scholarly journals Belhar, Liturgy and Life

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Laubscher
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Social Location ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Rule Of Faith ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Rule Of Life ◽  
Christian Worship ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Relationship

Celebrating 25 years of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) inevitably calls for further exploration of how to live and love the Belhar Confession. I shall argue that, within the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), we have discussed the acceptance of the Belhar Confession at great lengths, with hardly any suggestions of prayer and worship within the Confession itself. Much has been written in academic literature on the relationship between the Belhar Confession, the rule of faith (doctrine), and the rule of life (ethics). Yet, it is surprising that there is hardly any literature on its relation to the rule of prayer (worship). Writing from a very specific social location, I argue and suggest that our deepest challenge and opportunity, at present, is to explore how to receive, embody and celebrate the Belhar Confession by exploring its rich and varied liturgical potential and use for Christian worship throughout the entire liturgical ordo. Bathing the liturgy in the joyous words of the Belhar Confession might help us find new impetus in discovering and receiving each other anew.

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 black church as the womb of black liberation theology?: Why the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) is not a genuine black church?

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rothney S. Tshaka
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Black Church ◽  
Black People ◽  
Black Theology ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Black Liberation ◽  
Black Liberation Theology ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Critical Theology ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article sets forth a controversial thesis which suggests that the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, although considered a black church, is in fact not a black church in the sense in which a radical black church is traditionally understood. A black church, it is argued, is perceived to be one that is a self-determined church which supports initiatives of ameliorating the depressive situations in which black people find themselves. References are made to black theology as a critical theology which was never accepted in the black church due to the dependency syndrome which was brought about by the white benevolence of the Dutch Reformed Church. This, it is argued, had become innate in the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa which still considers itself as a so-called daughter church of the white Dutch Reformed Church.

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.

Kritiese realisme, die Bybel, die gereformeerde belydenisskrifte en die Christelike geloof

1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-205
Author(s):  
I.J.J. Spannenberg
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Critical Realism ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Christian Religion ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
History Of ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Ebb And Flow

AbstractA number of overviews on the Biblical Sciences in South Africa have recently appeared. This article pays special attention to the one written by F E Deist (1994) Ervaring, rede en metode in Skrifuitleg: 'n Wetenskapshistoriese ondersoek na Skrifuitleg in die Ned Geref Kerk 1840-1990. Deist identifies two epistemological traditions in the Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk): naive realism and critical realism, and indicates the 'ebb and flow' of these traditions in the history of the Biblical Sciences. Since the seventies critical realism has experienced a high tide. The article discusses the effects that this high tide has for the relationship between the Biblical Sciences and Dogmatics, the Biblical Sciences and the Reformed confessions of faith, and the Biblical Sciences and the Christian religion.

scholarly journals Ministerial formation policies of the Northern Theological Seminary of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa:

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-216
Author(s):  
ST Kgatla
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Theological Seminary ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Ethnic Churches ◽  
The Ideal ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article investigates the theoretical and practical effectiveness of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa’s (URCSA) ministerial formation of the Northern Synod. The URCSA is part of the Reformed Movement (Calvinism) that was established by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) of South Africa that mainly came from the Netherlands to establish itself in South Africa and later established ethnic churches called daughter churches into existence in terms of a racially designed formula. After many years of the Dutch Reformed Church missionary dominance, the URCSA constituted its first synod in 1994 after the demise of apartheid. It was only after this synod that the URCSA through its ministerial formation tried to shake off the legacy of colonial paternalism and repositioned itself to serve its members; however, it fell victim to new ideological trappings. This article is based on a study that traces some basic Reformed practices and how the URCSA Theological Seminary of the Northern Synod dealt or failed to deal with them in its quest for the ideal theological ministerial formation.

scholarly journals Discovering and exploring ubuntu-language in the dialogue between the Dutch Reformed Church and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lieze Meiring
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
African History ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

Discussions with members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) in Ohrigstad illustrate the possibilities of ubuntu-language in overcoming racism and prejudice. After proposing a number of meanings and values related to ubuntu, this research explores the role of ubuntu-language � and at times the lack thereof � in the concrete relationship between these two faith communities as an expression of recent South African history. Ubuntu-language seems to offer unique outcomes in this relationship in strengthening identity, unleashing vitality, celebrating diversity, awakening solidarity, revealing humanity, bolstering individualism and enhancing Christianity.

scholarly journals Die reis met kerkeenwording tussen die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika en die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk in Afrika

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Plaatjies van Huffel ◽  
Johan M. Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Administration Of Justice ◽  
Corporate Entity ◽  
Rules And Principles ◽  
African Context ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The journey to church unification between the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa. The article gives a historical overview of judicial problems that the Dutch Reformed Church (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) encountered in their journey to church unification. On 14 April 1994 the DRMC and the DRCA merged and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) came into being. Firstly, attention is given to a historical overview of the unification process. Secondly, the resolutions of the General Synod of the DRCA (1991), the judicial problems that surfaced shortly after the unification between the DRMC and the DRCA, the objections against the unification process and the lawsuit that followed, will be attended to. The unification between the DRMC and the DRCA was tested in court and in 1998 the Supreme Court gave judgment in favor of the DRCA. The verdict indicated that all decisions with regards to church property were ultra vires and that the DRCA as a legal corporate entity remains. The article concludes with a few legal aspects that may be derived from the judgement. The verdict highlights the administration of justice according to established rules and principles, namely that a juristic person cannot be deprived of life, liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards. The article proposes that Reformed churches in the South African context should seriously take cognisance of the judgement. This article attempts to identify the important criteria for and characteristics of administration of justice with regard to church unification.

scholarly journals URCSA as an Impossible Community

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Boitumelo Ben Senokoane
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Church History ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Community Or ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article explores the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), argues it as an “impossible community” and deliberates its existence as an “impossible possibility.” The argument stems from the arrival of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) as a faith, and eventually, a community called a church. The article contends that under normal circumstances, URCSA should not be in existence, yet it has survived for 25 years. The reasons for this survival shall be explored and argued. The Reformed doctrine, church history, and the composition of the church are employed to prove why I speak of an impossible community or an impossible possibility. The reasons provided shall form the basis of why we should celebrate the existence and sustenance of URCSA as an impossible community.

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.

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