mission.” Afrikaner rule was at once calling and destiny, endowed by nature and yet to be brought about, to be realized. Afrikaners are chosen by God, set to rule though his irresistible grace and guiding wisdom. — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race, 1536

Categorization

• XREF: Resonates with The Defeat of the Spanish Armada’s discussion of providentialist mission thinking, and with sacral kingship material in the sacrifice article. — connects to: Afrikaner domination was framed as divine calling and destiny, not rationalized self-interest — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on…, 1536; Academic intellectuals guided the theological framework that formalized apartheid — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on…, 1542; Post-apartheid reconciliation inverted the theological frame of apartheid rule — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections on…, 1573
• DEFINE: Illustrates the ‘political theology’ concept central to this chapter’s title: a political structure justified as divinely sanctioned destiny.