Abstract
Church polity in South Africa is one of the smaller theological disciplines. Different reasons for this position of the discipline maybe indicated as inter alia bad experiences with church polity with regard to church schisms, the influence of the Zeitgeist, and the lack of development in church polity in comparison to other theological disciplines. This article suggests that the impetus for the decline of reformed church polity should be found within the dominant collegialistic concept of church since the acceptance thereof in South Africa. The effect is a secularised view of the church with regard to its government, the office, the church and the church’s relationship with the state. It is suggested that a new discourse about the church and its polity should be initiated in South Africa to the benefit of the church and its polity, but also to that of the different fields which are involved with ecclesiology in various ways.
Highlights
The decline of reformed church polity in South AfricaRead online: Scan this QR code with your smart phone or mobile device to read online
Church polity in South Africa is one of the ‘smaller’ theological disciplines at the various theological faculties and seminaries; yet, it is probably one of the oldest theological disciplines
It is beyond dispute that the New Testament church had a form of order, a form of government associated with the apostles and after them with the office-bearers, especially the elders
Summary
Read online: Scan this QR code with your smart phone or mobile device to read online. In accordance with the definition of the church polity of reformed church politists the subject may be indicated as follows: Church polity is the theological discipline responsible for the scientific research of the phenomena: the ‘church’ and the ‘government’ of the church as it is revealed in God’s Word, formulated in the confessions of the catholic church and specified in the reformed confessions of unity It finds expression in the history and traditions of the church, in order to conceptualise, formulate and utilise the principles and norms of the church’s order for its existence under the kingship of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 1.In view of the fact that the South African or Potchefstroom concept of ‘kerkreg’ [church law] is understood somewhat differently from that in the European or American tradition, please take note that the term Church Polity is used throughout and its corresponding ‘politic’ (adjective) and ‘politist’ (agent) – one who practices Church Polity, to be distinguished from ‘politics’, et cetera
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