Die moeder van ons almal: die ekklesiologie van Klaas Schilder

English: Although Schilder's theology was known mostly just in the Netherlands in his lifetime, the relevance of his theology is not restricted to that country. Schilder is relevant for later generations, perhaps even more so today. The reason is three-fold: firstly Schilder tried to build his whole theology on revelation in Scriptures, and secondly his whole theology was about the church and thirdly he gave answers to problems that still exist in the church today. Schilder's view of the church can be very helpful in the African context regarding education, theological training and reformed politics and even art criticism. The works of Schilder was the primary source of this study. Research was clone of possible themes in Schilder's writings about the church. The role of polemics and the historical background was established that formed the context in which his view of the church must be understood. His ecclesiological statements was then sistematicaly assorted. It was evident that his theology was mostly amazingly coherent. Although Schilder's work doesn't show at firts glance traces of a thorough theological system, due to his personality and his many polemics, it is demonstrable that he indeed operated within a clear and austere system. From his believe in the unity of God stems two other axioms of his theology namely that there is a unity in Scriptures and the unity of the church, His ecclesiology has a dynamic element that is coupled with his view of the covenant and man's obedience within the covenantal framework. Schilder's theology, and his ecclesiology as an integral part thereof, did succumb to inherent tension. This is due to his view on election and the covenant, as well as the high esteem he placed on church responsibility and the church's possibility within the covenant.