Reformed Church Research Articles

Zendingsarchitect Pieter Simon Dijkstra en zijn Nederlandse werken

Pieter Simon Dijkstra (1884-1968) is regarded as a noted Protestant church designer in South Africa, but his contribution to the built environment in the Netherlands is much less well known. His life and career in the country of his birth are of interest because they are closely aligned with the religious turbulence of the period, in which the anti-revolutionary clergyman-politician Abraham Kuyper played a prominent role. The building of new Reformed churches and schools was a direct expression of the zealous determination to spread the ‘true faith’. The architecture of the new Reformed churches was often modest and restrained, influenced by Kuyper’s view that the church space should serve the ‘gathering of the faithful’ and be arranged in such a way that congregants could see and hear one other and the minister. Dijkstra, born to a clergyman father with a missionary zeal, delivered various designs in this Reformed context.
 Although Dijkstra grew up and trained in the northern Netherlands, Zeeland became his main area of operation. In 1908, after time spent working in Groningen (Spijk) and Germany, Dijkstra settled in Vlissingen (Flushing) where he set up his own architectural practice. At the time Vlissingen was an internationally oriented city undergoing a radical transformation under the direction of the liberal alderman of public works, J.G. van Niftrik jr. (1889-1924). Dijkstra designed two new hall-type Reformed churches: one in Geersdijk (1910) and the Eben Haëzer church in Vlissingen (1910). There followed a remarkable inter-denominational collaboration after the English Presbyterian community’s place of worship in the St Jacob’s Church was destroyed by fire in 1911. After Dijkstra’s initial design for a simple hall church was rejected, the authoritative Catholic architect Pierre Cuypers (1827-1921) was commissioned to provide a sketch design for a small yet monumental building. Cuypers’ design for a neogothic church based on an octagonal plan was further elaborated by Dijkstra. The church was inaugurated in 1914.
 This unique project was followed by the Vlaswiek Reformed Church in Bovensmilde (Drenthe, 1915) and the Reformed Church in Kamperland (Noord-Beveland, 1923). The design for this robust church with corner tower and amphitheatre arrangement is in line with Kuyper’s views and foreshadows Dijkstra’s later church designs in South Africa.
 Dijkstra designed school buildings for the various Reformed communities in and around Vlissingen (in Koudekerke and Arnemuiden) and social housing estates, including three for the Protestant-Christian housing association Gemeenschappelijk Belang (Common Interest), partly in collaboration with P.J. Hamers (1882-1966). Among his commissions for retail spaces is the striking expressionist radio shop he designed for H.J. van der Meer en Zonen (1923 and 1926), still extant. In 1927, all out of the blue, Dijkstra decided to emigrate with his family to South Africa, where he continued to develop as a Reformed church architect. This article not only provides an assessment of his Dutch oeuvre as a prefiguration of his South African work, but it also positions him as an interesting architect within the Dutch context of his day, characterized as it was by verzuiling (lit. ‘pillarization’, a form of compartmentalization along socio-political or religious lines).

Die diakonale reis van die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk

Diaconal journey of the Dutch Reformed ChurchThe aim of this article is to look at the development of the deacon’s position in the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa by investigating the founding, development, and management of the deacon’s position in the church. It is not the purpose to investigate the deacon’s position from a Biblical exegetical point of view but rather to look at the historical development of structures such as the Algemene Diakensvergadering, Ondersteuningsraad whose name was later changed to RATA, the children’s homes which were later converted into the DPS homes and the old age homes which were restructured in the Ons Tuis Monument-tehuise. We shall attempt to look at the development of the deacon’s position, and also consider the developments that lead to the founding and phasing out of the deacons’ meetings, and Circuit deacons’ meeting, as well as the effect that had on the service delivery of deacons. A journey, therefore, examining the past along with the future. We shall take the lessons we have learned in the past and apply them to improve our endeavours in the future which have already commenced.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article is intradisciplinary, since it combines different fields within Practical Theology, like, diaconate, ecclesiological studies, and family and youth ministry. It also attends to church history. It is intradisciplinary in its attention to social sciences, more specifically social work.

Diens van barmhartigheid of diakonaat – hoe belangrik is ’n naam?

Churches hold different views regarding the office of deacon and role of deacons in the church. Churches also use different terms for their social ministries. This lack of a common language regarding the church’s diaconal ministry often creates confusion in the ecumenical discourse on the diaconate of the church. This article explores the hypothesis that the conceptualisation of a church’s diaconal ministry is influenced by a specific frame of reference, be it a historical perspective, a specific theology or tradition. In this case study of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) it is shown how a specific historical and theological understanding of diaconal ministry determines not only this church’s preference for the term ‘service of compassion’ but also its diaconal praxis. The article concludes with a suggestion to the DRC to consider the use of the concept diakonia in contemplation of more active participation in ecumenical disourses regarding the diaconate of the church.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article describes how a specific historical and theological understanding of diaconal ministry determines not only the DRC’s preference for the term ‘service of compassion’ but also its diaconal praxis. The suggestion to more actively participate in developing a common understanding of diakonia ecumenically has implications for the DRC’s ecclesiology, as well as its missional and social ministries.

The importance of embodiment from a womanist perspective: an interview with Tessa Henry-Robinson

ABSTRACT The original keynote at the conference was in the form of a panel discussion entitled Embodiment in Black and Womanist Theologies, chaired by Delroy Hall with the contributions of Anthony Reddie and Jarel Robinson-Brown. Tessa Henry-Robinson was also due to be on the panel but was unable to be present. The session developed into an inspiring and challenging theological reflection on the experience of the contributors, all black men living in the UK. However, the female and womanist voice was missing. In this article, Tessa Henry-Robinson makes an important contribution to discussions about embodiment and particularity from a black woman’s perspective, as someone who has known marginalisation and oppression, and is now moving into a position of more influence and authority in her role as Moderator of the General Assembly United Reformed Church from July 2023 onwards, the first ethnically minoritised woman to hold this role. In this article, in response to questions set by Manon Ceridwen James, she explores her experience, her research into embodiment from a womanist perspective, and her hopes for her new role.

Whose Equality? Freedom of Religious Associations and Gaum v. Van Rensburg

AbstractIn Gaum and Others v. Van Rensburg NO and Others, the South African High Court held the view that a decision taken by the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church, which included a condition of a life of celibacy for gays and lesbians in order to be ordained as ministers in the church, along with a prohibition against the solemnizing of same-sex civil unions by ministers in the church, resulted in a violation of the right to equality and that unfair discrimination based on sexual orientation had taken place. Consequently, the finding in Gaum postulated a specific view on the permissible boundaries regarding conduct related to sexual orientation that should apply to a religious association. In this regard, Gaum is of concern when considering that courts in democracies around the world generally refrain from getting involved in matters related to the central doctrines of a religious association. Gaum’s findings are disquieting not only for the effective protection of the right to freedom of religion (in both an individual and associational context) but also for the furtherance of diversity. It is argued in this article that Gaum exceeded its jurisdiction in adjudicating on matters related to conduct regarding sexual orientation, an argument that critically focuses on the concept of equality against the background of the importance of the protection of the autonomy of religious associations.

A Jamaican Response to the Call to Act Together

AbstractThis article is an exploration of following the way of Jesus regarding apologies and restitution for slavery. Three stories of good practice from the North American Jesuits, the United Reformed Church, and the Church of England are contrasted with stories of the abuse of children from First Nations people in Canada, poor families in Ireland, and the transportation of allegedly indigent children from Britain to Australia. These accounts are used to examine critically how far the church is following the call of Jesus to care for the vulnerable and identify with the marginalized in interactions with those sexually abused in churches, in engagement with sex workers, and the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. A poetic reflection from the voice of the man who lived outside his community of the Gadarenes concludes the article.

Politics and Culture in French Revolutionary Church Reform

Reform aimed towards the Catholic Church at the dawn of the French Revolution began with political motivation but quickly took on a deeper cultural significance. Records focused between 1789 and 1791 show that the best way to create change was through the Third Estate and by reducing the status and resources of the Church. The National Assembly exposed the Church as an institutional opposition to the people and their newfound civil liberties. The Third Estate was placed in a position where they had to choose between following the newly emerging spirit of revolution or their long-standing religious devotion, the Revolution won out. What began as a mixed reaction from both devout Catholics and inspired revolutionaries, quickly turned into a more radical anti-clerical movement by the end of 1791. This research turns away from the perspective of the clergy and instead brings to light the reaction of the Third Estate.

Missionale diakonaat: Van fragmentasie na integrasie en impak

The Dutch Reformed Church has a history of social care and development through its professional social service organisations, and of goodwill through its congregations and members. Since 2002, declarations of intent for transformative service from the church in all its facades have testified to the Dutch Reformed Church’s commitment to contribute to a better life for everyone in South Africa. However, it appears in practice that the Dutch Reformed Church’s response has fallen into silos and that it has been challenging to accomplish collective impact.The publication of the Dutch Reformed Church’s Framework Document for Missional Transformation (2013) has increased the need for an in-depth discussion about the diaconate. An outdated diaconate policy (1994) exposed problems with which the Dutch Reformed Church is struggling. It showed, among other things: the ecclesiocentric focus of the diaconate; a theological departure that has not kept pace with the development of a missional theology; and the disposition for separate operatives between the different forms of ecclesiastical diaconate.The aim of this article is to react to the potential for collaboration between different forms of the diaconate in the Dutch Reformed Church. The Research Strategy for Missional Transformation (2018) provides an approach that allows clarification of a research problem that leads to the design of prototypes in the next phase of research. The research shows that collaboration should be approached in a nuanced way, and that practice theory for integrated diaconal ministry should be further researched and developed.Intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary implications: Theological development contributes to a new appreciation for a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to diaconal work.

Non-Committed Consumers or Theologically Engaged Ecumenists? Thinking Differently About Church Membership for Young People

Abstract Research about the faith of young people (by which I mean Millennials and Generation Z) has suggested that they are increasingly non-denominational or denominationally fluid, with a method of choosing churches that is in line with neo-capitalist consumerism. This has created a focus of completely reimagining the church to appeal to young people. This paper, by tracing the historical interdenominational and ecumenical student movements, explains that young people tend to understand their denominational identity differently depending on their evangelical or theologically liberal/progressive stance. Yet neither stream alligns to this reductive post-denominational rhetoric that removes ecumenical and theological sophistication from young people. By using the case study of the United Reformed Church Youth (thereafter urc Youth), which consists of a broadly theological and politically liberal group of 14–26-year-olds, I argue that young people are ecumenically aware and value being integrated into larger denominational structures.

Fiftieth Anniversary of Leuenberg Agreement between EuropeanLutheran, Reformed, and United Churches

Fiftieth Anniversary of Leuenberg Agreement between EuropeanLutheran, Reformed, and United Churches

‘Het ambt zal zijn verpersoonlijking van de gemeente’

Daniël Chantepie de la Saussaye (1818-1874) was an important theologian in the first decades after the new constitution of the Netherlands in 1848. Representing the ‘Vermittlungstheologie’ but with strong ties with calvinism and influenced by revivalism, he was vividly involved in debates about positioning and restructuring the Dutch Reformed Church. This article investigates his thoughts on church ministry. Important elements are the common priesthood of all believers (including their suffrage) and church ministry as ‘personification’ of the life of the Holy Spirit in the congregation. Comparing these thoughts with the most recent statement of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands on church ministry, a shift turns out towards a stronger ranking of it as apostolic, sharing the same vocation by Christ, and towards a privatization of church ministry as a means of the Holy Spirit besides the church communities. The typical reformed concept of ministry as ‘ministry of the Word’ is weakened.

Церковная реформа Екатерины II: социально-правовой и статистический анализ (на примере Владимирской губернии)

The article examines the position of church and monastery structures as a result of the church reform of Catherine II. F meaningful statistical analysis is carried out using the regulatory framework and archival materials. The conclusion is made about the influence of the process of secularization on the church and monastery system.

Abuse, Cover-Up, and the Need for a Reform of Church and Theology

This article examines the non/place of victims and survivors of sexual and spiritual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church against its claim to a systemic inability to err and fail. Rather than attending to the victims and survivors of abuse, church hierarchies often cared more for the actual abusers and the unblemished image of the church and its sexual ethics. In what way does the absolutist power structure in the church facilitate this lack of attention to the victims and survivors, and how would the overcoming of the clergy-laity divide allow the church to regain credibility and trust among the followers of Jesus Christ? The article invites a renewed reflection on the Christian praxis of love and its potential to encourage the church to move the victims and survivors of abuse to the centre of its attention.

The Emergence of Pastoral Authority in the French Reformed Church (c. 1555–c. 1572). By Gianmarco Braghi. Bologna Studies in Religious History 1. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 2021. x + 324 pp. $126 cloth.

The Emergence of Pastoral Authority in the French Reformed Church (c. 1555–c. 1572). By Gianmarco Braghi. Bologna Studies in Religious History 1. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 2021. x + 324 pp. $126 cloth.

The Castrates, the Specter of Pugachev, and Religious Policy under Nicholas I

The Castrates, the Specter of Pugachev, and Religious Policy under Nicholas I Maureen Perrie (bio) The tenure of L. A. Perovskii in the Ministry of the Interior (1841–52) witnessed a growing interest by the tsarist government in the collection of information about the Old Believers, the traditionalist Orthodox Christians who rejected the church reforms introduced under Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century. Perovskii's policies have been well described by Thomas Marsden in his book on religious toleration in 19th-century Russia. Marsden sees Perovskii's approach as marking a new stage in government policy toward the Schism. By stressing its political significance and depicting it as a potential threat to the security of the state, Perovskii laid the basis for the policies of his successor, D. G. Bibikov, who in 1853–55 embarked on a campaign of harsh repression of Old Belief.1 Marsden identifies three main areas in which Old Belief was found to be a political threat in the mid-19th century. First, in 1846 the priested Old Believers (popovtsy) established an episcopate in Austrian Belaia Krinitsa which could ordain priests for their community in Russia, thereby evading the restrictions on their acquisition of priests that had been imposed by the government of Nicholas I. Second, the community of priestless Old Believers (bezpopovtsy) based in the Preobrazhenskii Cemetery in Moscow was claimed to harbor antistatist elements who refused to pray for the tsar, while some of them even regarded the monarch as the Antichrist. And finally, in 1850 one of the fact-finding expeditions that Perovskii sent to the localities to collect information "discovered" in Iaroslavl´ Province the sect of beguny (Runaways) or stranniki (Wanderers), whose identification of the tsar as Antichrist had led them to avoid all engagement with the state and its institutions, thereby committing acts that officialdom understandably [End Page 299] considered to be criminal, such as nonpayment of taxes and refusal to register for the census or provide recruits for the armed forces.2 Although Marsden provides a detailed and thoroughly researched account of Perovskii's policies toward the Old Believers, his decision to focus on the schismatics, rather than the non-Orthodox sects, means that he only briefly mentions Perovskii's interest in the Castrates (skoptsy), which first drew the government's attention to the political aspects of religious dissidence as early as 1843.3 In this article I examine the government's investigations into the skoptsy in 1843–45 to demonstrate that they regarded them as a threat not only because, as Marsden states, they identified Kondratii Selivanov, the founder of their sect, with Tsar Peter III (who had reigned briefly in 1762), but also because Perovskii's officials suspected that they regarded Selivanov as a potential Pugachev, the Don cossack claiming to be Peter III who had led a mass popular uprising against the government of Catherine II ("the Great") in 1774–75.4 Since the skoptsy also believed that Selivanov (who had died in 1832) was still alive, the prospect of a new insurrection led by a pretender-tsar (samozvanets) was still—the government feared—an immediate one. Such an insurrection could involve not only large numbers of Old Believers, as the Pugachev uprising in the 18th century had done, but also discontented members of the lower classes more generally. Moreover, because of their belief that Peter III was still alive, the skoptsy rejected the legitimacy of his successors, including the reigning tsar, Nicholas I. In this respect—Perovskii's advisers suggested—they resembled other religious dissidents, especially the more radical Old Believer priestless sects who viewed the tsar as the Antichrist. Thus in spite of the relatively small numbers of skoptsy, it was argued that they had much in common with other more numerous dissident groups who shared their hatred of the existing order. The reports on the skoptsy compiled by Perovskii's advisers—I [End Page 300] argue—paved the way for a broader mood of suspicion within government of the potentially politically subversive nature of religious dissent that would eventually lead to the extreme repression of the "Bibikov system" of 1853–55. The article therefore makes a contribution to our understanding of government policy not...

Переписные книги 1701–1703 гг. как источник для изучения женских монастырей Российского государства

The history of Russian female monasticism is one of the little-studied topics. One of the main sources that allows us to characterize the monasteries of the late XVII – early XVIII centuries are the census books that were compiled as part of the initial stage of the church reform of Peter I. The census books of 1701-1703 are a multifaceted source. A large place in them is occupied by information about monastic temples and their interior decoration, about the treasury, where monastic documents were kept, libraries, economic activities, land holdings, etc. The study showed that the census books for the study of nunneries are a very informative source. On their basis, it is possible to establish the number of women's monasteries. They contain information about the management of monasteries, about the social status of nuns, their daily life, as well as about the income and financing of monasteries by the state. The materials of the description to one degree or another reflect the church transformations of Peter I carried out in the country in 1701-1703, which had a significant impact on the life and way of life of the nuns. This makes the census books a very promising source for studying the history of women's monasteries in Russia at the turn of the XVII–XVIII centuries.

Veranderings in die NG Kerk se sosio-politieke omgewing: Refleksie op Kerkordes 1962 en 1998

Socio-political changes in the Dutch Reformed Church: Reflected in church orders 1962 and 1998. The Confessio Belgica or Dutch Confession of Faith (1561), article 29 confesses 3 indications regarding the marks of a true church: the scriptural-based preaching of God’s Word, the scriptural service of the sacraments, and the maintaining of church discipline. A reformed church order gives guidelines how this should be achieved practically by the church. In applying itself to the entire life of a church, its church order normally reflects aspects of the present societal surroundings of this church. This is especially true of important socio-political changes of which the church, as part of society, and with its order made in that situation, normally gives indications. In being a visible church, every organised church gives reflections of some of its ties with the state authorities of the country and its politics. These reflections also communicate something of the approach of this church to these issues. The norm for the articles of a reformed church order should be the Word of God, but in guiding the church to fulfil its task, a church order also reflects aspects of the customs and culture in which it finds itself.Contribution: This article formulates the purpose of a church order and the fact that such an order carries reflections of the societal customs and values in the context of that church. From a church-historical and church-political perspective, a research study of the church orders of the Dutch Reformed Church of 1962 and 1998 is used to determine something of the stance of this church in the days of social unrest in the 1960s and social changes in South Africa in 1994.

The Surnames of Old Believers in the Suwałki Region (According to Marriage and Death Records from 1924 to 1935)

The Schism of the Russian Orthodox Church was triggered by the church reforms in the second half of the 17th century. People protesting against the reforms were called Old Believers, Old Ritualists, schismatics or heretics. The church and state authorities persecuted these schismatics, leading to their migration to the outskirts of the country and beyond the borders of Russia. The first Old Believers arrived at the end of the 17th century in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was marked by relative religious tolerance.
 This article focuses on historical anthroponyms of the population of Old Believers in Suwałki, and analyzes data extracted from excerpts of parish registers of marriages and deaths (from 1924 to 1935). Based on the material, 83 surnames have been distinguished. The analysis of the collected material shows the anthroponymy of Old Believers in the Suwałki region contains Russian and Slavic features (71 anthroponyms of Russian origin; 12 foreign and hybrid surnames).

Scots Afrikaners

Scots Afrikaners

“Staande, eenparig …”? Die aanvaarding van die kerkorde deur die NG Kerk in 1962.

In 1962, the differentiated Dutch Reformed Churches of South Africa united in one General Synod. This was done on the basis of a mutual Church Order. The Dutch Reformed Church experienced this as a distinctive moment of significance in its history. The “Message to all the members of the Dutch Reformed Church” reflected the Synod’s complacency. The General Synod was envisioned as the new flagship of the Dutch Reformed Church, which at that time, was aware of the high flourishing in its existence and influence in the country. Functional value was assigned to the new church order. However, there was a small minority of pastors and theologians, most notably W.D. Jonker, who assessed the role of the Church Order differently. For them, it had to be an instrument to reform the Church, a document to bring its theology and ecclesiology to account. The Church Order could, for that matter, address the theological justification of a policy of separation. This article deals with the way in which the Church Order was accommodated in the pragmatic, functional theology of the Dutch Reformed Church. The opportunity to deploy it as a core document for the sake of reformation in the Church’s life was lost.