Kerk en grondwet in koninkryksperspektief

Abstract

The relationship between church and state is of utmost importance and relevance. In Scripture this importance and relevance is reflected inter alia in the relationship between Israel as the church in the Old Testament and the state of Egypt, and between Daniel and his friends and the state of Babylon in the Old Testament and in texts like Romans 13 and 1 Timothy 2:2 in the New Testament. Churches in the Calvinistic tradition confess the Biblical truth regarding the relationship between church and state inter alia in Article 36 of the Belgic Confession. In Scripture the concept of the Kingdom of God is also a central truth. On the one hand the church is already the manifestation of the kingdom. On the other hand the state as servant of God should serve the Kingdom of God and not serve the kingdom of satan in any way. In the current situation in South Africa, the Constitution with its Bill of rights as well as the implementation of the Constitution in laws and decisions of the Constitutional court and other courts, should be evaluated in the light of the Biblical principles of the Kingdom of God. A preliminary evaluation indicates that the Constitution, the Bill of rights and other laws are interpreted and implemented from a humanistic and liberal world view rather than from the perspective of the Kingdom of God. This fact emphasizes the calling of the church to witness the truth of the Kingdom in society and to the government.