scholarly journals Calvyn se vierde diens, die doktore-amp, en artikel 18 van die kerkorde van Dordrecht 1618 en 1619: ’n Kritiese refleksie

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andries L. Du Plooy
Keyword(s):  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Special Investigation ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
The Bible ◽  
High Esteem ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

Die artikel fokus op Calvyn se besondere rol in die formulering van artikels 2 en 18 van die kerkorde van Dordrecht 1618 en 1619. Hierdie kerkorde word steeds deur ’n groot aantal gereformeerde kerke in die wêreld aanvaar en gebruik.Onderwerpe en probleme wat aangeraak word, sluit vrae in soos die volgende: Wie is verantwoordelik vir die onderrig van Teologie? Is die tradisie geldig dat daar naas die drie dienste van Woordbedienaar, ouderling en diaken ook ’n vierde diens bestaan, naamlik dié van doktor in die Teologie? Kan hierdie tradisie, wat hoofsaaklik op die standpunte van Bucer en Calvyn berus, met die gegewens in die Bybel versoen word?Besondere aandag word aan die volgende aspekte gegee:• Historiese gegewens oor doktor in die Teologie met besondere verwysing na die standpunte en invloed van Calvyn.• ’n Kritiese evaluering van die begronding van die vierde diens op die Bybel.• Die verhouding tussen teologiese opleiding in die konteks van die kerk en/of ’n universiteit.• Besondere aandag word gegee aan die situasie in die Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika ten opsigte van die funksionering van hierdie vierde diens.Van die belangrikste konklusies wat gemaak word, is die volgende: die kerk het deur die eeue ’n besondere waardering en respek gehad vir die taak en funksie van die doktore in die Teologie. Dit het inderdaad tot groot seën van die kerke gedien. Calvyn se standpunte het dikwels tot verwarring aanleiding gegee, maar andersyds ook bygedra tot die erkenning van die belangrike funksie of taak wat hierdie vierde diens kerklik verrig. Net so vervul die doktore in die Teologie ’n besondere wetenskaplike rol aan teologiese fakulteite van universiteite.Calvin’s fourth office, the doctor ministry, and article 18 of the church order of Dordrecht 1618 and 1619: A critical reflection. This article focuses on Calvin’s special role in the ecclesiastical formulation of articles 2 and 18 in the church order of Dordrecht 1618 and 1619, which is still retained in a large number of reformed church orders in the reformed fellowship of churches.Topics and issues which are addressed include questions such as: Who is responsible for the teaching of Theology? Is the tradition valid that the doctorial or professorial office in theology exists as a fourth office beside that of ministers, elders and deacons? Is this tradition, which mainly rests on the views of Bucer and Calvin, correct in terms of the Bible?Particular attention to the following aspects is given:• Historical data on the doctor ecclesiae focusing on the views and influence of Calvin.• A critical evaluation of the foundation of the fourth office on the Bible.• The relationship between theological training in the context of a church and/or a university.• A special investigation of the situation within the Reformed Churches in South Africa in this regard.Important conclusions are made, for example that the church through the ages had a very high esteem and respect for the office of the doctor in Theology; that this fourth office is still retained in many reformed churches, with great blessing. Calvin’s views did cause some confusion on the one hand, but on the other hand it contributed to the acknowledgement of the important function the doctors in Theology have on behalf of the church and in the faculties of Theology at universities. 

scholarly journals Kerk en burgerlike owerheid: Die Nederlandse geloofsbelydenis en drie kerkordes

2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piet J. Strauss
Keyword(s):  
Church And State ◽  
Church History ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
Ten Commandments ◽  
Church Life ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

Church and state authorithy: The Confessio Belgica and three church orders. In reformed churches the Bible is regarded as the norm of the norms. The confessions of faith of these churches are the second norm and subjected to the Bible. The church order is less powerful than the Bible and the confessions but of a higher status than the normal decisions of church assemblies. Therefore, the influence of the Belgic Confession on three church orders is an important issue in these churches.The author recommends four principles to understand the relation between the church and the state authority in article 36 of the Belgic Confession: both should honour God in their activities; both are guided by the Ten Commandments; both have their own internal law to fulfil the purpose as an institution; and both should respect and co-operate with one another. Although they are not in agreement on every aspect, these principles give the guidance to understand the main issue in all four documents which are investigated. The theme of this article is of a theological and church historical nature and a contribution on a well-discussed topic in reformed churches.Contribution: It should be important for the reformed churches in the Dutch tradition that a dynamic relationship exists between their confessions of faith and their church orders. While the Bible is the first and most important norm for church life, the confessions are the second most important. Church history shows that the relationship between the church and state is of utmost importance for the church, the quality of the confessions and the order of the church.

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.

Canons to the Left of Him: Brevard Childs, his Critics, and the Future of Old Testament Theology

1997 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain Provan
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Biblical Theology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Probable Origin ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

It is well known that the seeds from which the modern discipline of OT theology grew are already found in 17th and 18th century discussion of the relationship between Bible and Church, which tended to drive a wedge between the two, regarding canon in historical rather than theological terms; stressing the difference between what is transient and particular in the Bible and what is universal and of abiding significance; and placing the task of deciding which is which upon the shoulders of the individual reader rather than upon the church. Free investigation of the Bible, unfettered by church tradition and theology, was to be the way ahead. OT theology finds its roots more particularly in the 18th century discussion of the nature of and the relationship between Biblical Theology and Dogmatic Theology, and in particular in Gabler's classic theoreticalstatementof their nature and relationship. The first book which may strictly be called an OT theology appeared in 1796: an historical discussion of the ideas to be found in the OT, with an emphasis on their probable origin and the stages through which Hebrew religious thought had passed, compared and contrasted with the beliefs of other ancient peoples, and evaluated from the point of view of rationalistic religion. Here we find the unreserved acceptance of Gabler's principle that OT theology must in the first instance be a descriptive and historical discipline, freed from dogmatic constraints and resistant to the premature merging of OT and NT — a principle which in the succeeding century was accepted by writers across the whole theological spectrum, including those of orthodox and conservative inclination.

scholarly journals The “sanctity” of marriage – an archaeology of a socio-religious construct: Mythological origins, forms and models

2008 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yolanda Dreyer
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Difference ◽  
Human Sexuality ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Social Constructs ◽  
Social Construct ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biological Reality ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship

The aim of the article is to argue that the sexual difference between female and male should be regarded as soteriologically indifferent. Though a biological reality of being human, sexuality is profoundly influenced by social constructs and the institution of marriage itself is a social construct. In this article the biological and social aspects are taken into account in a theological approach which on the one hand is interested in the relationship between God and human beings, and on the other in the way in which the Bible elucidates sexuality and marriage. The article indicates that the idea of sexual intercourse between a man and a woman as being equal to Godgiven “holy matrimony” has mythological origins. It focuses on these origins and on the multifarious forms of marital arrangements and models.

Non-Geographic Classes? Reformed Geography

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-68
Author(s):  
Leon van den Broeke
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Reformed Church ◽  
Reformed Church In America ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The Church

Abstract The Reformed Church in America is wrestling with an interesting question in ecclesiology and church order: is there a place within the church for so-called non-geographic classes. Non-geographic classes are classes which are not formed around a geographic regional principal, but by agreement in theological perspective or a peculiar way that a congregation is shaped. The question central to this article is then: is there a place in Reformed churches for non-geographical classes? In answering this question, the following will be considered: a similar proposal from the Gereformeerde Bond in the Netherlands Reformed Church in 1998; the geographic-regional principle; the Walloon Classis; the Classis of Holland; the Reformed Church in America; Flying, diocesan and titular bishops and finally a conclusion.

scholarly journals The Left and the Church in Greece: The ambiguity of political and religious domain relationships

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 103-134
Author(s):  
Niki Papageorgiou
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Government Power ◽  
Full Independence ◽  
Leftist Party ◽  
New Policies ◽  
One Year ◽  
The One ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

The occupation of government power by a leftist party in Greece (in January 2015) has formed a new political landscape and given rise to new political expectations after a long period of administration by the so-called system parties. The left-wing party, SYRIZA, was voted by Greek citizens as a new political force that could bring new policies, as it had the ambition to solve the country’s economic problems, bring social justice and tackle the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the recent long economic crisis. Regarding the religious field, the fixed aim of leftist parties was the separation between the State and the Church, which would lead to the full independence of the State from any religious or ecclesiastical influence, as well as the seizure of church assets by the State, the obligation for the clergy’s payroll to be covered by the Church, and similar demands regarding many other issues that shape the relationship between the State and the Church in Greece. This paper investigates especially the relationship between SYRIZA and the Church of Greece during the one-year period of the left-wing government, through the official discourse and political practices of the governing leftist party. For this purpose, the left-wing government’s political practices and stance towards the “religious issue,” as they are expressed by the party’s official press medium, the Avgi newspaper, are analyzed.

scholarly journals Alkitab dalam Formasi Rohani pada Era Reformasi Gereja dan Implikasi bagi Gereja Pada Masa Kini

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
K Katarina ◽  
I Putu Ayub Darmawan
Keyword(s):  
Spiritual Formation ◽  
Moral Life ◽  
Spiritual Life ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
Church Member ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
Present Context ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

This article discusses spiritual formation and God's Word in reformation. The formulation of the problem is the relationship between spiritual formation and God's Word in reformation. The author uses literature studies to collect information about spiritual formation and God's Word in reformation. Spirit for sola scriptura has produced a change in the life of the church at that moment. All teachings, church traditions, and practical actions which is conducted by church member must be tested under the Word of God. In the present context, church who facing various challenges related to moral life, teaching, and practical actions must return to the principles of word of God. To build a spiritual life, we must start from the Bible that is interpreted correctly, which then becomes a theological development, which then influences the concept of believer's thinking and practical actions. Artikel ini membahas tentang formasi rohani dan Firman Tuhan dalam reformasi. Rumusan masalah penelitian ini adalah bagaimana kaitan antara formasi rohani dan firman Tuhan dalam reformasi? Penulis menggunakan studi pustaka untuk menggali informasi tentang formasi rohani dan Firman Tuhan dalam reformasi. Semangat untuk sola scriptura menghasilkan perubahan dalam kehidupan gereja pada masa itu. Segala pengajaran, tradisi gereja, dan tindakan praktis yang dilakukan oleh setiap anggota gereja harus diuji di bawah Firman Tuhan. Dalam konteks masa kini, menghadapi berbagai tantangan gereja baik yang terkait dengan kehidupan moral maupun pengajaran dan tindakan praktis, gereja harus kembali pada prinsip Firman Tuhan. Untuk membangun kehidupan rohani maka harus dimulai dari Alkitab yang ditafsirkan secara benar yang kemudian menjadi sebuah bangunan teologi yang kemudian mempengaruhi konsep berpikir orang percaya dan tindakan praktis.

scholarly journals Reformed missionary work at Richmond (KZN): A historical analysis of its Dutch roots

2004 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Wielenga
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Political Context ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
The Political ◽  
Missionary Work ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church

In this article the Dutch roots of Reformed missionary work, based at Richmond (KZN) since 1960 are analysed. The following three aspects were investigated: the church-historical background of Dutch missionary work in KwaZulu-Natal; the political context within which the work was undertaken, the relationship between the Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA) and the Dutch churches that sent missionaries to KwaZulu-Natal, the Netherlands Reformed Churches (Nederlands Gereformeerde Kerken). The investigation undertaken in this article attempts to contribute to a deeper understanding of the sometimes uneasy relationship between the GKSA and one of her missionary partners from abroad.

scholarly journals Rethinking the message of the church in the 21st century: An amalgamation between science and religion

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk G. Van der Merwe
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Science And Religion ◽  
Western World ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The World ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Theological Training

Throughout its history, Christianity has stood in a dichotomous relation to the various philosophical movements or eras (pre-modernism, modernism, postmodernism and post-postmodernism) that took on different faces throughout history. In each period, it was the sciences that influenced, to a great extent, the interpretation and understanding of the Bible. Christianity, however, was not immune to influences, specifically those of the Western world. This essay reflects briefly on this dichotomy and the influence of Bultmann’s demythologising of the kerygma during the 20th century. Also, the remythologising (Vanhoozer) of the church’s message as proposed for the 21st century no more satisfies the critical Christian thinkers. The relationship between science and religion is revisited, albeit from a different perspective as established over the past two decades as to how the sciences have been pointed out more and more to complement theology. This article endeavours to evoke the church to consider the fundamental contributions of the sciences and how it is going to incorporate the sciences into its theological training and message to the world.

scholarly journals Die funksie en doel van die Apostoliese Geloofbelydenis

2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignatius W.C. Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
Reformed Church ◽  
Original Intention ◽  
History Of ◽  
Reformed Churches ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Church

The article deals with the function and aim of the Apostles’ Creed in the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa – and for that matter, all other Reformed churches. The history of the Credo is carefully described. By so doing the earliest uses of the Creed are established. This information is necessary to determine the present-day function and aim of our confession.The relationship between faith, confession and the catechisms also provides important perspectives on the role of the Creed in the life of the church. The ecumenical nature of the church and the unity amongst Christians are emphasised. Unity with previous generations also receives attention as one of the main functions of the Credo.In the article, attention is further given to a variety of misunderstandings about the Creed. Due to the fact that the confessional documents interpret the Credo, these documents tend to receive a status beyond the original intention. The Reformed understanding of the doctrinal standards is therefore explained.

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