Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief

The discussions about the unity of the Church within the churches in the Reformed tradition in South Africa are presently highly influenced by the Belhar Confession. Should the acceptance of this Confession be seen as a prerequisite for the eventual unification of these churches? This article de...

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Main Author: J. M. Vorster
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: AOSIS 1998-06-01
Series:In die Skriflig
Online Access:https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1658
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author J. M. Vorster
author_facet J. M. Vorster
author_sort J. M. Vorster
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description The discussions about the unity of the Church within the churches in the Reformed tradition in South Africa are presently highly influenced by the Belhar Confession. Should the acceptance of this Confession be seen as a prerequisite for the eventual unification of these churches? This article deals with this question against the background of the guidelines given by the formation of confessions in the disciplines of Church History and especially in History of Dogma. The central theoretical argument of this article is that history reveals a certain pattern which can be applied in the evaluation of confessions in general and thus today also of the Belhar Confession. First of all, a confession must deal with a problem concerning churches worldwide; secondly a confession in the Reformed tradition should be based on Scripture; and thirdly, a confession should be accepted after it has been preceded by an ecumenical debate about the necessity, contents and formulation of the particular confession. The Belhar Confession is eventually evaluated on the basis of these premises.
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spelling doaj.art-f9f05bd15cd54fcca295aeb8024c33e32022-12-22T00:47:13ZafrAOSISIn die Skriflig1018-64412305-08531998-06-0132446948610.4102/ids.v32i4.16581540Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektiefJ. M. VorsterThe discussions about the unity of the Church within the churches in the Reformed tradition in South Africa are presently highly influenced by the Belhar Confession. Should the acceptance of this Confession be seen as a prerequisite for the eventual unification of these churches? This article deals with this question against the background of the guidelines given by the formation of confessions in the disciplines of Church History and especially in History of Dogma. The central theoretical argument of this article is that history reveals a certain pattern which can be applied in the evaluation of confessions in general and thus today also of the Belhar Confession. First of all, a confession must deal with a problem concerning churches worldwide; secondly a confession in the Reformed tradition should be based on Scripture; and thirdly, a confession should be accepted after it has been preceded by an ecumenical debate about the necessity, contents and formulation of the particular confession. The Belhar Confession is eventually evaluated on the basis of these premises.https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1658
spellingShingle J. M. Vorster
Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief
In die Skriflig
title Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief
title_full Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief
title_fullStr Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief
title_full_unstemmed Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief
title_short Die belydenis van Belhar in dogma-historiese perspektief
title_sort die belydenis van belhar in dogma historiese perspektief
url https://indieskriflig.org.za/index.php/skriflig/article/view/1658
work_keys_str_mv AT jmvorster diebelydenisvanbelharindogmahistorieseperspektief