Abstract
While there is a universal interest for ecumenical involvement, the Reformed Churches in South Africa (GKSA) suspended relations with the Reformed Ecumenical Council, the only ecumenical movement in which the GKSA has ever been involved. Criticism has been directed at the GKSA for isolating itself and for not being concerned in the relevant problematics of the day. This article indicates what the official relations of the GKSA are, how the GKSA approaches the ecumenical calling in the present situation, what problems exist in this regard, and with what test the GKSA is confronted. In order to do this an attempt is made in this article to determine what the norms for ecumenicity according to the Scriptures are. This approach will be undertaken by examining the central revelation-historical lines which occur in the Old Testament and extend to the New Testament, and by outlining the resulting data about the character and the organisation of the church. It will be demonstrated that the church is essentially concerned with the proclamation of the word and the embodiment of the requirements of the Word: not with impersonal, organisational, technical or other structures but with the personal relation with God, the Creator, Ruler and Saviour of mankind as embodied in his (covenant) people. This is a relation with God in Christ and with the neighbour, in an existential, local context and in universal perspective The test for the GKSA will be whether justice is done to the universal character as well as the confessional character and the personal character of its calling. This threefold relation will especially become clear in the GKSA's handling o f the ecclesiastical set-up in the relation with the other National Synods, from the local level up to the synodical level, because it is especially on the level of these National Synods that a lack in the personal relations or the character of these relations is apparent.
Highlights
While there is a universal interest fo r ecum enical involvement, the R eform ed Churches in South Africa (G K SA ) suspended relations with the Reform ed Ecum enical Council, the only ecumenical m ovem ent in which the G K SA has ever been involved
In hierdie artikel word hoofsaakiik gefokus op die ekumeniese uitlewing van die GKSA, byvoorbeeld ten opsigte van sy verhoudinge met die kerke of kerklike liggame in groepsverband, en word ad hoc-samewerking of samesprekings met indiwiduele kerklike denominasies nie behandel nie
Die woorde Gere formeerde ekumene word hier in beperkte sin verstaan, maar is tog ter sake omdat Gereformeerde ekumene in die wye sin ook daardeur geraak word - iets waarop hier egter nie ingegaan kan word nie
Summary
Die Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA) het bande met die Gereformeerde Ekumeniese Raad (GER, vroeër Gereformeerde Ekumeniese Sinode) opgeskort terwyl daar wêreldwyd belangsteiling is vir betrokkenheid by ekumene (wêreidwye kerklike samewerking) en daar tans ook veral in Suid-Afrika belangsteiling is vir samewerking oor die eie kerklike grense been (vgl. byvoorbeeld die Rustenburgberaad). Wat veral aansluit by die empiriese waarneming, sê dat wysheid of kennis nie bloot met neutrale, onper soonlike waarneming te doen het nie, maar begin met die regte verhouding tot God, die dien van die Here Van Abraham word gevra dat hy sal breek met die bestaande, ‘natuurlike’ verbande en verhoudinge soos land, familie, ensovoorts (Gen. 12:1). Dit hou in dat hy sal glo in die lewewekkende mag van God, wat vir hom en sy vrou ’n kind sal gee hoewel hulle nie kinders kan hê nie, en hom op die gevaarlike pad na die beloofde land sal beskerm Verder blyk dit dat daar nie alleen eenheid en heil op die spel is nie, maar ook persoonlike beslissing en antitese (”Ek sal seen wie jou seen, en hom vervloek wat jou vervloek", Gen. 12:3). Dit hang ten nouste saam met die werksaamheid deur die Woord van God
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