The Church's struggle against apartheid The failure to denounce, resist and incite resistance to apartheid and the resulting violations of human rights constitutes the failure of the Church in living according to one's faith convictions. Rather, the Church has often remained embroiled in its own debates about legitimacy and the right to resist the authorities. These debates have been dominated by the issue of violence and armed struggle. This happened, moreover, in circumstances in which our members were part of the armed wings of the liberation movements. Prozesky, Martin, Christianity in South Africa p 132Churches fighting against apartheid and a commentary on the effectiveness of this challenge. When the National Party was officially elected to parliament in 1948, it implemented a policy of apartheid. Apartheid literally means apart, and was the separation of blacks and whites in a scrupulous and permanent way[1]. But we must also remember that the oppression of black people living in South Africa began not with the National Party but with the white colonizers. When South Africa was colonized, native blacks were stripped of their political identity and their cultural and religious identities were suppressed.[2] “It was the beginning of a form of oppression that characterizes the social structure of South Africa today.” [3] Some of the more extreme Afrikaners admired Hitler. The path of racial segregation for South Africa was not a master plan that led to the Final Solution, it was a master policy for the country that was adapted over time to suit the country's circumstances. a...... middle of paper ......re Gerald J. Pillay, A History of Christianity inSouth Africa Volume 1, page 272[20] Stanley Clayton, Methodism In Africa, page 33[21] Martin Prozesky , Christianity in South Africa, page 273[22] Charles Villa-Vicencio, Trapped In Apartheid, page 126[23] JW Hofmeyr and Gerald J. Pillay, A History of Christianity inSouth Africa Volume 1, page 271[24] Charles Villa - Vicencio, Trapped In Apartheid, page 129[25] JW Hofmeyr and Gerald J. Pillay, A History of Christianity inSouth Africa Volume 1, page 272[26] Martin Prozesky, Christianity in South Africa, page 272[27] Martin Prozesky, Cristianesimo in South Africa, page 272[28] JW Hofmeyr and Gerald J. Pillay, A History of Christianity in South Africa Volume 1, page 271[29] Martin Prozesky, Christianity in South Africa, page 278