The Relationship Between Christian Metanarratives and Authoritative Scriptures in South African Society

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 72-83
Author(s):  
Marius J. Nel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Faith Community ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
African Society ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

Abstract In studying the interaction between the three monotheistic religions in South Africa it is important to note that each of them functions as a metanarrative in that they all attempt to provide a more-or-less coherent perspective on reality. The different, but also overlapping, metanarratives of Islam, Judaism and Christianity furthermore each has a complex relationship with their respective authoritative Scriptures, communities of faith, contemporary societies and each other. It is therefore necessary to investigate the manner in which each religion’s metanarrative functions within the spheres of the academy, faith community and broader society. This contribution describes one of the projects of the envisioned Centre for the Interpretation of Authoritative Scriptures (CIAS) that is in the process of being established at Stellenbosch University. The focus of this project will be on the relationship between the metanarrative contained in the Christian canon, a specific faith community (the Dutch Reformed Church) within South African society in the period 2009–2019.

scholarly journals Die NG Kerk en die oorgang na ’n nuwe Suid-Afrika

1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-38
Author(s):  
D. E. De Villiers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Political Power ◽  
New South ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
African Society ◽  
The South ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The Dutch Reformed Church and the transition to a new South Africa The comprehensive transformation of the South African society that followed the transfer of political power to a new government in 1994 has had significant consequences for the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and its members. In the article an analysis is given of these consequences. Attention is also given to the reaction of members of the DRC to the transformation of the society. An attempt is made to formulate a responsible approach to the new South Africa by the DRC and his members. The need for the DRC to inspire his members to be true to their Christian calling, to equip them to serve effectively and to find new and effective ways to witness publicly in the new South Africa, is stressed.

scholarly journals Justice and the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaco Botha ◽  
Dion A. Forster
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
African Society ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Missional Theology ◽  
Framework Document ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article engages with the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) from the perspectives of solidarity with the poor and justice for South African society. The democratic South Africa continues to face significant socio-economic problems and an increasingly dissatisfied population. In the light of this, the article presents an introductory conversation with the Missional Framework Document in order to ask whether it offers an adequate response to South Africa�s current contextual challenges. The lens through which this article will engage the Framework Document is the theological paradigm of justice, specifically the theory of justice presented by Nicholas Wolterstorff as well as some important contributions from contemporary South African scholars who advocate for a theology from the margins of society. It is contended that the DRC remains a predominantly white middle-class church. This social, economic and political location has an impact on the missional theology of the church as expressed in the Framework Document. Hence, we engage with the Missional Theology of the DRC by means of a paradigm that operates from the �underside� or the economic, political and social �margins� of South African society. We argue that any missional theology aimed at furthering God�s Kingdom in South Africa at present must develop in community with the marginalised majority of the nation. The critical engagement with the Framework Document will be done by sketching a theological landscape where current contextual realities are brought into relief against a kairos moment on which the efficacy of this church�s mission, indeed its public work and witness, is being called into question.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This interdisciplinary study in Systematic Theology and Ethics engages the missional theology found in the Missional Framework Document of the Dutch Reformed Church. Methodologically, the research advocates for a contextual engagement with the missional theology proposed by this important document. The outcome of this contextual theological consideration is an invitation for the Church to consider the ethics of justice as an important aspect of their approach to faithful Christian mission in the South African social, economic and political context.

scholarly journals Suid-Afrika in die jaar 2000: Watter morele leiding kan die NG Kerk gee?

2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-47
Author(s):  
D. E. De Villiers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
New South ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
Made In ◽  
Moral Guidance ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

South Africa in the year 2000: What moral guidance can the Dutch Reformed Church provide? An attempt is made in the article to answer the question: What moral guidance can the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) provide in the present South African society? Attention is given, first of all, to the room left for the DRC to provide such guidance in the new South Africa. The suitable nature and range of this moral guidance are discussed. Recommendations are also made about the style of the moral guidance and a suitable strategy for motivating the members of the DRC to fulfil their moral responsibility in society.

Missionaries, Anthropologists, and the Policies of the Dutch Reformed Church

1984 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M. Du Toit
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Political Affiliation ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Historical Perspectives ◽  
Linguistic Group ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article discusses the relationship of missionaries and anthropologists in South Africa. Due to such important factors as ethnicity, linguistic group membership, denominationalism, and party political affiliation, it is essential to present historical perspectives on these and related matters. The vocation of missionary is almost exclusively a white enterprise as is that of professional anthropologist. Blacks have however had significant influences in both realms and are today entering these vocations.

scholarly journals The relationship between prophetic preaching and performing the gift of prophecy in South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben J. De Klerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Short Description ◽  
African Society ◽  
The South ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Prophetic Preaching ◽  
Church Life ◽  
The Gift ◽  
The Relationship

The goal of this article is to investigate the relationship between the liturgy of the worship service, where prophetic preaching is delivered, and the liturgy of life, where the gift of prophecy must be put into practice. In what way could the ‘prophets’ be equipped to become practitioners of the gift of prophecy? A short description is given of what is understood by prophetic preaching and the gift of prophecy in an effort to determine the relationship between these concepts. In a brief summary, burning questions in church life and in the South African society are addressed: in church life, the questions of extreme conservatism and extreme liberalism are scrutinised and in the South African society, corruption and inequality are investigated. In conclusion, a few guidelines are given for putting the gift of prophecy into practice in the liturgy of life.

scholarly journals Five hundred years on: Some traces of the Reformation in the Church Orders of two South African Reformed Churches – Seen as temporary expressions of the Church Order of the Reformed Synod of Dordrecht in 1619

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piet Strauss
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
16Th Century ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
African Churches ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article examines the influence of the Reformation of the 16th century on the Church Orders of two South African Reformed Churches, namely the Dutch Reformed Church and the Reformed Churches in South Africa. The five so-called solas, namely sola gratia [by grace alone], sola scriptura [by Scripture alone], sola fidei [by faith alone], solus christus [Christ alone] and soli Deo gloria [glory to God alone], are widely accepted as key expressions of the convictions of the Reformation. Although not necessarily in the same terms, the content of the solas are also found in the thought of Calvin. These matters influenced the Synod of Dordrecht (1618–1619) in its acceptance of the Three Formulas of Unity as reformed confessions of faith and its affirmation of the Dordt Church Order. The said South African churches accept the Three Formulas of Unity as confessions of faith and view their church orders as a modern version of the Dordt Church Order – adapted to the demands of the time. This article mainly examines the consequences of sola scriptura and sola fidei on the church orders of the two churches. In terms of these two solas, both have traces of the Reformation after 500 years.

scholarly journals The Dutch Reformed Church is continuously changing: Revision of the church order of 1998

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piet J. Strauss
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Church And State ◽  
New South ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

As the name of the title suggests, the Dutch Reformed Church is continuously changing or reforming. This change focuses on improvement as times change. In 1994, the Dutch Reformed Church was confronted with a new South African society built on a new paradigm, as expressed in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996. Against this background, the General Synod of 1998 amended the church order. The amendments, including employment relationships of ministers, church discipline and the relationship between church and state, echoed the new South Africa and were an attempt to operate anew from reformed constants or principles. As a changing church in a changing situation, the Dutch Reformed Church wished to reform on these points or change on the basis of reformed principles.

Kerk, staat en politieke modelle in ‘Kerk en Samelewing -1990’

1992 ◽  
Vol 48 (3/4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Strauss
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
The State ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
South African Government ◽  
African Government ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church And Society ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

Church, state and political models in ‘Church and Society - 1990’ In this article the author looks into motives and trends surrounding the viewpoints of the document ‘Church and Society - 1990’ with regard to the relationship between both the church and the state and the church and practical political models in South Africa. This document of the 1990 General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church - traditionally labelled as a significant pro-apartheid church - is the sequel to a statement by a previous Synod four years earlier. The main finding is that ‘Church and Society - 1990’ tends to give a Scriptural basis to current political tendencies and thinking in South African government circles.

scholarly journals Die herlewing van sekulêre spiritualiteit in Europa en die implikasie daarvan vir die NG Kerk in Suid-Afrika

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobus Kok
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
The South ◽  
The West ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Religious Landscape ◽  
The Church ◽  
Secular Spirituality ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The revival of secular spirituality in Europe and its implication for the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. This article critically reflected on the insights of David Tacey in which he notes that there is currently a revival in post-secular spirituality in the West, but that its deep religious roots are lacking. What would be the implication of these trends for the South African religious landscape where traditional mainstream churches such as the Dutch Reformed Church are shrinking significantly? People often say yes to God, but no to the church. Some in the church may totally renounce God. What lessons could be learned by the South African mainstream churches and theology if these trends in the West were taken into account? In this article a critical literature review (desk research) was done and the study was structured as follows: In the first place, the implication of superdiversity, supermobility and the reality of a post-COVID-19 consciousness was discussed. Next we engaged in research by scholars in which it was shown that our time, at least in the West, is characterised by existential anxiety and uncertainty. Thirdly, we engaged in the insights of David Tacey in which he also argued the fact that the uncertainty of the time in which we live, often causes people to return to spirituality. Finally, the implication of these trends for the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa was reflected on.Contribution: This research makes a contribution to the nature and scope of the journal, in that it finds that the rise in secular spirituality, in the context of anxiety and uncertainty in a post-COVID-19 world, provides an opportunity for the Dutch Reformed Church to find meaning and significance.

scholarly journals The role of Matthew’s ἀφίημι-logia in the decisions of the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in post-apartheid South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 339
Author(s):  
Marius J Nel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Gospel Of Matthew ◽  
Active Participation ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
The South ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Reconciliation Process ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article investigates the use of the verb ἀφίημι in selected pericopae in the Gospel of Matthew and the decisions of the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) on forgiveness in the post-apartheid South Africa. It argues that while forgiveness is an important topic in Matthew that is interwoven with a number of other important theological themes, it has been a neglected theme in the decisions taken by the General Synod of the DRC since 1994. Not only are there no explicit references to Matthew’s understanding of forgiveness, but are neither of the two references to forgiveness in the Acta of six General Synod’s references to asking forgiveness by the DRC for its active participation in apartheid. The article concludes with a number of suggestions on how Matthew’s ethic of forgiveness can inform the South African reconciliation process without it being reduced to a timeless fixed formula.

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