Theology
Welcome to Stellenbosch University

Beyers Naudé Archive

Contact Details

Physical Address: Map​

The Beyers Naudé Archive

Faculty of Theology
171 Dorp Street
Stellenbosch
7600
South Africa

Tel: +27 21 886 8669 or +27 808 2069
Fax: +27 21 - 808-3251

​Postal Address

The Beyers Naudé Centre
Faculty of Theology
Private bag X1

Matieland
7602
South Africa​


​Opening Hours

​Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 16:00 (as per prior arrangement)
(Closed on public holidays)
​​

Staff

Dr Murray Coetzee

Tel: +27 21 808 2069
Tel: +27 83 731 9562
E-mail: murraycoetzee@afrihost.co.za; murray@sun.ac.za ​

Visit our site Beyers Naudé Centre for Public ​Theology

Background

The Beyers Naudé Archive (BNA) is one of the projects of the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public ​Theology. The BNA is located in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University.

The BNA was established in 2010 to archive and interpret the legacy of Beyers Naudé and the Christian Institute. The focus of the BNA has been extended to include other dissidents of the Afrikaans speaking churches as well as individuals involved in the struggle against apartheid.

Collections are acquired through acquisitions, donations or bequests and form part of the main holdings of the BNS. These collections are mostly of South African importance, but are in some cases also of international significance. Some of the most important collections in the BNA are the Ilse Naudé Collection, Christian Institute Collection and the Pro Veritate Collection. Various other collections are being archived at present.

BNA and its projects and character are determined by a productive co-operation between archiving interests and theological research and debate. ​

Vision

BNA wants to promote the collecting, preserving, ordering and cataloguing of documents which portray the legacy of the life and work of Beyers Naudé, other dissidents of the Afrikaans speaking churches, as well as individuals involved in the struggle against apartheid. As an archive with strong connections to both the theological and secular world, BNA aims, through strategic projects of research and publication, to keep this legacy alive in the interest of the on-going role it should play to maintain and promote the expressive theology and ethics represented in these collections as an important part of a broad South African heritage.                                                                           

Mission

  • Continually identifying and obtaining new collections;

  • The duplication of original documents, making all our collections accessible to researchers, and the public at large in accordance to donor conditions;

  • Preserving and maintaining the original documents of our collections in ideal archiving conditions;

  • The promotion of research through providing information and guidance;

  • Fostering good relations and co-operation with other research institutions and libraries, nationally and internationally;

  • Providing a professional service to our users.​

Services

For all access to the collections of the BNA, a standard form should be completed.

​Photocopies

Photocopying of documents may be undertaken only in accordance with donor agreements, providing that copyright is not infringed and that documents are not exposed to potential damage in the process. ​

Scanning

Scanning of documents will be undertaken only in accordance with donor agreements, providing that copyright is not infringed and that documents are not exposed to potential damage in the process.

Research

BNA offers assistance to researchers in retrieving original manuscripts and other material, with bibliographic searches and general enquiries relating to BNA material. ​

Collections

Completed Collections

The Ilse Naudé-collection. Most of the sermons and speeches delivered by Beyers Naudé from the 1930's to the 1990's (approximately 1 400), which are handwritten by him, has been donated to the BN archive by his wife.  These documents have categorised and are being duplicated, where after they are to be bound and made available for research. The original documents are housed in the DRC archive for safe keeping. This collection has been incorporated in the BN archive data base.

The Pro-Veritate-collection. With the help of various donators, the BN archive is thankful to report that it houses one of the few complete collections.  These publications will be duplicated, bound and made available for research purposes. The original copies are housed in the DRC archive for safe keeping. This collection has been incorporated in the BN archive data base.

The Christian Institute (CI) –collection. This is a comprehensive collection which consists of the following:  the history, planning and constitution; monthly newsletters; director's reports; bible studies; general administration of the head office as well as that of the regional offices consisting of agendas, minutes, reports, financial statements of all the structures of the CI namely the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Management Committee as well as the Annual General Meetings; correspondence by and to BN and the CI; criticism on BN and CI;  documents pertaining to the commission chaired by Jimmy Kruger, Schlebusch and L le Grange into the CI and other organisations; a duplicate copy of the file which was kept by the apartheid government on BN; the banning of BN and others as well as the discontinuation of the CI.  Furthermore this collection also has documents with regard to related matters i.e. Sharpeville; Cottesloe; SA Council of Churches; Soweto uprising. This collection is available for research purposes and incorporated in the BN archive data base.​

Envisaged Future Collections

Library. Various books and publications written by BN as well as those of other authors about BN and the CI have been donated to the BN archive library.  The BN archive will source more books in order to have a substantial collection which will be available for research purposes and incorporated in the BN archive data base.

BN Archive data base.  A data base which includes the abovementioned documents and ​publications has been developed. At present this data base consists of 80 pages and will be updated as archiving progresses and more documents and books are incorporated in the BN archive.

Oral History Project

The oral history interview project was launched during January 2013 in order to record undocumented information and stories from individuals who were closely linked to Beyers Naudé and the Christian Institute. Interviews were conducted with the following individuals:

  • Cedric Mason

  • Albert Nolan

  • Gerrie Lubbe

  • Roelf Meyer

  • Piet Meiring

  • Nico Botha

  • Klippies Kritzinger

  • Johan Wolfaardt

  • Willie Saayman

  • Frank Chikane

  • Moses Ntlha

  • Senamo Molisiwa

  • Manas Buthelezi

  • Zack Mokgoebo 

  • Stiaan Van der Merwe

  • Kobus Potgieter 

  • Herman Naudé

  • Johann Naudé

  • Francois Naudé

This project is on-going as more interviews will take place during 2014, where after these interviews will be transcribed with a view to a further publication​.