Masters Degrees (Systematic Theology)
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Item Open Access Die ontstaansdatum van die Gereformeerde Kerk Potchefstroom: 'n teologies-kritiese studie(University of the Free State, 2010-05) Coetzee, Petrus Albertus; Britz, R. M.English: This study is conducted in the field of church historiography and is aimed at establishing the date of origin of the Reformed Church Potchefstroom. The reason is that both 1859 and 1863 are being accepted in this regard. The conclusion of this research opted for 1859. This is based on a thorough theological-critical questioning of all relevant primary sources. The study constitutes a reasoned contribution to the theological-ecclesiological debate that was initiated by the excellent work of Spoelstra Die Doppers in Suid-Afrika, 1760-1899 (1963). Obviously the result differs from that of Spoelstra. The first chapter presents an introduction to the study. It focuses on the merit, the object (primary sources) and methodology of the investigation. In chapter two the Church Order and minutes of the ecclesial meetings at Rustenburg between 10 and 14 February 1859 are traced. The third chapter engages the minutes of the second and third General Church Meetings on 16 April and 29 July 1859. The following chapter (chapter four) questions the minutes of the fourth, fifth and sixth General Church Meetings (21 November 1859 – 21 September 1861). Chapter five investigates the General Church Meetings and Synods of 1862 and 1863. One of the most fundamental ecclesiastical documents, the Church Order of 1859, is discussed in chapter six. Related to this is the accepted concept or understanding of the church, which is treated in chapter seven. The last chapter consists of the final conclusion. The investigation is not only merited by the establishment of a date of origin. The method employed (theological-critical) avoided all ecclesiastical polemics and apology. Thus a new and original perspective on the early history (1859-1863) of the Reformed Churches in South Africa is argued. This ensures a meaningful engagement with and understanding of this history. This history comes to its own right within the parameters of the catholicity of the church, because the sources were understood in terms of the church of Christ and therefore against the horizon of the Word of God.Item Open Access Die Triniteit en die eienskappe van God(University of the Free State, 2015-02) Deetlefs, Johannes Petrus; Venter, R.Afrikaans: Die voorbeelde van vernuwende wyses waarop daar oor die Goddelike eienskappe nagedink word het een kenmerk in gemeen: in al drie die voorbeelde waarna gekyk is staan die Drie-Eenheid van die Goddelike wese sentraal tot die ontwikkeling van die eienskappe. Om enigsins sinvol oor die eienskappe van God na te dink is slegs moontlik indien sulke nadenke gedoen word vanuit die trinitariese karakter van die Lewende God. In sy bespreking van skoonheid as eienskap van God neem Edwards die volle implikasies van die Drie-Eenheid van God in ag. Dit is juis in die liefdevolle harmonie wat daar bestaan tussen Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees wat die skoonheid van God bestaan. Uit die aard van God se skoonheid is dit ‘n skoonheid wat meegedeel moet word. Dit is alleen moontlik as daar ‘n meervoud in die wese van God is. Die Vader deel sy skoonheid mee aan die Seun, wat op sy beurt weer die Vader verheerlik met sy skoonheid. Vader en Seun laat hulle skoonheid deurvloei na die Heilige Gees, wat die agent in die Drie-Eenheid is wat hierdie skoonheid na die skepping oordra. Die estetiese het in die verlede nie baie prominent in die teologie na vore gekom nie. ‘n Belangrike bydrae van Edwards se beklemtoning van die skoonheid van God is dat dit die verbintenis tussen God en skoonheid opnuut onderstreep. As God skoonheid is, en die bron van alle skoonheid is, dan verkry die estetiese in die wêreld meteens nuwe betekenis. Die skoonheid in die natuur, sowel as die skone kunste (in die vorm van beeldhouwerk, skilderkuns, musiek, digkuns, argitektuur, ens.) het hulle oorsprong in die Drieënige God. Die moontlikhede wat dit vir die teologie inhou is opwindend.19 Gasvryheid as eienskap van die Christelike God beklemtoon belangrike kenmerke van God se aard wat in die tradisionele Godsleer nie na vore gekom het nie, of wat ten minste nie die kern van bespreking was nie. Ook hier vind ons ‘n sterk trinitariese benadering. Hoe kan God anders van ewigheid af ‘n gasvrye God wees as daar nie in God self ‘n meervoud van persone bestaan nie. Die Vader betoon gasvryheid aan die Seun deur aan hom die ruimte te gee om Seun te wees naas die Vader, en Vader en Seun laat die Heilige Gees deel in hulle gasvryheid teenoor mekaar in die band van liefde wat die Gees is tussen Vader en Seun. Die gasvryheid van God onderstreep die relasionele karakter van God – God is ‘n gemeenskap van drie persone. Hierdie eienskap beklemtoon ook daardie karaktertrekke van God wat sy gewilligheid om homself op te offer in sy gawe van homself weerspieël. God is beide die Gewer en die Gawe. Verder word die gesindheid van God teenoor die swakkes en gemarginaliseerdes duidelik uitgebeeld. God is by uitstek die God van die armes, verontregtes en gemarginaliseerdes. As ‘n kommunikatiewe wese is God die een wat homself in sy spreke aan die geskape mens openbaar. Ons leer God ken uit sy spreke oor homself. Hierdie kommunikasie van God beklemtoon meteens dat God Drieënig is. Die Vader kommunikeer sy wese en heerlikheid aan die Seun, wat op sy beurt die Vader verheerlik. Die Heilige Gees kommunikeer hierdie heerlikheid van Vader en Seun aan die skepping en bring daardeur lof aan God. Dit is slegs in die verhoudinge tussen die drie persone wat daar van God as ‘n kommunikatiewe wese sprake kan wees. Die Heilige Gees is ook die een wat die Bybelskrywers inspireer, sodat die Woord wat hulle neerpen, al is dit mensewoorde, steeds nog Woord van God bly. Die Heilige Gees, as kommunikatiewe agent, bring dus die Woord na die mensdom. Die implikasie hiervan is duidelik: Daar moet erns met die Woord gemaak word. Die belangrikheid van die interpretasie (hermeneutiek) van die Skrif word hier beklemtoon. Bogenoemde voorbeelde van vernuwende denke oor die Drieënige God benadruk die belangrikheid dat daar voortdurend op kreatiewe wyses, maar terselfdertyd in getrouheid aan die openbaring van God soos in die Skrif opgeteken, nuut oor God gedink moet word ter wille van die geloofsgemeenskap, sowel as die wêreld.Item Open Access Die debat rondom die Belhar-belydenis: 'n studie van argumente(University of the Free State, 2013-10) Cornellissen, Erich; Strauss, P. J.English: For the past 25 years the DRC has been battling with accepting the Belhar Confession as a forth confession. Although the General Synod had already admitted in 1990 that the contents of the BC was not in any way contrary to the Three Forms of Unity, it was unwilling to accept it as a forth confession. Pressure from within and from outside however forced the DRC in 2004 to reconsider its initial decision. In an effort to appease dissatisfied individuals and factions a more lenient stance was adopted whereby ministers, congregations and individual members would in future be allowed to decide for themselves whether they want to accept or reject the Belhar Confession. Because there was no total or final acceptance or rejection of the BC by the DRC, the two opposing inside the DRC continues there struggle for domination. Both parties feel they have strong cases, but who is in the right. This script is an effort to find the eluding answer by way of a critical dialogue between the two opposing parties. Seated around a table representatives of both parties argue their case for the acceptance or rejection of the BC as a forth confession. In order for the discussion not to be sidetracked an agenda stipulating key issues will be adhered to. The main objective of the dialogue will be to ascertain whether the BC is truly a confession, and even more so, whether it is a reformed confession. The upset caused by the BC in the DRC rages on. Hopefully opposing parties will soon be able to reach a compromise. As long as there is Apartheid in the Church there can be no peace.