In search of ecclesial autonomyy : a church historical and church juridical study of developments in church polity in the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) from 1881-1994

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) and the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa(DRCA) was established in 1881 and 1910 respectively. As pointed out in this study boththese churches grew from the mission endeavours of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC).In April 1994 the DRMC and the DRCA united in forming the Uniting Reformed Church inSouthern Africa (URCSA). This church has as confessional base the Belgic Confession of Faith,the Canons of Dordt and the Heidelberg Catechism as well as the Belhar Confession. Thechurch order of the URCSA is built on these Confessions and in particular on the BelharConfession. In this study I argue that it was only after the unification of the mentionedchurches that a history characterised by guardianship, subordination and semi-autonomycame to an end.However this may be the histories of the DRMC and the DRCA point out that, on a churchjuridical level, these churches where subordinate and to a large extent directly governed bythe DRC. Here the model for the church planting as followed by the DRC will receiveattention. By looking into the primary documents through which these churches weregoverned as well as the documents that formed the church orderly backbone of thementioned churches in that, through their principles and stipulations, the DRMC and DRCAwere organised internally, I attempt to evaluate these documents. These documents includethe initial constitutions for the governance of the DRMC and the DRCA, the deeds ofagreement between the regional synods of the DRC and the regional synods of the DRCA aswell as the Deeds of Agreement between the DRC in South Africa (the Western andSouthern Cape Synod of the DRC) the Synod of the DRMC, the first church orders of theDRMC and the DRCA and, to a lesser extent, the church order of the URCSA.Through their histories these churches were granted church juridical liberties. Theseliberties form the foundation for the initial development in the polity of these churches. Thecontent of the abovementioned documents highlights these liberties as well as the effect ithad on the theological identities of the DRMC and the DRCA.As the histories of these churches depict a strong strive towards reaching a position ofecclesial autonomy and the acknowledgment of their autonomy by the DRC, specialattention is given to the concept and interpretation of ecclesial autonomy. In this regard Iremark on the historical interpretation of ecclesial autonomy as it played out in the historiesof the DRMC and the DRCA. Through the works of renowned Reformed theologians, Ifurther look into historical interpretations of this theological principle, which is ecclesialautonomy. In doing this I attempt to formulate a specific understanding of ecclesialautonomy based on a particular interpretation of the Lordship of Christ. As outcome thisinterpretation shows towards the interdependant relation between churches. It can beargued that this impacts directly on the relation between the DRC, the DRMC and the DRCA,specifically in the ongoing processes of church re-unification. In a final turn in which I affirmvithe interdependent and interrelatedness between churches, I argue towards the building ofa vulnerable ecclesiology which impacts directly on an understanding of ecclesial autonomy,the specific polity of a church, as well as on the structures embodied by a community ofbelievers.Some of the tenets and convictions of Reformed church polity, as they are relevant to thisstudy, are discussed in detail. In turn I use these principles in evaluating the church juridicalposition of the DRMC and the DRCA in the mentioned period. As such I point towards thestrong deviations in Reformed church polity as it played out in the history of the churcheswithin the family of Dutch Reformed Churches. In this regard I also point towards theinterrelatedness of these churches within the broader social context of South(-ern) Africa. Iargue that these unique deviations are to a large extent distinct from the ecclesial contextof South(-ern) Africa. Concluding remarks are made in this regard. Through the unpackednotion of what is termed an ecclesiology of vulnerability, built on the interdependentrelation between churches, I make brief suggestions regarding the ongoing process ofchurch re-unification between the churches within the family of Dutch Reformed Churches.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University