scholarly journals Die teologiese gerigtheid van die Departement Kerkgeskiedenis 1957-1992

1992 ◽  
Vol 48 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Steenkamp
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Church History ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church ◽  
Theological Thinking

The theological character of the Department of Church History 1957-1992 The theological character of the Department of Church History at the Theological Faculty (Sec A) of the University of Pretoria is closely connected to the life and work of prof dr A D Pont. He accepted the call to the chair as a commission of the Church. His thought represents an extract of biblical and reformational theology enriched by a wide spectrum of theological thinking from the past and the present by great theologians like Kohlbrugge, Hoedemaker, Barth, Cullmann and Noordmans. The theology of the Reformation, however, is taken as the criterion of comparison for the history of the church before and since. With regard to South African Church History, Pont laid the foundations for a typical theology of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, emphasising the close relationship between the Church and the Afrikaner.

scholarly journals There is only one Church! Albert Geyser’s ecclesiology in Delayed Action

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim A. Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
Church And State ◽  
Church History ◽  
The Third ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Point Of Entry ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
History Of ◽  
Delayed Action ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church

A.S. (Albert) Geyser was professor of New Testament at the University of Pretoria from 1946 to 1961, when he accepted an appointment at the University of the Witwatersrand. He was one of the most active and outspoken critics of apartheid and played a leading role in the establishment of the Christian Institute and the appointment of Beyers Naude as the first director of the Institute. However, Geyser received very little attention either in church history or in the history of South Africa. This contribution, presented as the Third A.S. Geyser Commemorative Lecture at the University of Pretoria, reflects on Geyser’s ecclesiology. It is quite remarkable that Geyser chose ecclesiology as point of entry into the discourse on apartheid. He engaged in fundamental theological criticism of segregation in church and state based on his understanding of the unity of the church in Christ and a humanity unified under the kingship of Christ.

scholarly journals Dogmatiek en Christelike Etiek binne die Fakulteit Teologie (Afd A) van die Universiteit van Pretoria

1992 ◽  
Vol 48 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Koekemoer
Keyword(s):  
Christian Ethics ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church

Dogmatics and Christian Ethics within the Faculty of Theology (Sec A) at the University of Pretoria This article explores the history of the Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics within the Faculty of Theology. The focus is on two specific lines in this history, namely the period which ended in 1952 and the period from 1952 onwards. Attention is given to the thoughts of P J Muller, J H J A Greyvenstein, S P Engelbrecht, H P Wolmarans and B J Engelbrecht, and their influence on the study of Dogmatics and Ethics in the Department. The article concludes with a vision for the future of the Department at the University of Pretoria and it highlights the importance of theological research for the doctrine and life of the Church.

scholarly journals Hervormde spore op die Tukkie kampus – ’n Kroniek van die tweede 50 jaar

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
André G. Ungerer
Keyword(s):  
Reformed Theology ◽  
Steady Growth ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Theology Education ◽  
Political Background ◽  
Church Schism ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church

This article is about the 2nd half (50 years) of the centenary of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA) at the University of Pretoria (UP). The NHKA was the first church to join the Faculty of Theology at UP in 1917. The previous article ‘Hervormde footprints on the Tukkie campus – a chronicle of the first fifty years’ contains the humble beginnings, the steady growth, the political background during the apartheid years, and the NHKA’s role in justifying apartheid. The 70s and the 80s was a flourishing time for the Church with a steady growth in membership, an increase in the number of lecturers and students, and more or less enough money to sustain theology education at UP. During the nineties there was a decrease in membership numbers with the pivot point in 1992: from thereon there was a steady decline which was accelerated by the church schism in 2011 and onward. The two Sections of the NHKA and the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK), Section A and B, became one in 2000. The Reformed Theology College (RTC), with the aim of church specific education for students of the NHKA, was also established in 2000 with prof. T.F.J. Dreyer as the first head. In November 2015 a student protest action #FeesMustFall rocked the foundation of higher education in South Africa. The issue of language and curriculum as aftermath of the protest actions was also at stake during 2016. During 2017 the centennial celebration of the Faculty of Theology at UP will take place. It coincides with REFO 500 – the commemoration of 500 years of the Reformation.

scholarly journals Die oorgeblewe sendingtaak in Suid-Afrika

1987 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-205
Author(s):  
J. J. Kritzinger
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
The South ◽  
Research Project ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
The Future ◽  
Future Task ◽  
Contemporary Situation ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church

The remaining missionary task in South Africa This article is based on the results of a research project of the Institute for Missiological Research at the University of Pretoria which was recently concluded. The author and a team of co-workers researched practically the whole of South Africa in an endeavour to describe the contemporary situation of its population and the unfinished task of the church. The understanding of the missionary task which formed the basis of this project, and a sample of the kind of results obtained are illustrated in this article by means of 12 representative or typical scenarios which together indicate the dimensions of the future task for the South African church.

Medieval Heretics as Protestant Martyrs

1993 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 185-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Euan Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Martin Luther ◽  
Church History ◽  
Medieval Church ◽  
Church Polity ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Articles Of Faith ◽  
The Church

Two themes which figure repeatedly in the history of the Western Church are the contrasting ones of tradition and renewal. To emphasize tradition, or continuity, is to stress the divine element in the continuous collective teaching and witness of the Church. To call periodically for renewal and reform is to acknowledge that any institution composed of people will, with time, lose its pristine vigour or deviate from its original purpose. At certain periods in church history the tension between these two themes has broken out into open conflict, as happened with such dramatic results in the Reformation of the sixteenth century. The Protestant Reformers seem to present one of the most extreme cases where the desire for renewal triumphed over the instinct to preserve continuity of witness. A fundamentally novel analysis of the process by which human souls were saved was formulated by Martin Luther in the course of debate, and soon adopted or reinvented by others. This analysis was then used as a touchstone against which to test and to attack the most prominent features of contemporary teaching, worship, and church polity. In so far as any appeal was made to Christian antiquity, it was to the scriptural texts and to the early Fathers; though even the latter could be selected and criticized if they deviated from the primary articles of faith. There was, then, no reason why any of the Reformers should have sought to justify their actions by reference to any forbears or ‘forerunners’ in the Middle Ages, whether real or spurious. On the contrary, Martin Luther’s instinctive response towards those condemned by the medieval Church as heretics was to echo the conventional and prejudiced hostility felt by the religious intelligentsia towards those outside their pale.

Sola Scriptura in Africa: Missions and the Reformation Literacy Tradition

2019 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-87
Author(s):  
Steven van Dyck
Keyword(s):  
Print Culture ◽  
Church History ◽  
First Century ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Print Communication ◽  
Mission Movement ◽  
The Church

This theoretical reflection addresses issues arising in the history of world Christianity, in particular regarding mission churches in Africa since the nineteenth century. The article first evaluates the development of oral, manuscript and print communication cultures in western culture, and their influence since the first century in the Church. Modernity could only develop in a print culture, creating the cultural environment for the Reformation. Sola Scriptura theology, as in Calvin and Luther, considered the written Word of God essential for the Church’s life. The role of literacy throughout Church history is reviewed, in particular in the modern mission movement in Africa and the growing African church, to show the importance of literacy in developing a strong church. In conclusion, spiritual growth of churches in the Reformation tradition requires recognition of the primacy of print culture over orality, and the importance of a culture of reading and study.

scholarly journals The University of Pretoria’s centenary celebration in 2008: A message of congratulation from the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T.F.J. Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Academic Training ◽  
The Past ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of The University ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church ◽  
Important Stimulus

The Church Reformation of the sixteenth century provided an important stimulus to the academic training of ministers at universities. The origin of some of Europe’s oldest universities is closely associated with faculties of theology. In some instances universities grew from the early beginnings of a theological faculty. The past hundred years of history of the University of Pretoria (UP) also reflects something of this close partnership between theological training and a university. The Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa (NHKA) has been part of UP ever since the establishment of a faculty of theology at this university in 1917. Opsomming: Die Kerkhervorming van die sestiende eeu was ‘n belangrike stimulus vir akademies- universitêre opleiding van predikante. Die ontstaan van die oudste universiteite in Europa is ten nouste verweef met teologiese fakulteite. In sommige gevalle het universiteite gegroei vanuit ’n aanvanklike teologiese fakulteit. Die honderd jaar se geskiedenis van die Universiteit van Pretoria (UP) reflekteer ook iets van die verbondenheid van teologiese opleiding met UP. Van die honderd jaar was die Nederduitch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA), vanaf die vestiging van ‘n teologiese fakulteit in 1917, verbonde aan die Universiteitvan Pretoria.

scholarly journals Sharing in God�s surprise: The place and role of the Department of Science of Religion and Missiology at the University of Pretoria

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter G.J. Meiring
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Past ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
African Context ◽  
Science Of Religion ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church

During the centenary year of the University of Pretoria (2008), the Department of Science of Religion and Missiology took stock of its activities during the past 55 years, since the first professor in Missiology, H.D.A. du Toit, was appointed. In his wake a number of missiologists followed � C.W.H. Boshoff, D. Crafford, P.G.J. Meiring, J.J. Kritzinger, P.J. van der Merwe, A.S. van Niekerk and C.J.P. Niemandt � each of whom has contributed to the formation of hundreds of ministers and missionaries, as well as to the development of missiology and science of religion in South Africa through their research and writings. In this article, the place of missiology among the other theological disciplines at the University of Pretoria is discussed, together with an analysis of the nature and the mandate of missiology and science of religion in South Africa in our day. This article discusses five specific challenges to missiology at the beginning of the third millennium, namely to maintain its theological �roots�; to operate in close relationship with the church; to focus on our African context; to concentrate on a relevant agenda; and to develop a responsible methodology. Attention is given to some of the more important publications by members of the Department.

scholarly journals Mission as breaking down walls, opening gates and empowering traders: From contextualisation to deep contextualisation

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelius J.P. Niemandt
Keyword(s):  
Trade Flow ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
First Century ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church ◽  
Breaking Work

The research addressed the issue of symbolic walls that divide, segregate, preserve and institutionalise. The way in which institutions and especially the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria facilitated symbolic ‘walls’ was discussed in the overview of the Department of Science of Religion and Missiology in the first century of the Faculty of Theology. The concepts of ‘gatekeepers’ and ‘traders’ were then applied because walls, paradoxically, need gates to facilitate control, movement and, eventually, life. Gatekeepers were described as the guardians of the status quo, and traders as agents who, in one way or another, facilitate movement, trade, flow and life in the midst of the shadows of walls. Missionaries are, by the very nature of the missionary enterprise, more traders than gatekeepers. Here, the work of Bosch – specifically his ground-breaking work on mission as contextualisation – provides an explanation of the art of mission as breaking down walls, opening gates and empowering traders. That is precisely why Missiology is particularly well suited to assist the church and theology in the art of breaking down walls. The theological imperative of contextualisation means that the life of the church, theology, and  thus theological training, cannot do without Missiology. The concept of ‘deep contextualisation’ was discussed as a particularly relevant approach to include a post-anthropomorphic discourse in Missiology. It can assist with the reorientation of the history of mission on the whole of history and, thus, also deep history. The concept also provides a way to address the discourses on colonialisation and includes a reorientation on the future and embracing hope.

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