The Sacred Space: Finding Quiet Time with God
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In this thoughtful episode of Breakfast on Radio Cape Pulpit, host Anton Brank welcomes Prof. Dion Forster, theologian from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the University of Stellenbosch, for a reflective conversation on the theme of "space."
Prof. Forster draws on his personal experience living in the Netherlands, where physical space is scarce compared to South Africa's wide-open landscapes. He extends this metaphor to the lack of temporal and spiritual space in modern life—calendars packed to the brim, constant phone notifications, and endless social media scrolling that leave little room for silence and reflection.
He points to Mark 1:35, where Jesus rises early, while it is still dark, to go to a solitary place and pray. This, Prof. Forster says, is a form of protest—not in the political sense, but as a witness (from the Latin pro testari) that time with God matters more than the demands of work, entertainment, or consumer culture. He encourages listeners to carve out sacred spaces in their hearts, homes, and diaries, and to value gathering with fellow believers at church as an act of worship and sacrifice.
The episode closes with a warm reminder to support Radio Cape Pulpit, whose broadcasts reach those unable to attend church in person, and a light-hearted note about the unusually warm 30°C weather in Amsterdam.
Prof. Forster draws on his personal experience living in the Netherlands, where physical space is scarce compared to South Africa's wide-open landscapes. He extends this metaphor to the lack of temporal and spiritual space in modern life—calendars packed to the brim, constant phone notifications, and endless social media scrolling that leave little room for silence and reflection.
He points to Mark 1:35, where Jesus rises early, while it is still dark, to go to a solitary place and pray. This, Prof. Forster says, is a form of protest—not in the political sense, but as a witness (from the Latin pro testari) that time with God matters more than the demands of work, entertainment, or consumer culture. He encourages listeners to carve out sacred spaces in their hearts, homes, and diaries, and to value gathering with fellow believers at church as an act of worship and sacrifice.
The episode closes with a warm reminder to support Radio Cape Pulpit, whose broadcasts reach those unable to attend church in person, and a light-hearted note about the unusually warm 30°C weather in Amsterdam.
