Kerkeberade: Het dit ’n plek in die Gereformeerde kerkregering?

Church conferences: Does the Reformed Church government have room for it?The National Conference of Church Leaders in South Africa, held at Rustenburg in 1990, like the Cottesloe Conference in December 1960, caused a violent reaction, especially amongst members of the Dutch Reformed Church. As a matter of fact, a considerable number of members resigned in protest against what happened at Rustenburg. The question of whether such a conference could fit in with the principles of Reformed Ecclesiastical government came strongly to the fore. This question is dealt with in the article

Die teologiese en morele regverdiging van Apartheid en ’n "status confessionis"

Beide die Wêreldbond van Gereformeerde Kerke (WBGK) en die — op daardie stadium — Gereformeerde Ekumeniese Sinode (GES) het eventueel verklaar dat die teologiese en morele regverdiging van apartheid ’n status confessionis daarstel. Veral die Afrikaanse gereformeerde kerke sou in dié verband onder skoot kom. Die vrae wat hierdie stuk vra is: Wanneer bereik die kerk die punt waar hy ’n status confessionis verklaar? Hoe het die WBGK en die GES hierdie saak hanteer en was daar verskille in hulle benadering wat na verskille in hulle karakter as ekumeniese liggame teruggevoer kan word? Die gevolgtrekking is dat die WBGK sekere anti-apartheidstemme in die jonger NG Kerke onkrities nagevolg het, terwyl die GES ’n meer selfstandige houding geopenbaar het. Die WBGK het ook nie apartheid gedefinieer nie, wat sake vir verdere gesprek met die NGK bemoeilik het. Beide vertoon egter tekens dat hulle ernstig probeer het om aan die vereistes vir ’n status confessionis te voldoen

Kerkwees in die branding. Die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk in Algemene sinodale Verband 1994-2011

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Points of communality in the development of ecumenism worldwide with reformed churches in South Africa (1990–2020)

This historic-critical study analyses the development of ecumenism from 1990 to 2020 within the traditional Afrikaans speaking reformed churches in South Africa. The study attempts to determine whether the so-called change or shift in ecumenism within reformed churches and ecumenical bodies worldwide, influenced the theology and practice of ecumenism in Afrikaans-speaking churches in South Africa (1990 to 2020). Afrikaans-speaking reformed churches not only face political and social challenges in South Africa, but also face other major challenges brought about by a postmodern society and theological developments from 1990 to 2020. The development of ecumenism in reformed churches in the world, as described by Plaatjies-Van Huffel (2011:1–11) consists of a shift from conciliar ecumenism to transformative receptive ecumenism. In the past 30 years conciliar ecumenism took its stance in absolute certainties derived from a specific viewpoint on Scripture. Conciliar ecumenism partially failed because some reformed churches excluded other reformed churches from church unity, based on a particular interpretation of Scripture. These exclusions were claimed to be based upon the “authority” derived from Scripture. This ecumenical practice did not lead to significant church unity. The transformative receptive ecumenism, on the other hand, tends to reach out to the marginalised people of God, and not only try to transform the unrighteousness in the lives of people, but also tends to learn from and accommodate the needy in the understanding of ecumenism. If the developments in worldwide ecumenism influenced ecumenical thought among reformed Afrikaans-speaking churches, the question arises: to what extent was transformative receptive ecumenism able to contribute to a better understanding of ecumenism and church unity – especially in the development of an African transformative receptive ecumenism. Also, if a shift in ecumenical practise took place, does that mean that the conciliar ecumenism of the past was of minimal importance? Is a new understanding of ecumenism (as in transformative receptive ecumenism) the alpha and omega of ecumenism in theory and practice? Shouldn’t transformative receptive ecumenism be further discussed by all churches in South Africa and the world to bring forth an ecumenical model that suits the South African situation as part of worldwide ecumenism? This chapter attempts to understand recent developments and issues within the reformed ecumenical societies and agencies in the world, after which the Afrikaansspeaking historic-reformed churches will be viewed in terms of the understanding of their calling to ecumenism. The developments and issues in the reformed world will be compared with the latest developments and issues within the Afrikaans-speaking reformed churches. A conclusion based on a comparison between ecumenism in the world and in South Africa will be drawn before some remarks on the future of ecumenical understanding concludes this study.http://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za/index.php/stjam2021Practical Theolog

Kerkorde en Leer en Aktuele Sake: NG Kerkorde Artikel 56 in Perspektief

In 1982 at the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church of that year, a new article 56 was added to its church order. This article stipulated that the church, through its assemblies and other work, strives to stimulate views in church and society that depart from Scripture. The Dutch Reformed Church wants to see such an approach in doctrinal, current and ethical affairs. The Dutch Reformed Church is part of the South and Southern African society and wants to influence these affairs to be handled according to the Bible. The same Synod referred to the Bible as a God-given document which sheds light on life as a whole and has an in-principle influence on the whole of society and the total existence of every believer.In approaching this calling and task, the Dutch Reformed Church opted to do it in an ecclesiastical way. It believes that creation as a whole is a unity in which everything can have an effect on any other thing. Every matter in society and creation can develop an ecclesiastical aspect for the church to act on in an ecclesiastical way. This article shows examples of this in the Dutch Reformed Church.    https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.85.1.248

Kerk en Skoolonderwys in Vier Kerkordes

Reformed churches in the tradition of John Calvin and the well-known Synod of Dordt (1618-1619), have a long history of involvement of some kind in school education. This article looks into the famous – at least in some circles – church order of Dordt, and the present orders of three reformed churches: the Reformed Churches in South Africa, the Dutch Reformed Church and the Christian Reformed Church in North America. All three tend to be in the tradition of Dordt. In the Dutch society of the 17th century close ties between the Reformed Church and the government gave this church the opportunity to influence Dutch school education. Firstly the church used the angle of the all embracing kingdom of God in which church and school are different institutes in society but serve the same Lord. Secondly the Reformed Church also influenced school education from the viewpoint of the church as church by introducing its confessions as a point of departure and also it’s discipline in schools. The other three churches opted for a say in the spiritual direction in schools, but not to tie them to a specific church. They strive for Christian and not church schools.Article text in Afrikaan

Die gereformeerde ekumeniese sinode

No abstract available

Het ons kerkwees in strukture gestol?

Does the church freeze in structures?Indications worldwide reveal that no clear and distinct concept of the church prevails today. It is maintained that a dynamic concept of the church and ministerial view on ecclesiastical institutions gave way during the Enlightenment to the concept of the church as a fixed formal institution or a legally defined structure. Even the Reformation wanted to reform papacy and not to establish church structures in opposition to Rome. The structural and denominational view of the church triggered off recurrent church schisms and on the other hand gave birth to an overwelming urge to unify and form worldwide ecumenical structures, whereby local diversities are even called sin. The question is raised: By retaining the dynamic concept of the church as humans, people of God, wouldn't a new perspective be opened on the problem of diversities

Gereformeerdes onder die Suiderkruis 1652-2011

Die outeur bekyk flitspunte uit die geskiedenis van vier Afrikaanse Gereformeerde kerke in Suid-Afrika, met die NG Kerk as sleutelfiguur. Hoewel die tema van kerk en samelewing belangrik is in hierdie studie, kry kernelemente in Gereformeerd-wees ook aandag. Dit sluit in belydenis- en leerstellige benaderings, Gereformeerde karakter, onderlinge verhoudinge en ekumene, en jonger kerke of kerklike familie

Die na-oorlogse kerkregtelike ontwikkeling in die GKSA

Prof. G.P.L.v.d. Linde het in ’n voordrag voor die Aktualiteitskursus gedurende Julie 1978 te Potchefstroom die stelling gemaak dat die kerkregtelike ontwikkeling binne GKSA-kringe in die na- oorlogse periode feitlik heeltemal van sy Europese en Nederlandse voedingsbodem losgemaak is en selfstandig geword het. (In die Skriflig, nr. 48, Desember 1978). Hierdie stelling beskryf die algemene tendens van die kerkregtelike ontwikkeling van die GKSA na 1945. Tog is daar ook ’n ander aspek wat waarskynlik nog nie na behore nagevors is nie en ook nie in hierdie studio aan die orde kan kom nie, naamlik die vraag in hoeverre kerkregtelike patrone en praktyke van ander Afrikaanse Kerke, van na-oorlogse ekumeniese bewegings ens., tendense uit Nederland ens. denke beïnvloed en pleidooie oor kerklike opset en inrigting ontlok het wat ’n neerslag in kerkregtelike ontwikkeling gehad het