A rediscovery of the priesthood of believers in Ephesians 4:1–16 and its relevance for the &lt;i&gt;Missio Dei&lt;/i&gt; and a biblical missional ecumenism

George Lotter,Timothy Van Aarde

doi:10.4102/ids.v51i2.2251

Abstract

This article is dedicated to Professor Sarel van der Merwe as missiologist and what he had done for the cause of the missio Dei in South Africa. The role of the laity in the missio Dei was one of the most significant developments followed by most church denominations. The priesthood of believers was the reformational perspective rediscovered by Martin Luther. The reformed tradition rediscovered the role of the laity in missions, which the Baptist church tradition has now developed most extensively in terms of missions. The Catholic Church has recognised the apostolicity of the laity in a decree called ‘Apostolicam Actuositatem’ at the Second Vatican Council in response to the crises of the church. The charismatics gave recognition to the role of the laity through the spiritual gifts of each believer. The role of the laity and of the priesthood of believers has its biblical precedent and foundation in 1 Peter 2:5, 9 and Ephesians 4:1–16. The contribution of Ephesians is that it provides the church with a missional mandate for the ordinary believer to participate in the missio Dei –, a mandate that has to be rediscovered in every age. The priesthood of believers provides an orientation for a biblical missional ecumenism.

Highlights

This article is dedicated to Sarel van der Merwe as a missiologist par excellence
In the Apostolicam Actuositatem, promulgates on 18 November 1965, Pope Paul VI issued a holy decree on the vocation of the laity and apostate in which he cites Ephesians (Second Vatican Council 1965): 9.Mullins takes ‘the priesthood of the believer’ to be a synonym for soul competency – the access of the believer to God
In this article it is argued that the role of the laity in the missio Dei was one of the most significant developments followed by most church denominations

Summary

Introduction

This article is dedicated to Sarel van der Merwe as a missiologist par excellence. was he a missionary in the true sense of the word by being ‘out in the field’; he took it a step further by starting to train missionaries, evangelists and ministers to proclaim the gospel on other levels.It started as a mission project in Mareetsane, developed into the College ya Mojadi and eventually the Department of Theology on the Mafikeng Campus of North-West University and Sarel van der Merwe was instrumental in having all these things happen (Brunsdon & Van der Merwe 2013:295). The priesthood of believers has the objective of one laity and clergy working together harmoniously for the well-being of the body of Christ, which is the function of the confession of Ephesians 4:4–6.

Results

Conclusion