History | Andrew Murray Prize
On 9 May 1978 the community of Wellington celebrated the 150th commemoration of the birthday of dr Andrew Murray in an appropriate way. From 1871 to 1917 Andrew Murray was the minister of the DRC congregation Wellington. He was also a distinguished and prolific writer of Christian books. About 250 books flowed from his pen. Most of these books were translated in many different languages. Andrew Murray’s books are still distributed and read all over the world today.
During the festivities dr Frits Gaum, then the executive director of Bybelkor, had the bright idea to institute a prize to award Christian publications of outstanding quality. This prize would carry the name of Andrew Murray to give recognition to the immense influence Murray as a writer and a man of God had in South Africa and all over the world.
The initial work to establish the Andrew Murray Prize Fund was done by the Wamakersvallei Cultural Council. Dr Gaum was chairperson of this council. Many other institutions were asked to become members of this Prize Fund. Every participating institution contributed R2 200 to the fund. The constituting meeting was held on Thursday, 29 November 1979 in the boardroom of the Huguenot College in Wellington.
The following persons were included in the first meeting of the Governing Body:
Mr Timo Crous (Christelike Uitgewersmaatskappy; Stigting F en R Crous)
Mr AG du Toit (Boland Bank)
Dr SJ Eloff (Algemene Jeugkommissie of the DRC)
Dr FM Gaum (Wamakersvallei Culture Council)
Rev JWL Gebhardt (DRC congregations, Wellington)
Mr IB Kasselman (NG Kerkboekhandel, Transvaal)
Rev HJ Linde (Bybelkor)
Mr WL Maree (Voorligter Trust Fund)
Mr E Smit (Teachers’ College, Wellington)
Prof PR van Dyk (Huguenot College)
The Murray family also became a participating institution, but neither rev RB Murray (chief delegate) nor prof AH Murray (second) could attend the meeting.
The following persons formed the first Governing Body:
Dr FM Gaum (Chairperson)
Prof PR van Dyk (Vice-person)
Mr E Smit (additional member)
Rev HJ Linde (serving as secretary as a representative of Bybelkor)
During the following years other institutions were continuously invited to become members of the Prize Fund. The following institutions were added through the years, although not all were nominated as members of the Governing Body or the Board of Members:
1980: Trio-Rand (SA) Ltd
1980: Vox-Viva (Pty) Ltd
1984: Helpmekaar Study Fund
1985: Sinodical Commission for Publications and Communication of the NG Sendingkerk
1986: Christian Higher Education Association
1987: Tydskriftemaatskappy of the DRC
1990: Nasionale Pers
1993: Christelike Uitgewersmaatskappy (CUM)
1993: Curatorium, Theological Seminary, Stellenbosch
1999: Lux Verbi.BM
1999: Christian Literature Fund (CLF)
1999: DRC congregation, Cape Town (Groote Kerk)
1999: Carpe Diem Publishers
2008: Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria
2008: Faculty of Theology, University of the Free State
2011: FHBC, Wellington
2012: Faculty of Theology, University of Stellenbosch
2016: Faculty of Theology, University of North West
The establishment of the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize
On 8 September 2006 the Governing Body of the Andrew Murray Prize Fund announced that, besides the Andrew Murray Prize for Afrikaans media productions, a new series of media prizes will be awarded regularly. These new prizes – for religious and theological books, Christian journalism, and film and audio productions in all official languages of South Africa – would be known as the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize.
The Governing Body was extremely pleased when emeritus archbishop Desmond Tutu gave his consent for his name to be given to this prize. The linking of his name to that of the most well-known DRC minister of the 19th and early 20th century can be seen as a very special symbol of reconciliation. While Murray and Tutu are from different times, different churches, different theological traditions, and different parts of the South African culture, this prize confirmed that our collective faith in Jesus Christ eventually overrules all other differences.
Andrew Murray and Desmond Tutu both wrote many theological books, and both are examples of people who used the media of their lifetime in a very specific way. Both stood up against injustice – Murray against the British war against the Boere Republics at the beginning of the 20thcentury; Tutu against the system of apartheid later in the same century. Murray as well as Tutu is in the South African history people with noteworthy integrity, faith and courage. In his time Murray was internationally known for his many publications that are still being read today, and Tutu was, among other things, awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.
The Establishment of the Desmond Tutu-Gerrit Brand Prize
The Andrew Murray Prize, awarded since 1980, would in future still award Christian and theological works in Afrikaans. For the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prizes Christian publications and media productions in all the official languages of the country would be considered. The only prerequisite would be that the authors or producers should be South African citizens (double citizenship is acceptable).
Special awards/tributes are also given from time to time to persons who made a special contribution to the Christian media world.
The administration of the Prize Fund is done by Bible Media in Wellington.
On 22 May 2014 it was announced that a new prize, the Desmond Tutu-Gerrit Brand Prize for debut and upcoming authors, will also be awarded. This prize, like the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize, was established in the spirit of reconciliation. Gerrit Brand was a brilliant theologian at the Faculty of Theology of Stellenbosch University. In March 2013 he died of cancer at the age of 42.
Special awards or tributes will also from time to time be presented to persons who made a special contribution to the Christian media world.
The administration of the Prize Fund is managed by Bible Media and Christian Literature Fund in Wellington.
GOD SE IRONIE … EN 40 JAAR SE BOEKEPRYSE
“Dis Goddelike ironie”, het emeritus-aartsbiskop Desmond Tutu met ‘n vonkeling in sy oog gesê toe hy ingestem het dat sy naam aan dié van Andrew Murray gekoppel word in die “Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutuprys vir algemeen-Christelike en teologiese boeke in ‘n amptelike taal van Suid-Afrika”. En dis waar: daar is iets ironies aan die verbintenis van die name van ‘n wit vroeg-19de eeuse NG dominee en ‘n swart laat-20ste eeuse Anglikaanse aartsbiskop.
Dis in elk geval ‘n sonderlinge teken van versoening – iets waaraan ons deesdae (weer) ‘n groot behoefte het. Want, afgesien van die verskil tussen Murray en Tutu wat ras en taal en kerkverband en tyd van optrede betref, was daar ook jare lank ‘n stram verhouding tussen die NG Kerk en die Anglikaanse Kerk. Dit het eers die afgelope twintig jaar verander, nadat apartheid in Suid-Afrika tot ‘n einde gekom het. Maar Murray en Tutu, albei ook skrywers van baie boeke, het veral één band wat hulle ten spyte van alle verskille bind: hulle geloof in Jesus Christus.
Die eerste Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutuprys is in 2007 toegeken – aan Wentzel van Huyssteen vir sy boek Alone in the world , oor die mens se uniekheid as geskape na die “beeld van God”. Maar teen daardie tyd was die Andrew Murrayprys, wat bedoel is vir Christelike en teologiese boeke in Afrikaans, alreeds amper drie dekades aan die gang. Die Andrew Murray-prysfonds is in 1978 in die lewe geroep en die Andrew Murrayprys is in 1980 die eerste keer toegeken – aan Ferdinand Deist vir sy boek oor gebed, Tussen angs en sekerheid.
Die prysfonds is in die jaar toe Murray se 150ste geboortedagherdenking gevier is, op inisiatief van die destydse Wamakersvalleise Kultuurraad en Bybelkor op Wellington gestig, en is dus vanjaar 40 jaar oud. Die bedoeling met die prysfonds was aanvanklik om gehalte-publikasies met ‘n Christelike inslag in Afrikaans te bekroon. Mettertyd het die Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutuprys, wat ook publikasies in ander amptelike tale van Suid-Afrika insluit, bygekom, en sedert 2015 ook die Desmond Tutu-Gerrit Brandprys vir debuutwerk in enige taal van ons land. Brand was ‘n briljante teoloog, in ‘n stadium boekeredakteur van Die Burger en daarna dosent aan die Teologiese Fakulteit aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Hy is in 2013 op 42-jarige ouderdom aan kanker oorlede.
In die afgelope 40 jaar is die verskillende pryse aan bekende én minder bekende skrywers van Christelike en teologiese boeke toegeken. Johan Heyns het die prys drie keer ontvang, en Willie Jonker twee keer. Ander wenners was onder meer Izak de Villiers, Berta Smit, Maretha Maartens, FA Venter, TT Cloete, Allan Boesak, Nico Koopman, Paddy Kearney, Michael Lapsley en Yolande Korkie. Soos dit met pryse gaan, was daar ook omstrede toekennings. In 2001 het die toekenning aan Ben du Toit vir sy boek, God? Geloof in ‘n postmoderne tyd, in sommige kringe ‘n mini-opstootjie veroorsaak. Du Toit se boek het nuwer teologiese denke die eerste keer vierkantig in Afrikaans op die tafel van “gewone lidmate” gesit. Hy het die boek geskryf, het hy in sy voorwoord gesê, sodat sy kinders eendag kan weet waarom hulle pa bly glo het. Daar was ‘n aandrang dat die Andrew Murrayprys liefs daardie jaar nie toegeken moes word nie, maar toe is besluit – soos dit nog altyd die beleid is – dat die beoordelaars se bevinding aanvaar moet word. In daardie geval was die drie beoordelaars eenparig ten gunste van die bekroning van Ben se boek.
Interessante ander toekennings was dié in 2010 aan Paddy Kearney vir sy boek oor die eertydse Rooms-Katolieke aartsbiskop van Durban, Denis Hurley, en in 2013 aan die anti-apartheidsaktivis wat sy hande deur ‘n briefbom verloor het, Michael Lapsley, vir Redeeming the Past. Lapsley het in sy dankwoord gesê hy waardeer die prys veral omdat hy dit “in die hart van die Afrikanerdom” ontvang! Piet Naudé se boek oor die Belhar-belydenis, Neither Calender nor Clock, het in 2011 gewen en ook heelwat aandag getrek.
Natuurlik is daar skrywers wat al een van die pryse moes ontvang het, maar met wie dit nog nie gebeur het nie. Ek dink hier veral aan mense soos Adrio Konig en Jaap Durand wat albei formidabele bydraes tot die Afrikaanse teologiese literatuur gelewer het, maar nog nie met die Andrew Murrayprys bekroon is nie.
Het die Andrew Murray-prysfonds die afgelope 40 jaar ‘n bydrae gemaak om die gehalte van Christelike lektuur te verbeter? Of die toekenning van pryse as sodanig ‘n groot verskil maak, is onseker. Dit is in elk geval so dat die ontvangs van ‘n belangrike prys ‘n aanmoediging vir skrywers is. ‘n Prys word selde van die hand gewys – hoewel dit selfs al met die Hertzogprys gebeur het toe NP van Wyk Louw dit nie in die 1930’s met ‘n mededigter wou “deel” nie. Die aantal Christelike publikasies wat jaarliks verskyn, neem steeds toe, hoewel die gehalte daarvan soms bedenklik is. Die baie vertalings van veral Amerikaanse skrywers se werk in Afrikaans val op en hulle sirkulasiesyfers is in sommige gevalle hemelhoog. Die Andrew Murray-prysfonds bekroon egter nie vertalings nie – net boeke wat oorspronklik in ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse taal geskryf is, kan wen. Gelukkig word daar elke jaar ‘n groot aantal boeke vir die verskillende pryse ingeskryf. Maar ons wag nog vir ‘n wenboek in ‘n inheemse Suid-Afrika-taal (behalwe Afrikaans)! Dit moet eerder vroeër as later gebeur.
* Deur Frits Gaum, voorsitter van die Andrew Murray-prysfonds: Rapport-Weekliks, 8 Julie 2018