Abstract
The Belhar Confession of the then Dutch Reformed Mission Church officially approved in 1986 confesses that the unity of the church should be made visible. Very little has since then come of this visible unity in the family of Dutch Reformed churches. Since 1996, however, new impetus has been given to the effort to bring about institutional unity. It has especially been in their ministries of public witness and service that these churches succeeded to a large extent to give visible and institutional expression to their unity. This would hopefully enable the churches of the Dutch Reformed family to play a more effective public role in the present South African society. They, however, face two serious restrictions in this regard: the limited scope for churches to play a public role within the new liberal democratic dispensation in South Africa and the limited motivation to play a transforming public role in the churches of the Dutch Reformed family. In the article a few pre-conditions for playing an effective public role the churches of the Dutch Reformed family have to meet are discussed. The most important one is that these churches should achieve full institutional unity as soon as possible. The conclusion of the article is therefore that the interdependence of institutional unity and public witness is a reality they will have to deal with effectively if they want to move forward.
Highlights
The Belhar Confession of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church officially approved in 1986 confesses that the unity of the church should be made visible
It has especially been in their ministries of public witness and service that these churches succeeded to a large extent to give visible and institutional expression to their unity
In my opinion one has to take into account that the South African context in more than one way throws up hindrances for the churches of the Dutch Reformed (DR) family to play their public role optimally
Summary
One of the main features of the Belhar Confession of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) is its emphasis on the public witness of the church. It obliges the church to respect, enhance and celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of Southern Africa and to witness by means of respectful dialogue to people from other faiths and convictions of our faith in the Triune God. in the joint declaration of the four churches of the DR family the point of departure is taken more explicitly in the mission of the Triune God in the world than in the Belhar Confession, the same emphasis on the calling of the church to witness to the world of the comprehensive salvation in Christ and to contribute to the transformation of society is unmistakable. One has to conclude that at long last at least on the leadership level there is a strong theological consensus among the churches of the DR family that they have a calling to be engaged in transforming society and on what the main means and principles are to accomplish it
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