Kerkbegrip, belydenis en kerkorde in die kerkherenigingsproses van die NG kerkfamilie in Suid-Afrika

Abstract

English: The Lord wants His church on earth to be One, as He is One, “in order that the world may know” (John 17:23) – for the sake of the credibility and the effectiveness of the preaching of the Gospel and its testimony. This unity is first and foremost a spiritual unity of faith, but then also a visible unity in the institutionalising of His church. Churches relate to one another due to a common confession of faith and the main features of church institution and church government. In the first chapter it was indicated clearly that, in the resolutions of the Dutch Reformed Church family, there is a recognition of the Godly gift of and commission to visible church unity. Every member desires visible church unity, keeping in mind that there are obstacles that have to be removed first. Research has also been done about the understanding of the image of a church and the church doctrines of the members of the Dutch Reformed Church family, which showed resemblance to a great extent with the Dutch Reformed Church according to the reformed principles of the presbyterial-synodal church governing system. However, numerous influences from other governing systems could also be indicated. In chapter two the common, above-historical and universally accepted creeds, which linked believers together over time and space, was pointed out. True creeds stem from a certain situation, but formulates those truths of the Gospel which are of a core, timeless nature. Denominations are therefore the relation between congregations sharing the same confessions and the main principles of church institution, and is formed to strengthen their church-being, to enrich them spiritually and to save them from one-sidedness. The conclusion was also made that Belhar does not answer to the requirements of a reformed creed. In chapter three an analysis was made of the content and implications of the constitution, supreme court verdicts and legal opinions to point out several legal indications for the church reunion process in the Dutch Reformed Church family, from which it was obvious that the law in South-Africa sees the church as a “universitas” which must be judged according to the law of contrasts. In chapter four, it was attempted to indicate the direction on the way forward with church reunion, and it was indicated that the Dutch Reformed Church family in South-Africa must urgently tend to the following matters: 1. To clarify a common foundation for a creed for the united church. 2. To clarify the structure and the form of governing of the united church. 3. To clarify the process through which church unity can be accomplished. 4. Clarification of the material matters of the churches at church unity. 5. Clarification of the RCA’s insisting on keeping its own identity. 6. Clarification of matters such as theological training, the mutual recognition of the legitimacy of clergymen, the name, the language and the liturgical matters in the new denomination. 7. Lastly that recognition in mutual relationships is of vital importance.

Afrikaans: Die Here wil dat Sy kerk op aarde één moet wees soos Hy Een is “sodat die wêreld kan glo” (Joh 17 23 ) – ter wille van die geloofwaardigheid en die effektiwiteit van die Evangelieverkondiging en van sy getuienis. Hierdie eenheid is allereers geestelike geloofseenheid, maar is óók sigbare eenheid in die institusionalisering van Sy kerk wat met ander kerke in verband tree op grond van gemeenskaplike geloofsbelydenis en in die hooftrekke van kerkinrigting en – regering. In die eerste hoofstuk is indringend aangedui dat daar in die besluite van die NG Kerkfamilie erkenning is van die Goddelike gawe van en opdrag tot sigbare kerkeenheid, asook dat die wil tot kerkeenheid by almal bestaan, maar dat daar struikelblokke is wat eers uit die weg geruim sal moet word. Ondersoek is ook gedoen na die kerkbegrip en Kerkordes van die lede van die NG Kerkfamilie en hulle toon grootliks ooreenkoms met dié van die NG Kerk volgens die Gereformeerde beginsels van die presbiteriaal-sinodale Kerkregeerstelsel, alhoewel daar telkens invloede van ander kerkregeerstelsels aangetoon kan word. In hoofstuk twee is gewys op die gemeenskaplike, bo-historiese en universeelgeldende belydenis wat gelowiges oor tyd en ruimte in verband saambind. Kerkverband is daarom die verband van gemeentes van dieselfde belydenis en hoofsake van kerkinrigting en word gevorm om hulle in hul kerkwees te versterk, geestelik te verryk en van eensydigheid te bewaar. Die gevolgtrekking is ook gemaak dat Belhar nie aan die vereistes vir gereformeerde belydenis voldoen nie. In hoofstuk drie is ontleding gemaak van die inhoud en implikasies van die landswet, hoër hofuitsprake en regsmenings om só enkele regsaanduidings vir die kerkherenigingsproses in die NG Kerkfamilie aan te dui, waaruit geblyk het dat die reg in Suid-Afrika die kerk sien as universitas wat in terme van die kontraktereg beoordeel moet word. In hoofstuk vier is gepoog om die koers op die pad vorentoe met kerkhereniging aan te dui, en is aangetoon dat die NG Kerkfamilie in Suid-Afrika dringend aan die volgende sake aandag moet gee: 1. Die uitklaar van gemeenskaplike belydenisgrondslag vir die herenigde kerk. 2. Die uitklaar van die struktuur en regeervorm vir die herenigde kerk. 3. Die uitklaar van die proses waarlangs kerkhereniging bewerkstellig kan word. 4. Uitklaring oor die stoflike sake van die kerke by kerkhereniging. 5. Uitklaring oor die RCA se aandrang op die behoud van sy eie identiteit. 6. Uitklaring oor sake soos teologiese opleiding en die wedersydse erkenning van legitimasie van leraars, die naam, taal en oor liturgiese sake in die nuwe kerkverband. 7. Laastens dat versoening in wedersydse verhoudinge van kardinale belang is.