Religion and Reconciliation in South Africa

Post-apartheid South Africas efforts to come to terms with its past, particularly its Truth and Reconciliation Commissions emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation, is of special interest to many in the world community. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), led by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, was mandated to go beyond truth-finding and to promote national unity and reconciliation in a spirit of understanding which transcends the conflict and divisions of the past. In contrast with other truth commissions, the TRC was led by clerics rather than lawyers and judge, and the TRCs approach to reconciliation was shaped by and imbued with religious content. The TRC submitted its final report to the Mandela administration in October 1998.