National Interfaith Leadership Council
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The National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) is a co-operative
interfaith Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
religious body in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
formed by the merger of the National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF) and the National Interfaith Leadership Council (NILC).


History

The National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF)
interfaith Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
body was formed in post-apartheid South Africa. When President
Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...
took office in 2009, Pastor
Ray McCauley Ray McCauley (born 1 October 1949 as Raynor McCauley) is a prominent South African religious leader, former Senior Pastor of Rhema Bible Church, President of the International Federation of Christian Churches (IFCC), co-chair of the National Inte ...
of Rhema Bible Church formed a new interfaith organization called the National Interfaith Leadership Council (NILC) which subsequently merged with the National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF) to form NICSA in 2011.


Membership

NICSA comprises members from various religious groups in South Africa including mainstream Christian groups, African indigenous churches, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Pentecostal, Scientology– and charismatic Christian churches.


Leadership

Pastor
Ray McCauley Ray McCauley (born 1 October 1949 as Raynor McCauley) is a prominent South African religious leader, former Senior Pastor of Rhema Bible Church, President of the International Federation of Christian Churches (IFCC), co-chair of the National Inte ...
of Rhema Bible Church and Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Johannesburg The Roman Catholic Archiocese of Johannesburg ( la, Ioannesburgen(sis)) is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Johannesburg in South Africa. History * June 4, 1886: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Transvaal from the A ...
were elected as interim co-chairmen of the organizing committee of NICSA which will oversee the finalization of the constitution and the organization of a plenary meeting of faith and religious leaders where a leadership structure will be elected.


Relationship with Government

On 13 September 2011, the
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...
of the
Parliament of South Africa The Parliament of the Republic of South Africa is South Africa's legislature; under the present Constitution of South Africa, the bicameral Parliament comprises a National Assembly and a National Council of Provinces. The current twenty-seve ...
welcomed the formation of NICSA in response to President Jacob Zuma's call for the religious community to partner with the
Government of South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a parliamentary republic with three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a parliamentary system. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa. Executive authority ...
"to establish a cohesive and caring society, including establishing an enabling environment for sustainable development". Church leaders have criticized the
African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a Social democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...
(ANC) ruling party for co-opting religious bodies such as NICSA to serve the party in a political sense and alienating those who do not, while NICSA and other interfaith bodies have been criticized for publicly supporting Government on matters where they have no mandate.


See also

*
Religion in South Africa Religion in South Africa is dominated by various branches of Christianity. South Africa is a secular state with a diverse religious population. Its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Many religions are represented in the ethnic and ...
*
South African Council of Churches The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is an interdenominational forum in South Africa. It was a prominent anti-apartheid organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu, Beyers Naudé an ...


References

{{Religion in South Africa Religion in South Africa Religious organisations based in South Africa