Abstract
Does ecclesiastical religion fixate on the historical Jesus? In this article the question is posed whether the kingship of Jesus within modern Reformed ecclesiastical religious practice, and especially within the GKSA, is adequately recognized. It is argued that since Karl Barth, the practice of religion in Reformed churches has in essence focused mainly on the aspect of justification brought about by faith in the atonement on the cross. Another aspect also stressed in Barths’ theology, and still prevalent today, is his rejection of God’s so-called general revelation in creation and history. Since Barth a biblicistic trend has developed in which the kingship of the risen and glorified Christ has been overwhelmingly neglected. The result is that Jesus is mainly commemorated for his atonement in history and is not experienced as the living and reigning Christ in the present. Present-day faith and worship thus relate directly to the history of Jesus on earth, leaving the impression that no revelation has occurred during the past 2000 years. History has become an embarrassment to present-day preachers. It is asserted that the influence of rationalism and humanism on Reformed worship may have caused a lack of appreciation for the aspect of communion with the glorified Christ. In the GKSA the Lord’s Supper is a central event in congregational worship. The Formulary presents the sacrament as a meal to commemorate the death of Christ and does not adequately testify to His kingship here and now. It is apparent that the GKSA inherited many of Zwingli’s ideas from the Reformed churches in the Netherlands and did not fully grasp Calvin’s emphasis on actual communion with the living and reigning Christ.
Highlights
In this article the question is posed whether the kingship of Jesus within modern Reformed ecclesiastical religious practice, and especially within the GKSA, is adequately recognized
Die invloed van rasionalisme en humanisme mag bygedra het dat die gemeenskap met die verheerlikte Christus nie opsigtelik in kerklike godsdiensbeoefening na vore kom nie
Die artikeltitel stel die vraag of ons “kerklike godsdiensbeoefening” grootliks stol in die Here Jesus wat in die volheid van die tyd gebore is, opgegroei, vir drie jaar met woorde en dade opgetree en toe as Borg en Middelaar vir ons sonde gesterf het
Summary
Die artikeltitel stel die vraag of ons “kerklike godsdiensbeoefening” grootliks stol in die Here Jesus wat in die volheid van die tyd gebore is, opgegroei, vir drie jaar met woorde en dade opgetree en toe as Borg en Middelaar vir ons sonde gesterf het. Die Nagmaal wat ’n sentrale hoogtepunt in die kerklike godsdiensbeoefening van die GKSA verteenwoordig, gaan oorwegend in ’n Zwingliaanse herinnering aan die soendood op en stol daarmee eintlik by die “historiese Jesus” hoewel sy verhoging nie ontken word nie. Met “historiese Jesus” word in hierdie artikel bedoel dat Jesus onthou word vir wat Hy 2000 jaar gelede vir ons gedoen het en met “stol” word bedoel dat ons kerklike godsdiensbeoefening nie daarvandaan tot ’n lewende, geestelike gemeenskap met Hom as opgestane Here kom nie. Die begrip “historiese Jesus” is in die teologie omstrede, maar vir die doeleindes van hierdie artikel word die volgende bedoel: die aardse lewe en werk van die Here Jesus soos die Nuwe Testament dit beskryf en gereformeerde belydenisskrifte dit sedert die Reformasie bely. Indien kerklike godsdiensbeoefening ten spyte van die viering van Paassondag, hemelvaart en pinkster grootliks op “herinnering” aan die historiese Jesus saamtrek, moet dit teenswoordig ’n ingrypende invloed hê op die belewing van gemeenskap met Christus
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