How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
You cannot stop the world from going on. My friend, I am a Christian. It is not in my heart to hate a white man. It was a white man who brought my father out of darkness. But you will pardon me if I talk frankly to you. The tragedy is not that things are broken. The tragedy is that they are not mended again. The white man has broken the tribe. And it is my belief—and again I ask your pardon—that it cannot be mended again. (1.5.58)
Not only does Christianity in Cry, the Beloved Country play a role in helping to bring together people in the spirit of brotherly love, but it also has this more specific function of encouraging black activists such as Msimangu to overcome their prejudice and hatred towards the white people who have "not mended" the tribe that they have broken. Msimangu assures Kumalo that he cannot hate white people because they have brought Christianity to his family—but he can hate the results of white colonization of southern Africa.
Quote #5
They say [Msimangu] preaches of a world not made by hands, while in the streets about him men suffer and struggle and die. They ask what seizes upon so many of their people, making the hungry patient, the suffering content, the dying at peace? And how fools listen to him, silent, enrapt, sighing when he is done, feeding their empty bellies on his empty words. (1.13.39)
These critics of Msimangu say that his preaching just distracts people from their legitimate concerns in the real world. By pointing them towards heaven, he's helping them ignore the struggle going on all around them. But this criticism implies that to preach religion is to ignore politics. Do you think that politics and religion are really so separate? Would you say that Msimangu's preaching about heaven prevents him from dealing with real-world obstacles and challenges?
Quote #6
And do not pray for yourself, and do not pray to understand the ways of God. For they are secret. Who knows what life is, for life is a secret. […] Do not pray and think about these things now, there will be other times. Pray for Gertrude, and for her child, and for the girl that is to be your son's wife, and for the child that will be your grandchild. Pray for your wife and all at Ndotsheni. […] Pray for your own rebuilding. Pray for all white people, those who do justice, and those who would do justice if they were not afraid. And do not fear to pray for your son, and for his amendment. (1.15.70)
In our "Character Analysis" of Father Vincent, we talk about how we find him a bit condescending towards Kumalo. Because who is he, to tell Kumalo what he should be praying for? Surely prayer is deeply private and personal? At the same time, we are interested in the content of Father Vincent's prayers: he wants Kumalo to use his faith to pray for social change. This passage with Father Vincent seems to illustrate how faith can be a basis for an activist, political view of the community.