How does the land we steward shape justice and belonging in our city?

Across South Africa, churches are responsible for land, buildings, halls, and rooms in places still shaped by apartheid geography. Sacred Foundations helps churches ask what faithful use could look like now, for justice, belonging, and neighbourly care.

Start with your space Understand the question

Research signal

Start by naming the land, buildings, and spaces connected to your church.

460+

Registered congregations
in Cape Town alone

182k+

Hectares of church land
across South Africa

These numbers are not only about property. They point to a deeper question about presence, responsibility, and possibility.

Geography still shapes who has access, who feels safe, who belongs, and who is excluded.
Sacred Foundations research brief

The framework

Land is never just land. It is memory, power, and possibility.

South African churches stand within a spatial story shaped by history, faith, ownership, exclusion, and community need.

Sacred Foundations helps churches understand the history of their property, how their spaces are used now, and what faithful use could look like next.

We have normalised what isn’t normal: that the rich have reserved places, while people of colour live in under-resourced areas.
Caroline Powell · researcher & minister

Read the story behind the work Explore the discernment tool

Adapted from the See · Judge · Act tradition of liberation theology. Hover each step to explore.

Where to start

A simple way to begin.

Different people arrive at this question from different places. Find your starting point below — choose the statement closest to where you are, and we’ll point you to two things worth starting with.

I am a church leader trying to understand why land and space matter.

You may be a pastor, elder, warden, trustee, denominational leader, or parish council member. You want language that connects church land, faith, justice, belonging, and South Africa's spatial story.

Understand why this matters

I am wondering what our church could do with our land, buildings, or rooms.

Your church may have halls, houses, rooms, offices, parking areas, open land, or weekday space that could be used differently. You are not ready to make a decision yet, but you want a structured way to begin.

Start with your space

I need examples before I can raise this conversation with others.

You may need stories to help a committee, council, parish, synod, or leadership team imagine what is possible without feeling forced into one answer.

Explore stories of change

I need research or resources I can share with my church.

You may be preparing a sermon, workshop, property committee discussion, study group, leadership conversation, or denominational meeting.

Find research and resources

I think our church needs a guided conversation.

You may have a live property question, internal uncertainty, a possible partner, or a need for someone to help guide the conversation.

Start a conversation

Still not sure?

Try one of three simple entry points.

Each one is a different way in: start with what you notice, why it matters, or what other churches have done.

Reference guide

Share the framework with your team.

If you need a simple way to introduce this conversation to a church council, property committee, parish group, or leadership team, start with the Sacred Foundations reference guide. It brings together the problem, the call, the framework, practical steps, and real examples of churches taking action.

See the whole framework, on one page

The problem, the call, the framework, the steps, and four real South African stories of churches taking action — distilled into a single reference for sharing.

Micah 4:4

Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.

In Caroline Powell’s research, this text gives churches language for thinking about safety, belonging, land, and neighbourly care today.

Explore the research