Proposing Publicity Leaving Church Apolitical Piety

This article seeks to release the Church from the false dichotomy of piety vs activeness in political issues, so that church members can optimally actualize piety and public responsibilities simultaneously. Apolitical piety has been running in GKS since its establishment on January 15, 1947, as the Dutch Reformed Church's evangelism legacy. Apolitical piety places the piety only as an individual's internal affair, not covering the public sphere. This discourse is a direct influence of Pietism, which began to develop in Europe in the 16th century. And Pietism itself was present as a response to Secularism, which originated in European society since the end Middle Ages. Like Pietism, Secularism also places the Church/religion and mystical aspects as personal human affairs because it doesn't want state life to be governed by or based on religion. But ideally, I view apolitical piety as the distorted discourse that should be abandoned and embrace new discourse: politics as an integral part of Church piety.

Partakers with the Altar

Contrary to prevalent assumptions, city magistracies did not simply pay for the upkeep of the churches used by the Dutch Reformed church. Based on the archives of churchwardens for the eleven public churches of Amsterdam, this article shows that for about a century between 1650 and 1750 the churches paid for themselves, how this was possible, and why they eventually came to rely municipal subsidies. After the devastations wrought by Revolt and Reformation, the buildings were refurnished in a luxurious style, befitting the prestige of the city. Burgomasters imposed a seating arrangement that, maintained by a variety of church attendants, reflected the hierarchical order of society. The biographical background and the work of these attendants provide a window into the ritual of churchgoing. During the heyday of Amsterdam’s prosperity people were happy to pay or the services the churches provided, including the display of rank and dignity. Economic decline, critique of the established social order, and changing religious sensibilities undercut this source of funding. The report of an auditing committee, analysing the administration of churchwardens in 1795 and 1796, testifies to the difficulties even the staunchest Batavian revolutionaries experienced when rethinking early modern public finances.

‘This is a Call of God … or is it?’: Narratives about Humans, God and Eschatology in the Dutch Reformed Pietist Community during the COVID-19 Outbreak

In this study, we examine which narratives were put forward by key figures of the Dutch reformed pietist community during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyse sermons and news articles from the period March–November 2020. We find, as expected, a dominant narrative of COVID-19 as God’s judgment, a calling to repentance and an event which emphasizes the need for prayer. Although the pandemic was seen as a call by God, the systematic origin of the virus (God/Satan/natural phenomena) remained rather ambiguous. More often it was stated that ‘everything falls under His providence’. The earthly origin of the virus remained mostly unaddressed, as well as eschatological interpretations, contrary to our expectations. We conclude that the main narrative is a general message of repentance, rather than a concrete theological application to the dynamic of the virus, its origins and its subsequent spread. In some cases, virus ‘jargon’ even was used as a tool just to further accentuate general tendencies of reformed pietist theology.

As we were or seeking what we ought to be? A practical theological rethinking of the communio sanctorum in the light of COVID-19

The focus of this article is on a 69 year old Dutch Reformed congregation in Lichtenburg (North West province), South Africa. It reflects on the congregation’s understanding of the communio sanctorum, the practice of which was halted due to COVID-19. Initial responses to the crisis suggested a deep longing for the communio sanctorum and a yearning among inactive church members to reconnect to the faith community. This created an expectation of a large-scale return to public worship once social distancing measures were relaxed. Also that the leadership would pursue opportunities to reconnect inactive church members to the faith community post-COVID. It however transpired that the congregation was merely trying to restore its pre-COVID-19 homeostasis. A brief historical probe of the communio sanctorum is compared with results of a small-scale empirical enquiry into congregants’ perceptions of the communio sanctorum from an insider-perspective. The article argues that the congregation may have missed an opportunity to re-imagine the communio sanctorum due to a reductionist view. It concludes by alluding to a need for a reframing of COVID-19 as a kairos moment with a view on a reorientation towards the meaning of the communio sanctorum.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: By engaging church’s historical and empirical insights from an insider perspective of a South African congregation within a practical theological framework, the research challenges reductionist views of the communio sanctorum held by faith communities. The resultant view, that the communio sanctorum has both inward and missional meaning, has implications for post-COVID congregational studies and congregational praxeology.

Gender, Space, and Religious Privacy in Amsterdam

Silva Perez and Kristensen examine the intersection of gender and religious traditions for the use of space for two distinct religious groups: the Amsterdam beguines, a Catholic community, and the Portuguese Nation, a Jewish community. In the religiously diverse environment of seventeenth century Amsterdam, only the Dutch Reformed Church was officially authorized to have visible places of worship. Unsanctioned religious groups such as the beguines and the Portuguese Nation had to make arrangements to regulate visibility and access to their spaces of worship. Using privacy as an analytical lens, the authors discuss how strategies employed by the two groups changed over the course of the century.

Barth’s Call for a ‘Biblical Attitude’ and Miskotte’s ‘Alphabetization’ of Theology

This article is an English translation of an essay originally published in the journal Zeitschrift für dialektische Theologie in 1989. In it, Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt revisits Karl Barth’s proposal in § 23 of Church Dogmatics that ‘biblical attitude’ is the first among several norms for Christian dogmatics. The article compares Barth’s emphasis on the ‘biblical formfulness’ of theology with the program of the Dutch Reformed theologian K.H. Miskotte, which seeks to educate Christians in the ‘iconic language’ of Scripture. It argues that Miskotte is concerned with hermeneutics in such a way that “Rudolf Bultmann’s name belongs—maybe before Barth’s—in proximity to Miskotte’s.” In contrast to Bultmann, however, Miskotte aims at teaching a language and generating speech rather than catalyzing self-understanding.

Canadian Calvinists Help to Overcome Intolerance against Muslims: Dutch Reformed Theology behind a Pluralist Worldview

This paper presents a case study of the dialogue groups organized by the members of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) to hold dialogue with Muslims in Canada. Being profoundly influenced by Dutch neo-Calvinist theology, members of CRCNA promote an idea of confessional plurality, which has resulted in building relationships with Muslim communities. This study is based on fifteen interviews with participants of several Reformed Christian-Muslim groups, a content analysis of mass and social media and a variety of theological documents. Our findings show that these interfaith meetings help develop cohesive neighbourhoods and communities which facilitate new Muslim immigrants’ settlement and adjustment in Canada. This paper also points out the opportunities for further fruitful interfaith cooperation, both in the social and political spheres. However, some of the research participants are challenged with distinguishing missionary work and dialogue, which might undermine the work of the community in building bridges between Reformed Christians and Muslims.

Kerkorde en erediens

A church order and church service – Article 48 of the Church Order of the Dutch Reformed Church investigatedFor the church order of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), article 48, the core of a church service is the fact that the Triune God is meeting his church and that this meeting should be determined by the core truths or lines of the relationship between God and his church or believers. This point of departure for a church service has been maintained in article 48 since 1962. It is accepted by many churches and creates the understanding that a church service is initiated by God who speaks and his church or the believers who answer. The rhythm of God who speaks and the church who answers should be the basic movements in each service.The content and changes of church order article 48 of the DRC from 1962–2017 are investigated. Some of the changes reveal some thought or beliefs in the DRC on these issues at that time.

Die lewensbeskouing van D.F. Malan (1874–1959) soos weerspieël in openbare standpunte

The world view of D.F. Malan as reflected in his public stance. D.F. Malan was born in 1874 and grew up on a farm near Riebeeck-Wes in the Western Cape. He died in 1959 in Stellenbosch. Malan started his career as a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. Before that he regarded himself as a student in Theology with a vocation. In 1905 he became a Doctor in Theology at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. He entered politics in June 1915 by becoming the first editor of the new Dutch-Afrikaans newspaper, De Burger, and at the same time, the leader of the National Party (founded in 1914) in the Cape Province. Malan had a career in politics for almost 40 years. He retired as the Prime Minister of South Africa in 1954. In his time Malan concentrated especially on unity among the Afrikaners in culture and politics, the cooperation between Afrikaans- and English-speaking citizens, and the well-being of all the people in South Africa. As a reformed Christian in every sphere of life, Malan believed in God-given principles and a timely application of this by believers. This worldview of his became known through his preaching, speeches, articles and commentaries on matters. His worldview influenced his approach to politics and the cultural aspect of his existence. The purpose of this article is to explain this view by using primary sources. The main figure in this article was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church with a noticeable influence in the affairs of the church, and he was also a South African politician on national level. These aspects influenced the history of the church, as well as the political or general history of South Africa. It also made an imprint on church political concepts and ethical considerations that had to come to grips with Malan leaving the church ministry for politics, as well as the ethics of policies like apartheid and the political unity of an officially bilingual Union of South Africa. For Malan, his worldview determined his aims in politics, namely the cultural unity among Afrikaners, while they and their English-speaking counterparts form a successful state, and the relationship between all South Africans.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The interdisciplinary implications of this article involved the subjects of church history, general history and a political ethics approach.

Die rol van die ouerhuis in die intergenerasionele geloofsvorming van die jeug in belang van ’n geïntegreerde jeugbediening

The role of the parental home in the intergenerational faith formation of the youth for the sake of an integrated youth ministry. This article deals with the following question: What is the role of parents in the intergenerational faith formation of the youth for the sake of an integrated youth ministry? Several studies nationally and internationally have convincingly pointed out that parents have the biggest influence on their children’s faith formation. However, parents are currently still not sufficiently inclusively involved or supported in youth ministry. Osmer’s fourfold reflective equilibrium model forms the frame for how this article is structured. Nel’s theory of inclusive youth ministry is used as a theological framework from which the role of parents in intergenerational faith formation is investigated. The empirical research (quantitative, as well qualitative) was conducted among 175 parents and 10 ministers coming from 29 congregations in the Noordelike, Oostelike, Hoëveld- and Goudland synods of the Dutch Reformed Church. These congregations all have a family and/or intergenerational focus in their (youth) ministry. The research has shown that youth ministry cannot by means of programmes, structures and even relationships in any way replace the important role played by parents in the lives of their children, regardless of what happens in the youth ministry. When the parental home and youth ministries do not act as partners in the faith formation process, it does not only lead to weak faith, but also to a lack of commitment, unsustainability and ultimately alienation. Youth ministries can therefore not function effectively without an integrated ministry, which includes the parental home. With all the challenges threatening their capacity, the parental home can also not function effectively as faith mediators without an inclusive youth ministry. The research thus clearly indicates that Nel’s theory of inclusive youth ministry, is not only noteworthy, but it is also in the long term, necessary to work towards the congregation’s eschatalogical sustainability.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Youth ministries do not involve parents as the core part of their ministry. When youth ministries integrate parents into their ministry, children will be better guided in their faith formation. This adjustment calls for a paradigm shift in the focus of traditional youth ministry. Intergenerational faith formation in this study was approached within the framework of Practical Theology, Congregational Development and Youth Ministry.