The anguish in South Africa, the struggle to gain justice and freedom, is no less urgent because the story has been told before. Reports of substantial reform are few, and so it is understandable that glowing stories of progress in the relations between blacks and whites in South Africa are met with skepticism. The story told in this profile offers a modest hope and useful insight into the source of genuine reform.

Three years ago Bob Tucker and a fellow student of Christian Science, Jopie van Honschooten, went into senior executive positions in South Africa's second-largest building society (the equivalent of a savings-and-loan association in the United States). The business challenge was clear: This particular building society was operating in an industry that seemed to lack direction when direction was most needed. But as the building society's challenges were faced in the light of the fact that God is divine Principle and the only source of good, some remarkable changes began to take place. A strong management team took shape, whose members saw their fundamental challenge to be the larger crisis that faces their country.

Their response is clear from the organization's well-publicized vision statement: This organization is committed to being "a nonracial mutual society, responding to client requirements in a socially responsible way."The firm is making efforts to promote "home ownership for all by making home loans available to the full spectrum of prospective owners."

Bob and his colleagues are not naive about what they are up against. Bob comments, "South Africa would appear to be a nation rent asunder by discrimination, violence, oppression, and ethnic division, with an economy increasingly unable to satisfy the needs of its burgeoning population, and now subjected to sanctions." He draws an analogy to a Bible account. "There is a temptation to join the Israelite armies of Saul, so to speak, to be overawed by the apparent might of Goliath and to be compliant. But surely the challenge is for us to be like David, who, when confronted by Goliath, said, 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.'" ^{I Sam. 17:45.}

It is also in Biblical terms that Bob sees the answer to this challenge: "Many of the problems in this country have their source in fear, but as the Bible says, 'Perfect love casteth out fear,' ^{I John 4:18 .} and with love we in this country would be able to live the truth that 'there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' ^{Gal. 3:28 .}

"I've learned through the study of Christian Science that healing through prayer is perfectly possible. But the healing must take place in the way Christ Jesus accomplished it." In explaining what he feels is required for genuine reform, Bob stresses the importance of relying on and proving the transforming power of Christ. He quotes a definition of Christ found in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy. "Christ. The divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error." ^{Science and Health, p. 583.}

Bob concludes, "As we are more Christly, the conflict in this beautiful country will be resolved justly."

That may sound idealistic, but Bob doesn't stop at idealism. To him the demand is to translate spiritual conviction into a practical, metaphysical approach to day-to-day demands. For example, the organization's vision statement makes a distinction between "house" and "home." This distinction comes out of an appreciation for humanity's deeper need. "People have need of home, not just of house," Bob observes, pointing to the fact that man's real nature is spiritual. "To the extent that we understand and act from the basis of this spiritual fact, we will bring into human experience more of the harmony and stability that are natural to God's kingdom.

"This perspective has led us into the low-cost housing market. For example, we've constructed and sold and financed more than five hundred houses in one of the black neighborhoods. The result was that the community's need for a better sense of home was satisfied. Some months later, despite massive rioting and destruction in the area, this sense of home remained unviolated: none of the houses belonging to the community members were damaged. There have also been several occasions when our organization's own property and staff were protected from harm.

"But our commitment to the establishment and maintenance of home not only affects the communities involved; it is also having significant consequences within our own organization. Staff who had never been anywhere near a black residential area have now not only been into black residential areas but are actually learning to appreciate and respect the culture, richness, and diversity of a different people and are genuinely enjoying the new contacts.

"The challenge is not a question of simply falling in with what the black people are demanding, or of propagating what is 'white,' but of doing what is 'right' according to one's highest understanding at that time. The apparent clash between competing systems, economic and political, is enormous. I am committed to free enterprise; but in seeking a just economic system, so that we come closer to the harmony of God's kingdom on the human scene, a broader concept of wealth maximization for all, in place of profit maximization for some, is necessary.

"Our stance has had other significant consequences. Recently I was addressing an audience of approximately three hundred people on the subject of low-cost housing and our organization's role. At the conclusion of my paper, the representative of one of South Africa's largest black trade unions leaped to his feet and, addressing the whole audience, told them he was very embarrassed because, for the first time in his life, he found himself in complete agreement with a 'capitalist.'"

In the search for genuine solutions, Bob finds another Bible example helpful. "Daniel, when confronted by Darius's decree that all must worship him, adhered openly to Truth in worshiping the living God; he did not plead for any special dispensation as he might have done in the light of his high office and past loyalty. ^{See Dan., chap. 6 .} Just so must we adhere openly to Truth. Only in this way can we hope to bring about conditions of lasting peace, harmony, and sufficiency for the benefit of all. Any other solution, based on special dispensation, would be limited."

Over the past three years, Bob feels, there has been a good deal of progress made. "We are currently granting home loans to black people at the rate of 25 million South African rand per month. The growth in savings accounts is on average 2,500 new accounts every day, of which approximately 1,700 are opened by blacks, and we are operating profitably. Every day as many as 100,000 people are served in our banking halls on a nonracial basis."

Again Bob draws the comparison to spiritual healing. He says that he and his colleagues are facing the challenges "no differently from the way a student of Christian Science would approach the healing of illness. The scale of the challenge may appear greater, but when God's goodness and perfection are reflected in individual lives, the challenge we confront can be cured."

He quotes a paragraph from Science and Health that has helped him find spiritual healing in his own life: "'If we look to the body for pleasure, we find pain; for Life, we find death; for Truth, we find error; for Spirit, we find its opposite, matter. Now reverse this action. Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.' ^{Science and Health, pp. 260–261 .}

"By working consistently in this way, I've seen remarkable results. We've brought together groups of people who supposedly come from opposite extremes of the political spectrum, under circumstances where they have previously refused even to say 'Hello' to each other."

Spiritual discernment is an essential ingredient in accomplishing such healing. Bob finds he has to look at something as basic as a business meeting in an entirely different light. "I try to see evidence of God's ideas, completely harmonious ideas of the one divine Mind. I try to look beyond the mortal belief of a meeting of many different and conflicting people. We've been moving toward a higher level of tolerance and cooperation between groups. I leave each of the meetings reinforced in my own understanding and conviction that inherent in each of us are all the perfect qualities of God, and significantly in our case, the qualities of love, mercy, and understanding."

How can each individual contribute to this healing work? "I think it can really be summed up in two words: 'See man.' See God's reflection where that apparent mortal is. See the reflection of Love and Truth and of God's wisdom. See not minds many but see many ideas of one infinite Mind. And involve yourself not for the glory of self but to the glory of God.

"To me that's really what prayer is all about. Prayer is all about seeing and living what man is as God made him."

A colleague's view

Since Jopie van Honschooten played an active part in the events and developments described in this profile, we asked him for a brief comment.

I am a member of the "team" working with Bob. Through the study of Christian Science I have learned to know God as divine Principle. As a sailor in a storm with zero visibility relies on a compass to give direction, we can through prayer let divine Principle guide us. In Proverbs (chap. 3, verses 5 and 6) we read: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." I certainly am grateful for evidence of this, and I can confirm Bob's statements above.

Jopie van Honschooten