Reconciliation is still a wicked problem to work at
In Exploring Wicked Problems, Joseph Bentley and Michael Toth introduced us to the predicament of wicked problems. They state, ‘they are confusing, dynamic, ill-structured, and ambiguous; they are complex, many-faceted, intricate, and bewildering. They have no final solutions, only temporary arrangements. Yet most of the important problems we face in our lives are wicked rather than tame.’ [1] The work of reconciliation is certainly one such problem.
Alec Russell’s After Mandela is an exposé on the impossible struggle in the aftermath of Apartheid, hindered by internal political strife, the ping-pong match between idealism and reality, and the pull towards populism and cronyism. In his introduction, Russell asserts what has developed as a result is that “the ‘rainbow nation’ has long since lost it sparkle… Beyond the small multiracial elite, South Africa is a country of polite polarization.” [2] Sociologically, the wide gaps between rich and poor as well as educated and uneducated are still replete with tension. In my time in South Africa ahead of our advance, I learned of the ongoing struggle which looks to me like a ‘pendulum swing’, where in the face of affirmative action and black advancement, white South Africans are left feeling insecure. The need for reconciliation is ongoing, complex and evolving.
Theologically, complexity also rears its head. In Reconciliation as a Controversial Symbol: An Analysis of a Theological Discourse in South Africa, Demaine Solomons explores the contested concept of reconciliation in the post-Apartheid era, with how reconciliation was interpreted moralistically, was used to neutralize a prophetic critique, and demanded forgiveness without addressing systemic injustice, which was never comprehensively defined so as to garner unity [3].
While reconciliation is ongoing in the post-Apartheid era, the Church can and ought to keep the challenge of Hebrews 10:23 before us: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
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[1] Joseph Bentley and Michael Toth, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important, (IN: Archway Publishing, 2020), 24.
[2] Alec Russell, After Mandela: The Battle for the Soul of South Africa, (London: Windmill Books, 2010), xx.
[3] Demaine J. Solomons, Reconciliation as a Controversial Symbol: An Analysis of a Theological Discourse in South Africa, (Langham Publishing, 2024, Kindle edition).
About the Author
Joel Zantingh
Joel Zantingh is a catalyst for peacemaking and intercultural teams, speaker, theologian and consultant. He is the Canadian Coordinator of the World Evangelical Alliance's Peace and Reconciliation Network, and the Director of Engagement with Lausanne Movement Canada. He has served in local and national roles within the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada, and led their global mission arm. He has experience teaching in formal and informal settings with Bible college students and leaders from various cultures and generations. Joel and Christie are parents to adult children, as well as grandparents. They reside in Guelph, Ont., situated on the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and home to many past, present and future First Nations peoples, including the Anishinnabe and Hodinöhsö:ni'.4 responses to “Reconciliation is still a wicked problem to work at”
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Joel, I think your assessment is pretty close to reality. The people I have spoken to here, feel as if they are discriminated against in work and education.
Many feel that, even though apartheid was wrong, the country had better essential services such as education and healthcare.
I look forward to unpacking some of what you’ve experienced when we’re together in Cape Town.
What practical steps would you imagine might be taken in the work of reconciliation and rebuilding to bring the country to a better position?
Graham, as Jason Clark has offered us a framework of understanding affective polarization, one of the propellers that can help is simply to acknowledge the emotionally charged nature of the current polarized reality. I too have heard people speak against apartheid, but quick to add that ‘affirmative action’ has created what they experience as reverse discrimination. I think that we must listen to those concerns with empathy, and hold together the good and the bad that has resulted from past attempts to correct the injustices in tension. Annabel Beerel’s suggestion from ‘Rethinking Leadership’ (2021) is for leaders to respond with both head and heart:
“In the new world that is emerging, hopefully, new leaders will step forward who can lead with both head and heart and who will help shape a more sustainable world – a world of balance and harmony and a world filled with meaning and hope.” 387
There are no perfect answers, but listening to the polarizing narratives is a good place to start.
Hi Joel, Thanks for your post. I read different things, but they seemed to come to similar conclusions. I’m seeking insight into how effective leadership is transmitted from one generation to the next. When seemingly positive change is underway, where does leadership derail or propel? Do you have any insights?
Here is my ChatGPT inspired list::
1. Leadership Derails When It Loses Sight of the Margins
Insight: When leaders become disconnected from the lived experiences of those most affected by injustice—especially the poor and marginalized—change can stall or regress. In South Africa, post-apartheid leadership faced criticism when economic inequality persisted despite political freedom.
Faith Reflection: Jesus consistently centered the poor, the outcast, and the oppressed. Leadership that forgets this priority risks losing its moral compass.
2. Leadership Propels When It Cultivates the Next Generation
Insight: Transformational leaders invest in others. Mandela didn’t just lead; he mentored, inspired, and created space for others to lead. Effective leadership is generative—it multiplies rather than centralizes.
Faith Reflection: Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus show how spiritual leadership is passed on through intentional relationship, encouragement, and shared mission.
3. Leadership Derails When It Prioritizes Power Over Justice
Insight: When leaders seek to preserve their position rather than pursue justice, reconciliation becomes performative. This is often where transitional justice stalls—when institutions resist deeper structural change.
Faith Reflection: The Kingdom of God is not built on dominance but on servanthood. Leadership that mirrors Christ will sacrifice power for the sake of healing.
[I LOVE THIS FOURTH SUGGESTION] 4. Leadership Propels When It Embraces Accountability and Storytelling
Insight: Truth-telling and accountability are essential for reconciliation. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission was powerful because it gave voice to pain and invited public reckoning.
Faith Reflection: Scripture is full of stories—of lament, confession, and redemption. Leadership that listens and learns from stories can guide communities toward healing.
5. Leadership Derails When It Ignores Class and Educational Divides
Insight: Structural violence often hides in education and economics. If leadership doesn’t address these divides, reconciliation remains incomplete.
Faith Reflection: Proverbs calls us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Effective leadership must advocate for equity in access to opportunity.
My additional thoughts are that these answers are best embodied by a leader who embraces “non-anxious presence.” The five aspects of chronic anxiety which take nerve to contend with are reactivity, herding, blaming, a quick-fix mentality, and lack of leadership. (Edwin Friedman, A Failure of Nerve, (New York: Church Publishing Incorporated, 2017), 29).