scholarly journals Die verband tussen gemeentebouprosesse en missionale gemeente-ontwikkeling

2011 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
André G. Ungerer ◽  
Malan Nel
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Local Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Local Churches ◽  
Local Congregation ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The World ◽  
African Context ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Mission Field

This article dealt with the process of building up the local congregation and the manner in which missional objectives are achieved. The article was undertaken against the background of the disturbing decline in membership numbers, particularly in the two traditional Reformational churches in South Africa, namely the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa. This decline is in line with similar tendencies in mainstream churches the world over. The key aspects of the theory of building up the local church was discussed and mission in the current South African context dealt with, particularly in view of the fact that an entirely new mission field has opened itself up with the influx into the country of so many people from neighbouring countries who have come to live in our midst. Missional objectives for the local church, as well as aspects that can be subjected to empirical testing are determined all along. The hypothesis wanted to verify whether local churches that have undergone a structured process of building up the local church are more successful missionally than those that have not undergone a structured process.

scholarly journals Ekklesiologie en Etiek: Die werk van Etienne de Villiers in die lig van die ekumeniese diskussie oor ekklesiologie en etiek

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrad Wethmar
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Christian Ethics ◽  
Considerable Extent ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Mutual Relationship ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The World ◽  
World Council ◽  
African Context

Ecclesiology and Ethics: Etienne de Villiers� work in the light of ecumenical discussions on ecclesiology and ethics. In honouring Etienne de Villiers, this article discusses the latter�s contribution to a deepening of the notions of church and ethics, as well as the mutual relationship between these notions in the South African context. De Villiers� work in this regard is compared with that which has been done by the World Council of Churches (WCC). The article therefore highlights the manner in which De Villiers, in line with the WCC, analysed the moral deformation, but also the transformation and formation in which especially the Dutch Reformed Church was involved in in South Africa since the middle of the 20th century. Although De Villiers mainly works in the field of Christian ethics, it is clear that the latent ecclesiological views to which his ethical contributions are related, would also, to a considerable extent, be in line with those that have been and are being developed by the WCC.

Post-Apartheid Whiteness and the Challenge of Youth Ministry in the Dutch Reformed Church

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 23-34
Author(s):  
Cobus van Wyngaard
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Youth Ministry ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Critical Attitude ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
African Context ◽  
Theological Task ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article seeks to draw from postcolonial missiology and critical perspectives on whiteness in identifying the continuing challenges concerning racialised whiteness facing youth ministry within the Dutch Reformed Church in the South African context. It suggests the development of a self-critical attitude as a central theological task of youth ministry.

scholarly journals The Missional congregation in the South African context

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Attie Van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Local Community ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Local Congregation ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
African Context ◽  
Global Church ◽  
The University

The term missional has come into use over the last years in the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa and the Department of Science of Religion and Missiology of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria. This term refers to the role of the local congregation in the local community or communities and is used with, or in the place of, the term missionary, which traditionally referred to the sending out of a missionary to some or other place. The use of the term missional includes specific views on the goal of mission, what mission is and how it should be done. In this article it is argued that this approach can be seen as a new wave of mission within the South African context, and that it is related to developments in many parts of the global church.

scholarly journals Belhar: �n Spiritualiteit van resepsie in die plaaslike gemeente

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon E. Westhof ◽  
Malan Nel
Keyword(s):  
Local Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Local Congregation ◽  
Ecclesiastical Law ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The Confession of Belhar: A spirituality of reception in the local church. The GeneralSynod of the Dutch Reformed Church took the following decision during October 2011: �TheGeneral Synod decides to make the Confession of Belhar part of its confessional foundation,that is, in terms of its church ordinances, and commission the Moderamen to prepare thenecessary processes regarding ecclesiastical law.� This article deals with the perception of,the reception of and resistance against Belhar as confession in a local congregation, ElardusPark. The research also describes how this obstructs the development of missional focus. Themain contribution of this article is to argue that the ecumenical concept�s full reception shouldbe assessed within the broader framework of building up a missional local church where aspirituality of reception is fully developed in terms of a missional positioning in Africa.

scholarly journals Die Sendingpraktyk van die Ned Geref Kerk: Enkele tendense vanaf 1952 tot met die eeuwenteling

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Van der Watt
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
New World ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Past Half Century ◽  
African Context ◽  
Traditional Fields ◽  
World Mission ◽  
The Church ◽  
Past Half

In this past half century the Dutch Reformed Church was continuously building  on the tradition of extended missionary involvement within South Africa as well as in several countries in Southern Africa. During the fifties and sixties there were a flourishing of activities, driven by, amongst other reasons, an idealism and optimism concerning the homeland-policy  or  grand apartheid. The seventies and eighties were therefore characterised by resistance; the DRC had to  reconsider its approach. While the church had to largely withdraw from the traditional fields, it found alternative areas for involvement, mainly abroad. In the nineties a whole new world dawned and the church once again had  to adapt.  The  emphasis  shifted  to local congregations and a variety of approaches. World mission came into the focus. The way ahead for the Dutch Reformed Family of Churches could only be as one united church, fulfilling it’s calling to mission within the African and especially South African context, while staying true to its reformed tradition.

scholarly journals Kan die NG Kerk vandag nog iets vir Suid Afrika beteken?

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-44
Author(s):  
A Boesak
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
South African Context ◽  
The South ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Political Tension ◽  
African Context ◽  
The University ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article is the edited version of the presentation held at the University of Pretoria’s “Theological Day” on January 31, 2008. It seeks to answer the question: “Can the Dutch Reformed Church still make a difference in South Africa today?” This article places this question within the wider world and African contexts, then focuses on the South African situation. It describes the South African context as one of spiritual uncertainties and confusion, political tension, economic inequalities and social unravelling, which each in the their own way and together put particular challenges before the church. This paper answers the question the affirmative, provided that the Dutch Reformed Church meets its own direct challenges, the most important of which is the challenge toward reunification within the Dutch Reformed family of churches.

scholarly journals The shaping and formation of a missional ecclesiology of township congregations in the Mangaung Metro Municipality during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Baron ◽  
Khamadi J. Pali
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Missional Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Missional Ecclesiology ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
African Context ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
The Church

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caught most organisations, institutions and leaders off-guard, including church leaders. This was not any different in the congregations in the townships of the Mangaung Metro Municipality. The article discusses the responses of the churches in the Mangaung district and poses the question pertinently, ‘How did (or not) the churches in the Mangaung district reimagine, restructure, and position themselves prophetically during the COVID-19 pandemic?’. This is done firstly by providing a background to the development of a missional ecclesiology in North America, United Kingdon, and South Africa. Secondly, a discussion will be focused on the characteristics of the congregations which are necessary for developing a missional ecclesiology, in terms of these phases, as argued by Baron and Maponya. However, in the final section it will bring the missional ecclesiological discourse in conversation with the shaping and developing (or not) of a missional ecclesiology in respect of congregations in the township of the Mangaung Metro Municipality. The authors provide some contours for the missional role of the church in the current South African context and the formation of a missional ecclesiology.Contribution: This article contributes to the missional church discourse in missiology, that has been a conversation within Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. The authors have been conducting research within mostly Pentecostal church in the township of Mangaung. The article is an attempt to broaden the missional church discussion in terms of region and Pentecostal ecclesiology.

scholarly journals The local church as a non-governmental organisation in the fight against poverty: A historical overview of Bethulie 1933–1935

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Historical Overview ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Organisation And Administration ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Church

Poverty is one of the greatest threats to society. In South Africa it is also one of the biggest challenges. This article starts with the challenges put to society by Mr Trevor Manuel at the Carnegie 3 conference. It then explores the possibility of if and how the church can act as a non-governmental organisation in the fight against poverty. A historical overview of the actions of Rev. E.P. Groenewald, during the drought of 1933–1934 in the Dutch Reformed Church Bethulie, serves as a case study of how the church can make a difference. It, however, also illustrates the many pitfalls on this challenging road. The article comes to the conclusion that the main challenge of the church in the fight against poverty is to act as a non-governmental organisation, which transforms values and assists society with good organisation and administration.

scholarly journals The Dutch Reformed Church as a prominent established South African church: In transition towards the 21st century

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter Kruger ◽  
Johan M. Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Denominational Identity ◽  
Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Religious Constructs ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk) is in transition because of the influences of the more recent South African epochs of democratisation, Africanisation and globalisation. The histories of these epochs extend over more than 20 years and have had a significant influence on the church. The Dutch Reformed (DR) Church changed institutionally because its place and influence within society changed considerably as a result of political and social transformation since 1994. The ongoing process of Africanisation that accompanies these transformations brings certain reactions to the bosom of the church via the experiences of its members. Most are Afrikaners being more inclined to westernised social frames of reference. Ironically, these people are more susceptible to the effects of globalisation, especially secularisation, which transposes the religious set-up of the DR Church into an open and individuated system. These developments pose major challenges to the DR Church in the sense that it has to reconsider how it approaches society, what it can contribute to the ecumenical church, why it is necessary to reflect on its denominational identity and what its academic, theological endeavours in these regards entail.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article has an interdisciplinary scope because the multiplicity of the present-day calls for interdisciplinary academic reflection. For the purpose of this article, Church Historiography helps to systemise recent ecclesiastical developments within the DR Church. To clarify the influences of these developments on the DR Church, sociological premises are incorporated to describe them within a broader social context. References to the conducted empirical study serve to explain respondents’ (members of the DR Church) social and religious constructs regarding these ecclesiastical and sociological phenomena.

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