David Faure

David Pieter Faure was the founder of the Unitarian Church in South Africa, an interpreter and a Grand Master of the Freemasons in South Africa.

Roots Faure was born in Stellenbosch, Cape Province, South Africa on 11 November 1842. He was the younger of two sons of Abraham Faure and Dorothea Susanna de Villiers. He married Helena Johanna Augusta Munnik on 17 March 1871. He died in Cape Town on 17 August 1916. He studied theology at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands up to 1866, when he graduated.

Influences picked up in the Netherlands The denomination under which he studied was Dutch Reformed. He had become aware of different ways of thinking (free thinking). This was expressed to him by Prof. J.H. Scholten. Upon his return to South Africa in 1866, the Dutch Reformed Church had a panel of theological experts that interviewed graduates before admitting them to the church (called Colloquium Doctum) (Latin). Due to the liberal influence Faure was under in Holland, he was not admitted as pastor. The Colloquium Doctum was put in place, as two theological contemporaries of him, Thomas François Burgers from Hanover (1862) and Kotze, J.J. from Darling (1864), were suspended as they differed from the church-prescribed theory.

Founding of the Unitarian Church In 1867, Faure founded the Unitarian Church. It was first called the Free Protestant Church. He was pastor up to 1897, when he was succeeded by Rev. Ramsden Balmforth from England. In 1870 his church expanded to Graaff-Reinet.

Beliefs regarding Darwin's theory of evolution On 30 July 1876 he gave a discourse in church about the Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Faure believed one could, as a Christian, accept Darwin's evolutionary theory. It was printed in The Standard and Mail (a newspaper).

The London Convention When the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek delegation under the leadership of President Kruger travelled to London, UK Faure accompanied them as interpreter. The purpose of the visit was the signing of the London Convention.

Biography His autobiography was written in 1907.