Dutch Reformed Church In Africa Research Articles

Reforum: A brief but not unimportant chapter in the Dutch Reformed Church’s apartheid saga

In 1985 when storm clouds were gathering over South Africa, and a state of emergency was declared, a group of members of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) Family, clergy as well as laity, founded an organisation, Reforum. The two-fold aim of Reforum was to provide a prophetic witness against apartheid, calling the DRC to take leave of its theology of apartheid, and, secondly, to work towards the reunification of the DRC Family. The article researches the original Reforum documents, minutes, reports, conference material and letters, that hitherto laid untouched in the DRC Archive, in Pretoria. The programme of Reforum, especially the national and regional conferences held by the organisation over the 7 years of its existence, is discussed. The initial negative reaction of the DRC officials and synods, as well as the critique from some in the Dutch Reformed Mission Church and the DRC in Africa that Reforum was not radical enough in its approach, are recorded. The summation, at the end, is that Reforum did play a significant role, albeit humble and short lived, in the annals of the DRC’s apartheid saga. Relevance: The DRC’s apartheid saga, the story of a church that had over many years lived with apartheid and even provided a theological argument for separate development, eventually came to the point where the DRC not only repented of its past, but declared apartheid and the theology of apartheid a sin and a heresy, continues to fascinate historians, including church historians. For South African Christians, clergy as well as laity, it helps explain their often troubled past, as well as present. The often neglected story of Reforum and the role and contribution of the organisation in this process needs to be recorded. Original research: the author provides original qualitative research, using material that had lain untouched in the DRC Archive for three decades. This may be considered to be a preliminary study. The archival material merits more and deeper attention. It may well provide material for post graduate research.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research is of value for the study of South African general history, South African church history, ecumenical studies, and practical theology.

The Claims of Diversity: The Uniting Reformed Church, Diversity and Qualitative Unity

The first 25 years of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa was dedicated to stabilise and deepen the unity achieved between the former Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and the Dutch Reformed Mission Church, while simultaneously fighting off challenges posed by the break-away DRCA. A vital characteristic of these two churches was that they brought multiple diversities to the unification process—diversities of language, gender, laity, age, spirituality, and different abilities. URCSA did not often address these challenges openly, but they functioned as underground currents that reached visible manifestations when leaders had to be elected. At the last regional synod of URCSA in the Cape (2018), a debate ensued and a contesting of leadership positions occurred, that affirmed a mechanistic model of cultural representation and side-lined greater gender recognition. These attempts bear witness to the reality of diversity and compel URCSA to address this vital issue in a way that remains true to the Gospel, affirming our fundamental unity while drawing on our diversity as sources of enrichment. URCSA has the inestimable resource of the Belhar Confession 1986 that drew on the biblical tradition to approach the issue of diversity and unity. This essay will clarify the issue of diversity in relation to unity in the church and investigate how diversities are addressed as they impact on culture and gender. The author will draw on the work of the late political philosopher, Iris Marion Young, to investigate various approaches to diversity. The essay proposes that if we do not address the reality of diversity in a significant way, the unity of the church will not reach meaningful depth and a new dominating hegemony will replace the aspiration to qualitative unity, thereby limiting the contribution and access of different constituencies in URCSA.

Whose Land Is it anyway? A historical Reflection on the Challenges URCSA Encountered with Land and Property Rights

The proposal to amend the Constitution of South Africa 1996 regarding the expropriation of land without compensation has invigorated a robust discourse with regard to the land issue in South Africa. Cognisance should be taken of how the land issue was handled during the apartheid dispensation and the way it has played out in the constitutional democracy dispensation since 1994 in South Africa. This article will attend to issues relating to land in the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA). URCSA was constituted in 1994 due to a merger of two racially segregated churches, the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA). The DRMC was constituted through mission endeavours of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) during 1881 to serve so-called coloured members of the DRC. The DRCA was constituted in or about 1910 to serve African members. In order to understand the controversy in URCSA from 1994–2012 with regard to property rights, one has to understand how the colonists and missionaries (and later the apartheid regime) utilised “divide and rule” and supremacy strategies to secure property rights for churches of people from mixed descent and Indian people (the DRMC) and the Reformed Church in Africa [RCA]); while at the same time restricting property rights for churches of members from African descent (the DRCA). This is evident in the way the constitutions of the above-mentioned mission churches were drafted. This article will attend to the following subthemes: property rights of the DRMC challenged by apartheid laws; property rights of the DRCA challenged by apartheid laws; a court case regarding the expropriation of land without compensation; controversy regarding property rights (1998–2012); from litigation to out-of-court settlement on property rights (1998–2012); and lastly out-of-court settlement between the DRC, the DRCA and URCSA.

Where have all the Prophets Gone? URCSA 25 years Later: Re-Acquainting with Prophetic Theology in Post-apartheid South Africa

The Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) was formed in 1994 as a merger between the former Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA). URCSA, as the bearer of the Belhar Confession, has always stood within the tradition of Prophetic Theology. This article upholds the presuppositions that the prophetic nature of Black Liberation Theology impacted on the reasoning of the authors of various anti-apartheid documents like the theological declarations of the Belydendekring and Alliance of Black Reformed Christians in Southern Africa (ABRECSA), the Kairos Document and Belhar Confession; and with the advent of our democracy, URCSA not only lost her Kairos conscience but parted with Prophetic Theology—hence the title of this paper. Issues like state capture, corruption, the expropriation of land without compensation, poverty, racism, and so forth are all issues plaguing our young democracy and require a clear theological response. This article argues for renewed acquaintance from the church, URCSA, with Prophetic Theology, which will enable the church to not only speak prophetically but to challenge the status quo. Prophetic Theology is much better prepared to engage with the challenges posed in post-apartheid South Africa because it is grounded in a hope that is unprepared to accept the world as it is.

Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Church Unity between former DRMC and DRCA, 1994

T
 Church unity between the former Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) took place in 1994 under particularly difficult circumstances. South Africa was on the brink of civil war, as the oppressed majority of the country was pressurising the apartheid regime to surrender to their legitimate demands for a democratic dispensation. The regime was relentless and violently resisted any change that would franchise black people. The struggle involved political, social, economic and religious dimensions and many people lost their lives as a result. It was under these circumstances that the DRMC and the DRCA forged ahead with church unity. The most enabling means for survival in the struggle for unity of the two churches was their faith in God as expressed in the Belhar Confession. This article explores the circumstances under which church unification was forged between the two Reformed churches and their eventual unity in 1994, as well as the concrete steps they took in their ritual of unification.

An analysis of conflict situations within the leadership and various structures of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa, Orange Free State

Conflict is inevitable within congregations and can contribute to their growth or decline, depending on how the leadership in a congregation handles a conflict. The Dutch Reformed Church in Africa, Orange Free State (DRCA OFS) has, for over a decade, experienced growing internal conflicts within its leadership in the various structures of the church. Some of these conflicts have culminated in physical violence and litigations. This article aims to analyse the emerging conflict situations within the leadership in the various structures of the DRCA OFS. The leading research question is: What are the dynamics of conflict situations of the leadership in the various structures of the DRCA OFS?

From three congregations to one autonomous church: The Swaziland Reformed Church

This article covers the time from 1985 to 1992 in the history of the Swaziland Reformed Church (SRC). In 1985, for the first time in its existence, the SRC had four missionaries working in the four districts of the country. At this stage the SRC formed a presbytery within the synodical region of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) of Northern Transvaal. In 1989 – at its own request – this church became a regional synod within the DRCA. However, not long thereafter, in 1992, it was forced to become an independent Reformed church, even though it still remained part of the family of Dutch Reformed churches. Making use of original documents, this article records this history of the SRC.

Theological reflections on the ministerial challenges of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa in the Orange Free State in post-apartheid South Africa

The Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) is one of the Dutch Reformed family churches. It was established for the black Africans by the Dutch Reformed Church in the early 20th century. The contemporary situation in the DRCA is such that it is struggling with two issues: historical and contemporary ministry challenges. The challenges are growing at an alarming rate that soon the church may find itself in a crisis situation. This article uses the DRCA Orange Free State (OFS) as a case study. The research question is as follows: What is the theological reflection on the ministerial challenges of the DRCA OFS in the post-apartheid South Africa? The Practical Theological Interpretation theory of Osmer is used to analyse the situation in the DRCA OFS.

The rocky road travelled by the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa towards church unity: from Tshilidzini to Pretoria, 1971 to 1991

This review of the rocky road travelled by the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) towards church unity consists of five parts. First, the historical background to the DRCA is briefly traced. Second, the author investigates the various decisions of the general synod of the DRCA regarding church unification from Tshilidzini in 1971 to Pretoria in 1991. Third, decisions of the general synod of the then DRCA on the fourth confession are considered. Fourth, the decision of the general synod regarding the Belhar confession prior to 14 April 1994 and the unity talks among the then Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) members and their impact on unity are discussed. Fifth, the final decisions of the then DrcA regarding church unification with the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) as the result of the delay on the part of the DRC are investigated.

“Dei enim minister est tibi” – God’s servant for your good: The Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and the law

According to Romans 13:4 the authorities are servants of God for the good of the people. This article want’s to look at the relationship between the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and the authorities or the laws of South Africa The Dutch Reformed Church in Africa or properly called, Kereke ya NG (hereafter called the DRCA) takes it’s base from the Holy Bible. This scriptural base determines our reformed confessional framework and the church order we are using in the church. After a short history of the DRCA, I will address our dealings with the state in two parts, pre-1994 and post-1994. I will conclude my presentation with a short word or two about our future.

HUMAN DIGNITY IN THE THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSE AGAINST APARTHEID IN THE DUTCH REFORMED FAMILY

The purpose of this article is to investigate the explicit and implicit use of the concept �human dignity� in the theological discourse against apartheid in the Dutch Reformed family of churches. Specifically its use during the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa in 1975, within the Broederkring and during the Synods of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in 1978 and 1982 is investigated. It is argued that the term �human dignity� was consistently formulated from a specifically Christological point of view and can be distinguished from its use in more general human rights discourses of the twentieth century.

THE RELEVANCE OF UNITY TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA

Outsiders to South Africa and the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), when reading the title of this article, may rightly ask: “But what are the reasons for the necessity of the Dutch Reformed family of churches in South Africa (DRC-family) to become one church? Why can’t they exist separately as so many other churches exist separately in South Africa? Is there any necessity why this family of churches should become one church?” In this article I therefore intend to give some of the reasons for this necessity and will elaborate on the following two propositions that I consider as basic to the unity of the DRC-family. Firstly, the unity of the DRC-family can only be brought about by a restoration of the original unity of the DRC in the Cape in the 19 th century and not through a process of unification of the different churches that were constituted by the DRC. Secondly, the relevancy of the DRC in the South African society is totally dependent on the unity of the DRC-family. In conclusion I will look at the developments (changes) in the DRC that will be needed in order to accommodate the unity of the DRC-family. 1. Restoration of unity instead of unification of churches As it gradually became politically evident that there was no peaceful existence for the inhabitants of South Africa possible without a democratic co-existence, it has now also become ecclesiastically evident that there can be no relevant existence of the DRC without a united co-existence with the DRC-family. Realising this, the DRC-family has since 1994 started discussions on the unification of the Dutch Reformed Church (Whites), the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (Blacks and Coloureds), the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (Blacks) and the Reformed Church (Indians). Some words and concepts being used and the procedures being followed at present about the unification 1 , however, need to be clarified. These words, concepts and procedures are at the outset of the discussion of importance.

Die reis met kerkeenwording tussen die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika en die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk in Afrika

The journey to church unification between the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa. The article gives a historical overview of judicial problems that the Dutch Reformed Church (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) encountered in their journey to church unification. On 14 April 1994 the DRMC and the DRCA merged and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) came into being. Firstly, attention is given to a historical overview of the unification process. Secondly, the resolutions of the General Synod of the DRCA (1991), the judicial problems that surfaced shortly after the unification between the DRMC and the DRCA, the objections against the unification process and the lawsuit that followed, will be attended to. The unification between the DRMC and the DRCA was tested in court and in 1998 the Supreme Court gave judgment in favor of the DRCA. The verdict indicated that all decisions with regards to church property were ultra vires and that the DRCA as a legal corporate entity remains. The article concludes with a few legal aspects that may be derived from the judgement. The verdict highlights the administration of justice according to established rules and principles, namely that a juristic person cannot be deprived of life, liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards. The article proposes that Reformed churches in the South African context should seriously take cognisance of the judgement. This article attempts to identify the important criteria for and characteristics of administration of justice with regard to church unification.

The political responsibility of the church: On the necessity and boundaries of the theory of the two kingdoms

The political responsibility of the church: On the necessity and boundaries of the theory of the two kingdomsThe voice of the church has fallen silent in the new political dispensation in South Africa. Many people in the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (Nederduitsch Hervormde Church) argue that the church should keep its distance from politics. They are of the opinion that they could defend this position with the “Lutheran twokingdoms theory”. This article shows that the theory of the two kingdoms is not a uniquely Lutheran, but also a Calvinistic interest. It furthermore shows that this theory is not only interested in separating the two kingdoms, but also in bringing these kingdoms in relationship with one another. A plea is made for loyalty to both the Lutheran and Calvinistic traditions. The article also calls for a concentration on the three new challenges in South Africa, namely democracy, pluralism and Africanisation.

Preaching and culture

Before the new political dispensation in South Africa (1994), the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika) referred to the church as a “peoples church” (volkskerk). Owing to political changes the qualification “volkskerk” has created a certain degree of disturbance in the ranks of the church. The relationship between “church and culture” became a topical issue. Since 1994 the focus of the homiletical debate shifted to the question of the role of the church within a changing environment and again the answer to the question of “church and culture” was of utmost importance. Nowadays the reality of a multicultural society becomes a new challenge to the church. This article is an attempt to define the relation between culture and preaching from different hermeneutic perspectives, namely the cultural embedding of the biblical kerygma; the interwovenness of language and culture; and the necessity for contextuality in preaching.

THE MISSIONARY CHALLENGE OF CHRISTENDOM AND MODERNITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: A DUTCH REFORMED ACCOUNT

International Review of MissionVolume 92, Issue 365 p. 178-191 THE MISSIONARY CHALLENGE OF CHRISTENDOM AND MODERNITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: A DUTCH REFORMED ACCOUNT Jan H. Nieder-Heitmann, Jan H. Nieder-Heitmann Jan H. Nieder-Heitmann is South African and has ministered in congregations of the former Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (African) and the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (Afrikaans). He studied at the University of Stellenbosch and Western Theological Seminary (Holland, Michigan) and is currently doing doctoral research under the guidance of Prof. John W. de Gruchy (University of Cape Town). He is also the provisional coordinator of the emerging Gospel and Our Culture(s) network in South Africa.Search for more papers by this author Jan H. Nieder-Heitmann, Jan H. Nieder-Heitmann Jan H. Nieder-Heitmann is South African and has ministered in congregations of the former Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (African) and the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (Afrikaans). He studied at the University of Stellenbosch and Western Theological Seminary (Holland, Michigan) and is currently doing doctoral research under the guidance of Prof. John W. de Gruchy (University of Cape Town). He is also the provisional coordinator of the emerging Gospel and Our Culture(s) network in South Africa.Search for more papers by this author First published: 25 March 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-6631.2003.tb00393.xCitations: 2 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume92, Issue365April 2003Pages 178-191 RelatedInformation

CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND WOMEN'S ISSUES

The title given to me for this article presupposes a missiological orientation when looking at in South African society. It is from this point that I will embark (with much unease, as I will explain later) to review lost place in the church and its (participation in) in the broader South African society. I come from a Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) background, my father being a white missionary in the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa. The missionaries from my childhood, both women and men, impressed me equally with their commitment and their selfless love. I also remember that it was the black spirituality and service that, to a large extent, carried the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa -- to say nothing of the fact that the women and children filled up the churches on Sundays, while the men scarcely filled the men's and the church council's benches. It was only later that I began to ask myself: Why do the women in the church work and pray so much, but are not to be seen in the church council or in the pulpit? Why, if the of the Dutch Reformed Church was carried to a great extent by women supporters and missionaries, were they not allowed to serve on the commissions (sendingkommissies)? Was the fact that women could not become ordained ministers sufficient reason to exclude them? Why was even the vrouesendingbond (Women's Missionary Union) considered to be an aid to the DRC's mission, rather than a full partner in the church's (see Cronje 1984:9-103). Moreover, why is it that the men of the general synod's Algemene Sendingkommissie (General Mission Commission) could formulate a mission in 1935, which to a large extent laid the foundation for the policy of apartheid in church and society -- a policy that was futher developed and even biblically justified in following documents of the DRC? (Van Schalkwyk 1990:58, 78-80). These questions can be summarized by two basic questions: is the reason for the subdued silence of women in church and missions? and: does this convey of the church and its participation in These two questions uncover the contradiction -- in terms of discussing from a missiological starting point -- that women have been subdued all throgh the history of the Christian church's activity and reflection. Therefore my unease with the given title. This contradiction should be rectified, in order that women may reclaim their rightful place in the church's participation in the missio Dei. Therefore the first women's issue to be addressed in this article should be the critical uncovering of the silencing of women in the church's participation in mission, the reasons for this silencing, and the consequences of it for the church's participation in mission. Second, my concern is not only women's participation, or simply women's in Christian witness. It is rather the re-thinking and re-doing, from the perspective of feminist liberation theology, of our missiology and our missiological theology insofar as the total theological agenda is set by the missio Dei (Bosch 1991:494). Third, specific urgent themes and issues (broader than simply women's issues) in our South African contexts should be addressed from this feminist liberation theological perspective. In such a limited space it is impossible to cover these thoroughly. I may even leave out certain important altogether. My intention is to contribute in an introductory manner only to what should be a deep-searching investigation. Why the silence of women? What does it convey of the church's participation in mission? At the root of the problem is the patriarchal system according to which women, children and workers are subordinate to the male-dominated leadership structures of families, tribes and society: Patriarchy therefore has profound implications for personal, societal and religious experiences. …

CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND CULTURAL PLURALITY

International Review of MissionVolume 83, Issue 328 p. 71-77 CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND CULTURAL PLURALITY Thias Kgatla, Thias Kgatla Thias Kgatla teaches Missiology and Science of Religion at the University of the North near Pietersburg. He is a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and obtained his doctorate in Missiology at the University of South Africa, under the guidance of the late Prof. David Bosch.Search for more papers by this author Thias Kgatla, Thias Kgatla Thias Kgatla teaches Missiology and Science of Religion at the University of the North near Pietersburg. He is a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and obtained his doctorate in Missiology at the University of South Africa, under the guidance of the late Prof. David Bosch.Search for more papers by this author First published: January 1994 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1758-6631.1994.tb02341.x AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume83, Issue328January 1994Pages 71-77 RelatedInformation

CHRISTIAN WITNESS AND THE PLURALITY OF CULTURES

In 1982 started my ministry as pastor of a parish of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (Black) in Mamelodi, a township of about 350,000 inhabitants on the north-eastern boundary of Pretoria. The devastating system of apartheid was then still firmly entrenched, with no indication that it would start crumbling. White people needed a permit from the government authorities to enter any township for any reason, stating the purpose of the visit to the township, the person(s) to be visited and the nature of the discussions. This dehumanizing regulation meant that in practice virtually no person ever entered the As a pastor, according to the law, too had to apply for a permit every time visited my parish. did so once, but found it so humiliating that decided to apply civil disobedience, never to apply for a permit again and to challenge the system by taking whites into the township without any permits. It soon appeared that some people were interested in what was happening in the black from which they were excluded. To the majority of whites, blacks were like shadows moving by in the streets of Pretoria and regarded as mere implements for use in fulfilling certain functions in the white world. This functional view of blacks caused whites to have no interest whatsoever in blacks as persons or in the world in which the blacks were forced to live. It was accepted as a cornerstone of the apartheid society that blacks and whites did not mix. Whites accepted this as a very convenient arrangement and considered it totally unnecessary to visit the township to see where blacks lived and the conditions they lived in. Some whites, however, had an interest in what life was like in a The reasons were mainly fascination about what life was like on the other side of the apartheid wall. For other whites there were religious motives, as they saw the possibility of entering the township as an ideal opportunity to evangelize the black heathens. Many groups thus started to invite me to come and tell them about life in the used the opportunities to reveal to them what the demonic system of apartheid was doing to the blacks, the devastating conditions in the township -- over-crowding, lack of recreational facilities, almost no municipal services, etc. Eventually challenged them to come and see for themselves by visiting families, to have a meal with them to hear what they had to say about life in the The first group of whites challenged with this suggestion were immediately frightened by the idea. One person stood up and said: Smith, am a father of three children. What have heard about townships is that they are deadly dangerous places. They cut people's throats there without any hesitation. As a responsible person and for the sake of my children, am not willing to go into the township. Another stood up and said: I know people love to eat porridge (maize) and morog (a common vegetable). tell you, Dr Smith, simply cannot eat that type of want us to have a meal with a family. It will only be an embarrassment to both them and me if cannot eat their food. Another (a professor) stood up and said: You want us to communicate with blacks. Our cultures and thoughts are so different. What are we going to talk about? We have to accept that we (whites and blacks) belong to different worlds and will not be able to communicate in a meaningful way. A friend who accompanied me asked me if would allow him to respond to the remarks by the whites. His answer to the person with the fear of having his throat cut in the township, was: Throats are being cut in the townships but if read every morning about the many throats being cut in the community by shootings, corruption, family suicides, etc., can assure you it is not that bad in our community. And by the way, if you believe that about blacks, why are you, pretending to be a Christian, not concerned about the throats of fellow Christians, forced by your government to live in such a 'dangerous place'? …