The Christian Community in Johannesburg
  • Home
  • About
    • Photos & videos 2016 onwards
    • Social media
    • Library
    • Stories, Poetry & more
    • Articles >
      • Contributions by members
    • History
    • Artists in our community
  • Community Notice Board
  • News 2023
  • Programme
  • Contemplations 2023
  • Market
  • Links

Goethean observation of our world – practical workshops by Rev. Michaël Merle

1/12/2022

0 Comments

 
Reported by John-Peter Gernaat
​

The final workshop, on Saturday 12 November, in the series of three observing different aspects of our world to gain a deeper understanding, was a look at the mountains of southern Africa with the focus being the mountains of the southern Cape and the Drakensberg.

When one observes the continent of Africa and takes note of the mountain ranges the mountains related to the African Rift Valley run north-south across eastern Africa. The other two mountain ranges that become noticeable are the Atlas Mountains in the north west and the Drakensberg Mountains in the south east. They seem to bracket (  ) Africa.
Picture
Something else becomes noticeable: Africa appears to have two protrusions. In the north west there are the Atlas Mountains that could be removed and the coastline of West Africa would curve smoothly to North Africa. Similarly the Western Cape from Velddrif to Witsand could be removed and the coastline would curve smoothly from the western Cape to the southern Cape. These protuberances are also interesting when one observes the vegetation which differs from the surrounding landscape. The Western Cape has the fynbos biome with is the most diverse biome and most unique in the world. Yet, there is a similar biome in the north west of Africa. Both of these areas experience a climate that we describe as Mediterranean, with a winter rainfall.

The Super-Continent of Gondwanaland, in its reconstruction, has a tectonic plate that sat between Africa and South America at the south western part of the ‘bulge of Africa’. This tectonic plate is known as the Azores plate and moved northward with the splitting of Gondwanaland. A part of the landmass on this plate fits well with the Atlas Mountains while another part may have broken loose and been ‘sucked’ southward as the Atlantic Ocean opened up to finally collide with the western Cape.

This collision would in part explain the mountains of the Cape Fold belt. When one reads the geological literature and even tourist literature one is quickly struck by two very different explanations for the formation of the Cape Fold Belt. One is of a great basin into which sediments accumulated and before these sediments had fully hardened to rock the edges of the basin became steeper and steeper, caused by the weight of the sediment in the middle of the basin. As the edges became steeper the sediments slid down towards the middle of the basin forming the beautifully rounded folds seen in the many kloof cross cutting the Cape Fold Mountain ranges. The other explanation is of a collision of continental plates that pushed up the mountains. There is evidence of both processes visible in the geological record. Thus, it is possible to image that both processes were active at different times producing these mountains as the final result.

The Drakensberg are a very different story. Typically, when a highland meets a lowland such as the coastal plain and an ocean, a very distinctive landscape arises. A sudden break in the high lying area (A) occurs forming a scarp face (B). The material that erodes from the scarp face forms a steep slope beneath the scarp called a talus slope (C). (Talus is the accumulation of debris in sheets or cones at the bases of rock walls.) Then follows the pediment (D) or foot of the highland. Looking at aerial photos of KZN from the coast, it becomes very clear that the Drakensberg are the scarp of the central highland of southern Africa and the talus slope and pediment of the coastal plain become visible. In the case of a true maintain there are at least two steep sides to a summit. The Drakensberg have only one steep side up the escarpment to the plains of the Free State. They are not mountains, but a scarp face.
Picture
0 Comments
    Use Ctrl-F to search this page
    Picture
    Follow us on Twitter. We put reminders of events and notices on Twitter.
    Contemplations

    Article Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022

    2021 - January to December
    ​2020 - January to December
    2019 - January to December
    2018 - January to December​
    ​2017 - January to December
    2016 - January to December
    2015 - January to December
    ​2014 - November & December
    2013 - July to December
    2013 - January to June
    2012 - April to December
    Picture
    Send us your photos of community events.

      Feedback

      Please give feedback on anything related to this website and the content on it. Do anonymously or with your name.

      * Indicates a required field.
    Submit

    Subscribe to our newsletter or notifications

    * indicates required
    I wish to receive
    Email Format

    Articles (prefaced by month number)

    All
    01 - January
    01 - The Christ-element In The Chemical-elements
    02 - February
    02 - January Cultural Evening
    02 - The Christ-element
    02 - The Mercury Cross
    02 - The Salt Cross
    02 - The Sulphur Cross
    02 - Understanding Capital
    02 - What Is New About The Movement For Religious Renewal
    03 - February Cultural Evening
    03 - February Discussions On The Creed
    03 - February Gospel Study
    03 - February Old Testament Study
    03 - March
    03 - Sulphur Cross - Nitrogen
    04 April
    04 - Deepening Our Understanding Of The Inner Working Of The Trinity
    04 - Growing Point By Alfred Heidenreich - Chapter 1: Roots
    04 - Ordination Weekend
    04 - The Christ Element In The Chemical Elements - Carbon
    04 - The Day The Sun Stood Still (Joshua 10)
    04 - The Old Testament Study: The Book Of Judges
    05 - Growing Point
    05 - Holy Week Theme Talk
    05 - May
    05 - Preparation For Confirmation
    05 - The Christ-element In The Chemical-elements - Hydrogen Oxygen Carbon
    05 - The Old Testament Study - Samuel
    06 - Biography Through Story
    06 - Growing Point By Alfred Heidenreich
    06 - June
    06 - Kabbalah Tree Of Life
    06 - Magnesia
    07 - Carsten Rieger
    07- Comprehending The Spirit Within – The Whitsun Theme
    07 - Growing Point
    07 - July
    07 - St John's Weekend Events
    07 - The Christ Element In The Chemical Elements - Sulphur
    07 - The Gospel Study
    07 - The Old Testament Study - King David
    08 Alkalis And Halogens
    08 - August
    08 - Growing Point By Alfred Heidenreich
    08 - Old Testament Study
    08 - Rising Serpent To The Restful Lamb
    08 - The Chakra Path – The New Way Of St John
    08 - The Gospel Study
    09 - Growing Point By Alfred Heidenreich
    09 - Petition
    09 - September
    09 - The Christ Element In The Chemical Elements - Limestone And Silica
    09 - The Memorial For Sophia Turner
    09 - The Old Testament Study - King Solomon
    09 - Theosophy
    09 - Theosophy And Petition By Bridgette Siepker
    09 - The Tarot
    10 - Birthdays
    10 - October
    10 - Our “ZORBA” In Johannesburg – In Memory Of GEORGE NURSE
    10 - The Christ-element In Aluminium And Phosphorus
    10 - The Christ-element In The Chemical-elements Aluminium And Phosphorus
    11 - Goethean Observation Of Our World
    11 - Gospel Study - Luke
    11 - Michaelmas Conference - Carrying The Michaelic Impulse Further
    11 - November
    11 - The Christ Element In The Chemical Elements - The Mineral Cross
    12 - December
    12 - Goethean Observation Of Our World
    12 - The Gospel Study - The Gospel Of Luke

    RSS Feed


On this site

Home
About us
Library
Photos
Stories
Articles
   ​
  from
​     Member
​
Where are
     our
​     members
History
Community Notice Board            News About The Community      Community Programme       Contemplations      
Businesses in the Community    Links to other Communities         Webmaster
Links to other websites of our community
Artists in our community

Services

The Act of Consecration of Man
Sunday                            10h00
Wednesday                    07h00
Friday                               08h30
Always check the programme for the latest information.
Sunday Service for Children precede by a story
Sunday                            09h30

Contact information

​Address
46 Dover Street corner Pine Avenue
Ferndale
Randburg

GPS:S26.0887400, E27.9962600
​Telephone & Email
Telephone             +27 11 789 3083
WhatsApp              +27 76 697 1340
​Email                       joburg@thechristiancommunity.org.za
​Office hours           08h00 - 13h00

Priests

Rev. Reingard Knausenberger
Office    +27 11 886 2220
Mobile  +27 82 218 1515
​Email     lenker@thechristiancommunity.org.za
​Rev. Michaël Merle
Mobile  +27 83 675 0836
​Email​     michael@thechristiancommunity.org.za

Webmaster

webmaster@thechristiancommunity.org.za
Copyright © 2012 to 2023. | All rights reserved. | Powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
    • Photos & videos 2016 onwards
    • Social media
    • Library
    • Stories, Poetry & more
    • Articles >
      • Contributions by members
    • History
    • Artists in our community
  • Community Notice Board
  • News 2023
  • Programme
  • Contemplations 2023
  • Market
  • Links