scholarly journals Johan Heyns and critique in the Dutch Reformed Church against apartheid: The moderator a prophet?

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piet J. Strauss
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The World ◽  
Church And Society ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
First Time ◽  
Public Critique ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

Johan Heyns was the moderator of the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church from 1986 to 1990. This church was known as a moral and theological supporter of apartheid until the 1980s. In 1980 Heyns was, for the first time, involved in public critique against the pro-apartheid stance of his church. He took an influential part in writing a new document that criticised apartheid and was accepted by the General Synod of 1986. Heyns was elected as moderator or chairman of this synod. The years from 1986 to 1990 became the busiest of his life. He became the leader in his church’s defence of the new document Church and Society in and beyond South Africa. In order to get back into the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and to stay on in the Reformed Ecumenical Synod, the Dutch Reformed Church decided to depart from its apartheid ways. Heyns’ message on apartheid was shaped by his Reformed approach to life, in which he chose reform as the method for change.

scholarly journals From three congregations to one autonomous church: The Swaziland Reformed Church

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnau Van Wyngaard
Keyword(s):  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Family ◽  
History Of ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
First Time ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

This article covers the time from 1985 to 1992 in the history of the Swaziland Reformed Church (SRC). In 1985, for the first time in its existence, the SRC had four missionaries working in the four districts of the country. At this stage the SRC formed a presbytery within the synodical region of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) of Northern Transvaal. In 1989 – at its own request – this church became a regional synod within the DRCA. However, not long thereafter, in 1992, it was forced to become an independent Reformed church, even though it still remained part of the family of Dutch Reformed churches. Making use of original documents, this article records this history of the SRC.

scholarly journals Met die oog op genesingsdienste in die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk

1991 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-108
Author(s):  
J. P. J. Theron
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Healing Ministry ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk ◽  
The World ◽  
Healing Services ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

Towards healing services in the Dutch Reformed Church The position of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa with regard to the world wide recovery of the Church’s healing ministry is discussed. Features of liturgical healing services of other denominational churches are utilised to develop a model for the Dutch Reformed Church in Initiating this kind of public ministry.

scholarly journals Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en die Afrikanervolk kerkordelik verwoord

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-465
Author(s):  
Piet Strauss
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Active Part ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
National Party ◽  
Cultural Institutions ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk ◽  
Church And Society ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The Dutch Reformed Church and the Afrikaner – in its church orderThe Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and the Afrikaner people had close ties in the 1960’s. This was intensified by the apartheid system in South Africa. The policy of apartheid was supported by the DRC, most of the Afrikaners and the National Party in government. In 1962 the DRC determined in its church order that it will protect and build the Christian-Protestant character of the Afrikaner people. This group was singled out by a church that was to be for believers of all nations. It also gave the DRC an active part in the development of this group. The documents Church and Society-1986 and Church and Society-1990 changed all this. The close links between the DRC and Afrikaans cultural institutions ended and the DRC declared that it caters to any believer. The church order article about the Afrikaner was omitted.

scholarly journals Die Wêreldbond van Gereformeerde Kerke, die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en ’n status confessionis teen die teologiese en morele regverdiging van apartheid

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piet J. Strauss
Keyword(s):  
Moral Justification ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk ◽  
The World ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

The World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Dutch Reformed Church and a status confessionis against the theological and moral justification of apartheid. In 1982 the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) announced a status confessionis against the theological and moral justification of apartheid. It expelled two member churches, the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) and the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika) because of their known support of apartheid. This situation could only be changed if these two churches were to unequivocally reject apartheid on the basis of a status confessionis and show specified practical examples of this rejection. The meaning of a status confessionis as applied by the WARC is analysed. The reason why the WARC came to a status confessionis is historically investigated. The reaction of the DRC to this resolution and its readmittance as a member of the WARC is clarified. Attention is also given to the condition that accepting a status confessionis against the support of apartheid does not mean – for the WARC at least – that a new confession of faith should follow from this.

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 Armoede

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Church Education ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The Church ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

Poverty: A challenge for the Afrikaans reformed churches, 1994-2019This contribution gives an overview of how four of the important reformed churches in South Africa responded to the challenge of poverty from 1994 to 2019. Following an introduction, the first part of the chapter defines poverty and describes the extent of the crisis. It then gives an overview of how the Dutch Reformed Church responded by imbedding compassion into the missional calling of the church. It also describes how early childhood development became the focus of the church in the struggle against poverty. The chapter then describes how the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa was guided in her action by the Belhar Confession. The church integrated the struggle against poverty with the struggle of justice and reconciliation in a post-apartheid South Africa. The focus of the reformed churches in South Africa in addressing poverty was the role of the deacons in the local church. Education is also an important part of their fight against poverty. The Dutch Reformed Church of Africa rose to the challenge by making important structural changes in the church after 1995. This led to the empowerment of deacons in local churches through which the church addressed the poverty of members. The research shows in conclusion how the four churches used different routes to respond to the challenge of poverty in South Africa over the past 25 years.

scholarly journals Besinning oor die viering van die Heilige Nagmaal

1991 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Holy Communion ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
Dutch Reformed Church

A wide variety of forms in which Christians partake of Holy Communion still exists today. Calvin preferred the communio ambulatoria (communicants walking to and from the table), while Zwingli practised the communio sedentaria (communicants stayed seated in the pews). A variant of the latter practice is found in the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. Since the sixteenth century a form of table-community has developed in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and thence spread worldwide amongst Reformed Churches. This is still the practice today in the Reformed Churches in South Africa. This wide variety of forms raises the question whether Scripture demands only one form of participation / communion. The author investigates the question and concludes by indicating some ways of finding an answer.

scholarly journals Kerkhistoriese oorsig van die diskoers oor rasseverhoudinge en versoening in die Afrikaanse gereformeerde kerke (1990–2017)

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Anne Plaatjies-van Huffel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Race Relations ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Close Reading ◽  
The Past ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The World ◽  
Reformed Churches

A church-historical analysis of the discourse on race relations and reconciliation in the Afrikaans reformed churches (1990–2017)The Afrikaans Reformed Churches, namely the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk of Africa (NHKA) and the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA) made choices regarding the theological justification of apartheid and/or the denouncement thereof. in the past three decades. This chapter offers a close reading of synodical decisions of the Afrikaans Reformed churches with regard to the theological justification of apartheid and related issues as well as the resolutions of the General Assembly of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in 1992. The decisions of the said churches led to the re-admission of the NHKA and DRC in national and international ecumenical organisations, but eventually resulted in some schisms in the denominations. The chapter highlights the reluctance of the Afrikaans reformed churches to expedite a response to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches’ resolutions connected to the biblical justification of apartheid and to attend to reconciliation. In this chapter, attention will be paid to the following sub-themes: the struggle against the theological justification of apartheid and its legacy; from the theological justification of apartheid to a season of human dignity (DRC); from “volkskerk” to identity determined by God (NHKA); the protection of the identity of the “volk” as a God-given call to demographic unity (GKSA); jointly together towards a theology of inclusivity.

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