‘n Kerk met karakter: Die perspektief van gerben heitink

A church with character: The perspective of Gerben HeitinkMainstream churches worldwide are experiencing a decline in membership. The wellknown Dutch practical theologian Gerben Heitink’s (2007) latest book Een kerk met karakte, Tijd voor heroriëntatie is an attempt to address this phenomenon. This article is an overview of his book, with comments from other authors. Although emerging churches is constitute amovement separate from the institutional churches, Heitink still takes the existing church as point of departure. He suggests a process of reorientation and transformation within based on a matrix of eight critical factors. In conclusion, the article evaluates Heitink’s model froma personal perspective within the context of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa

Politieke en sosiale vraagstukke in die prediking

Political and social issues in preachingThis paper is an attempt to provide guidelines for preaching with regard to the socio-political aspects of society. The dangers of pohtical preaching as an enigma of contemporary preaching are analysed. Preaching is a complicated process relating to hermeneutics and communication. Obstacles in disturbing this process are pinpointed in the study. The paper's aim is to find ways to overcome the disturbance of the normal hermeneutical process, especially where political aspects are concerned

‘Wat jy ook op die aarde mag bind, sal in die hemel gebonde wees, en wat jy ook op die aarde mag ontbind, sal in die hemel ontbonde wees’ (Matt 16:19)

‘What you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven’ (Mt 16:19) This article has been a homiletic reflection on the well-known words in Matthew 16:19. The explication and application of these words have been theologically contextualised with respect to current debates amongst theologians in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk. The original meaning of this verse relates to the rabbinical tradition of interpretation of the Torah. Matthew pictures Jesus as the new teacher (like Moses), who gave a new interpretation of the law. In rabbinical language, his teachings are ‘binding’ and ‘loosening’, or, as translated in the Good News Bible (1933), they permit and prohibit. In the history of the reformed tradition, this verse was mostly interpreted from a judicial perspective as the authority to excommunicate or to include. To a great extent and especially in certain circles, the tradition of interpretation became static because of the authority of a ‘final’ interpretation attached to the creeds of the church. However, the original meaning of this verse is the authority, and commands us continuously to interpret the meaning of the gospel in the context of the present-day situation