scholarly journals ‘Ecclesia Reformata Semper Reformanda’ Church Renewal from a Reformed Perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-19
Author(s):  
Leo J. Koffeman
Keyword(s):  
Church Renewal ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Tradition ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church Polity ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Important Field ◽  
The Church

Abstract With a view to the theme of Church renewal, this article explores the role of a wellknown and popular phrase in the Reformed tradition within Protestantism, i.e. ecclesia reformata semper reformanda (‘the reformed Church should always be reformed’). Is this a helpful slogan when considering the pros and cons, the possibilities and the limitations of Church renewal? First, the historical background of this phrase is described: it is rooted in the Dutch Reformed tradition, and only in the twentieth century was it widely recognized in Reformed circles. Against this background the hermeneutical problem, linked with the principle of sola Scriptura, is presented, and put into an ecumenical perspective: the Church as grounded in the gospel. Finally, the article focuses on Church polity as an important field of renewal, taking into account Karl Barth’s interpretation of this phrase. From this perspective, a balanced and ecumenical approach of Church renewal is possible.

scholarly journals ‘Ecclesia reformata semper reformanda’ Church renewal from a Reformed perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo J. Koffeman
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Church Renewal ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Tradition ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church Polity ◽  
Important Field ◽  
The Church

With a view to the theme of church renewal, this article explores the role of a well-known and popular phrase in the Reformed tradition within Protestantism, that is, ecclesia reformata semper reformanda [‘the reformed church should always be reformed’]. Is this a helpful slogan when considering the possibilities and the limitations of church renewal? Firstly, the historical background of this phrase is described: it is rooted in the Dutch Reformed tradition, and only in the 20th century it was widely recognised in Reformed circles. Against this background the hermeneutical problem, linked with the principle of sola Scriptura, is presented, and put into an ecumenical ecclesiological perspective: the church is grounded in the gospel. Finally, the article focuses on church polity as an important field of renewal, taking into account Karl Barth’s interpretation of this phrase. From this perspective, a balanced and ecumenical approach of church renewal is possible.

scholarly journals Wanneer een twee word: ’n Perspektief op resente gebeure in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim A. Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
Historical Background ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church Polity ◽  
Ideological Differences ◽  
The Media ◽  
Critical Theology ◽  
The Church

When one becomes two: A perspective on recent events in the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa. On 28 July 2013 13 congregations of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika) declared themselves independent and constituted as the ‘Geloofsbond van Hervormde Gemeentes’. This contribution examines the recent historical background to this event as well as several contributing factors such as the role of the media, the role of organisations, differences in theology as well as ideological differences. The conclusion is reached that a tension-filled discourse between confessional and critical theology, linked to clear ideological views, were the main contributing factors to divisions in the church. The contribution concludes with a discussion of some implications of these events from the perspective of church polity.

scholarly journals Die stryd om die aard en omvang van die tugreg by die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Sendingkerk (1881−1994)

2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Anne Plaatjies Van Huffel
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Disciplinary Power ◽  
Inaugural Meeting ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church Polity ◽  
Mission Church ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Church ◽  
Mission Churches

The struggle of the Dutch Reformed Mission Churches (1881–1994) with reference to the character and extend of discipline. In this article the struggle concerning the nature and extent of the disciplinary power in the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) (1881–1994) is discussed. Since the establishment of the DRMC in 1881 until 1982 the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) retained the right to censure and discipline the missionaries in the DRMC. The article argues that the struggle for disciplinary power under the Constitution of the DRMC, the Statute of the DRMC as well as under the memorandum of agreement between the DRMC and the DRC, was nothing less than an attempt by the DRMC to entrench the principles of Voetius in the disciplinary power of the church polity and church government of the DRMC. In 1982 the DRMC accepted a new church order in which these principles were entrenched. The acceptance of this church order provision concluded the DRMC’s struggle for disciplinary power of all its officers, missionaries included, which already began in 1908. At the inaugural meeting of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa a Church Order was adopted in which provisions with regards to the disciplinary power based on above principles was hedged.

scholarly journals The Role of the Church in Socio-Economic Transformation: Reformation as a Transformation Process

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leepo Johannes Modise
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Social ◽  
Church And Society ◽  
The Church

This paper consists of five parts. Firstly, a brief historical background of reformation will be discussed as an exercise to remember reformation. Secondly, we review the role of the ecumenical church (SACC) prior to democracy in South Africa. The purpose for focusing on the role of the church from this period is that it gives us a model to follow in our involvement in socio-economic transformation. Thirdly, the social and economic challenges facing the church and society in democratic South Africa will be discussed. Fourthly, we debate the role of the ecumenical church (SACC) in democratic South Africa. Fifthly, the article explores what role the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa (URCSA) is playing (descriptive) and ought to play (normative) through all her structures to transform the socio-economic situation in South Africa.

scholarly journals Nelson Mandela on leadership and the role of the churches: An interview

2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 615-620
Author(s):  
N. R. Mandela
Keyword(s):  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Special Edition ◽  
Special Significance ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Nelson Mandela ◽  
Theological Argument ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

In October 2002 the editor of Die Kerkbode, official newspaper of the Dutch Reformed Church (N G Kerk) paid a visit to ex-president Nelson Mandela. He talked about his life, leadership, as well as the challenges to the churches in our day. His gracious remarks on the role of the Dutch Reformed Church is of special significance, in view of the fact that during many years the church not only supported the policy of Apartheid, but provided a theological argument for doing so. During the 1990s the church, on a number of occasions, confessed guilt in this regard. Dr Frits Gaum, editor, provided a transcript of the interview to Verbum et Ecclesia for this special edition on leadership.

scholarly journals Screening the church: A study of clergy representation in contemporary Afrikaans cinema

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaun Joynt ◽  
Chris Broodryk
Keyword(s):  
Practical Theology ◽  
Urban Society ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
The Past ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Religious Conservatism ◽  
Political Conservatism ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
The Church

The church-funded CARFO or KARFO (Afrikaans Christian Filmmaking Organisation) was established in 1947, and aimed to ‘[socialise] the newly urbanized Afrikaner into a Christian urban society’ (Tomaselli 1985:25; Paleker 2009:45). This initiative was supported and sustained by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), which had itself been part of the sociopolitical and ideological fabric of Afrikaans religious life for a while and would guide Afrikaners through tensions between religious conservatism and liberalism and into apartheid. Given Afrikaans cinema’s ties with Christian religious and political conservatism, we explore the role – even the centrality – of the Afrikaans church in cultural activity before 1994, and then after 1994. Here, Afrikaans church is an inclusive term that brings together various denominations of Afrikaans-speaking churches, but which mainly suggests the domination of the DRC. After establishing the role of the Afrikaans church in the way described above, we move towards the primary focus of our study: exploring the representation of clergy in the contemporary Afrikaans film Faan se Trein in order to describe certain theological implications of this representation. With reference to Faan se Trein, our article notes and comments on the shifts that have occurred in clergy representation in Afrikaans cinema over the past decades. Osmer’s four tasks of practical theology, namely, descriptive, interpretive, normative and strategic are used for theological reflection. With due contextual reference to Afrikaans film dramas such as Broer Matie [Brother Matie], Saak van Geloof [A Matter of Faith], Roepman [Stargazer], Stilte [Silence], Suiderkruis [Southern Cross] and Faan se Trein, we arrive at some preliminary conclusions about the representation of clergy in mainly contemporary Afrikaans cinema.

scholarly journals The (Non)acceptance of Belhar in the Dutch Reformed Church: Analysing Synodical Debates of 2011 and 2013

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Jacobus Van Wyngaard
Keyword(s):  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
History Of ◽  
Open Session ◽  
Local Congregations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article analyses the open session debates on the Belhar Confession at the 2011 and 2013 General Synod meetings of the Dutch Reformed Church. It identifies six key themes that repeatedly emerge from arguments made by delegates, namely: 1) accepting Belhar for the sake of the youth and future of the church; 2) Belhar as guide in the mission of the church; 3) Belhar as challenge to racism within the church; 4) Belhar and its relationship to liberation theologies; 5) the role of members in formal adoption of a new confession; and 6) adoption of confessions in ways which would not make them binding on all. From these themes three matters, which remain outstanding in terms of how the Dutch Reformed Church engages with the Belhar Confession, are raised: 1) the relationship between mission and racism; 2) the history of heresy and its implication for the present; and 3) the implication of and response to black and liberation theologies. These matters are identified as challenges given particular meaning in light of the emphasis on local congregations and members of the Dutch Reformed Church when discussing the Belhar Confession.

scholarly journals Preaching and culture

2005 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
T.F.J. Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Topical Issue ◽  
Multicultural Society ◽  
Changing Environment ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

Before the new political dispensation in South Africa (1994), the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika) referred to the church as a “peoples church” (volkskerk). Owing to political changes the qualification “volkskerk” has created a certain degree of disturbance in the ranks of the church. The relationship between “church and culture” became a topical issue. Since 1994 the focus of the homiletical debate shifted to the question of the role of the church within a changing environment and again the answer to the question of “church and culture” was of utmost importance. Nowadays the reality of a multicultural society becomes a new challenge to the church. This article is an attempt to define the relation between culture and preaching from different hermeneutic perspectives, namely the cultural embedding of the biblical kerygma; the interwovenness of language and culture; and the necessity for contextuality in preaching.

scholarly journals Kern-oorwegings in die besinning oor die rol van die (NG) Kerk in Suid- Afrika se grondhervormingsdebat

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Dignity ◽  
Land Reform ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Land Expropriation ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Traditional Leadership ◽  
The Church

Core considerations in the reflection on the role of the (NG) Church in South Africa’s land reform debateThis article deals with the question as to whether the church (the Dutch Reformed Church in particular) ought to become involved in the current (2019) debate about land reform (particularly land expropriation without compensation) in South Africa. The author defends the position that such involvement is, for the church, desirable and even unavoidable. Four key elements of such involvement are identified and analysed. The first is the issue of human dignity, which is a key aspect of the message of the gospel. The second aspect is (possible) leadership. Here it is argued that the church can facilitate, but not in a traditional leadership role. Much attention is, thirdly, paid to the moral aspects of the debate. Finally, in terms of the “how”-question relating to the church’s involvement, dialogue is proposed.

scholarly journals Dort, Doleantie and Church Order

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-252
Author(s):  
Ryan Faber
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church Polity ◽  
Local Congregations ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article attends to the relationship between minor and major assemblies as prescribed by the foundational principles of Reformed church polity proposed by Mary-Anne Plaatjies-Van Huffel. It reviews the limited autonomy of local congregations and the authority of broader assemblies in the Church Order of Dordrecht (1618/19), the touchstone of Dutch Reformed church polity. It considers the challenge to historic Reformed church polity posed by the ecclesiology of the Doleantie, a secession from the Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (NHK) in 1886 under the leadership of Abraham Kuyper. Finally, it evaluates a contemporary church order (of the United Reformed Churches in North America), that explicitly codifies Doleantie ecclesiology. The church order fails to embody the principles of Reformed church polity set forth by Plaatjies-Van Huffel. This article concludes that it cannot be considered a Reformed church order.

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