According to this study, research indicates that there is not a lot of information surrounding the focus on prayer in church polity and therefore attention is lacking in this field during the training of office bearers and thus the content and composition of prayers leaves one untouched. The focus of this study is a theoretical approach to the place and content of prayer in church polity according to the practical ministry of prayer during three consecutive synods of the Reformed Churches in South Africa. The content of chapter one focuses on the idea that both Scripture and theological literature offer material to be integrated into a synthesis of what the ius constituendum imply and where to the practise as ius constitutum is measured with the purpose on an increased focus on prayer in church polity. Chapter two elaborates on the different aspects of prayer in conjunction with church polity in which the communal prayer of church leaders imposes certain requirements to the prayer leader in connection with the use of language, content and agenda that is embedded on the confession that Christ is the Head of and reigns over his Church. In the third chapter the focus is fixed on the four core elements of the church: unity, holiness, catholicity, apostolicity and the implication it has on prayer in the reformed church polity regarding more explicit intercession in prayer. The fourth chapter is an empirical examination of 121 prayers that was recorded during the 2003, 2006 and 2009 synods of the GKSA in accordance to the ius constituendum as discussed in chapters two and three summarised under twenty headings. The final chapter suggests corrections based on hermeneutical interaction between the ius constituendum and ius constitutum and resulting in improved formulated prayers that focus on the affairs of the agenda. Prayer ministry should not be left to the improvisation of the moment, but detail preparation should be done. Errors which were pointed out in this study, should thus be prevented. In church government, prayers should reflect the agenda in all prayer elements focusing on the kingdom of God from within the church with an outward spiral to the whole cosmos. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Church Polity))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

According to this study, research indicates that there is not a lot of information surrounding the focus on prayer in church polity and therefore attention is lacking in this field during the training of office bearers and thus the content and composition of prayers leaves one untouched. The focus of this study is a theoretical approach to the place and content of prayer in church polity according to the practical ministry of prayer during three consecutive synods of the Reformed Churches in South Africa. The content of chapter one focuses on the idea that both Scripture and theological literature offer material to be integrated into a synthesis of what the ius constituendum imply and where to the practise as ius constitutum is measured with the purpose on an increased focus on prayer in church polity. Chapter two elaborates on the different aspects of prayer in conjunction with church polity in which the communal prayer of church leaders imposes certain requirements to the prayer leader in connection with the use of language, content and agenda that is embedded on the confession that Christ is the Head of and reigns over his Church. In the third chapter the focus is fixed on the four core elements of the church: unity, holiness, catholicity, apostolicity and the implication it has on prayer in the reformed church polity regarding more explicit intercession in prayer. The fourth chapter is an empirical examination of 121 prayers that was recorded during the 2003, 2006 and 2009 synods of the GKSA in accordance to the ius constituendum as discussed in chapters two and three summarised under twenty headings. The final chapter suggests corrections based on hermeneutical interaction between the ius constituendum and ius constitutum and resulting in improved formulated prayers that focus on the affairs of the agenda. Prayer ministry should not be left to the improvisation of the moment, but detail preparation should be done. Errors which were pointed out in this study, should thus be prevented. In church government, prayers should reflect the agenda in all prayer elements focusing on the kingdom of God from within the church with an outward spiral to the whole cosmos. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Church Polity))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

AFRIKAANS : Sewe kerkregtelike beginsels word in Hoofstuk 1 onderskei vir die beoordeling van die kerkreg en kerkregering van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Sendingkerk (=NGSK), Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk in Afrika (=NGKA), Reformed Church in Africa (=RCA) en die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika (=VGKSA) te wete: i. Christus as hoof van die kerk, ii. Die selfstandigheid van die plaaslike kerk, iii. Die karakter van die kerkverband, iv. Die karakter van die gesag van die meerdere vergadering, v. Die tugreg ten opsigte van ampsdraers, vi. Die appèlreg ten opsigte van besluite van die meerdere vergadering, vii. Die bevoegdheid van die meerdere vergadering met betrekking tot wanbestuur. Hoofstuk 2 handel kursories oor die kerkregtelike ontwikkeling van die Gereformeerde Kerke in Nederland (1816-1944). In dié hoofstuk word die grondslae en uitgangspunte van die Doleansiekerkreg aangeteken. Die Doleansie beoog nie om ’n nuwe kerkreg te ontwikkel nie, maar gryp terug na die sisteem van kerkregering soos vasgestel deur die Nasionale Sinode van Dordrecht (1618-1619). Beide die Doleansiekerkreg (oud kerkrecht) en die nieuwe kerkrecht het die kerkreg en kerkregering van die sendingkerke onmiskenbaar beïnvloed. Die studie is daarom interaksie tussen die insigte van A Kuyper, F C Rutgers, A F de Savornin Lohman, asook H. Bouwman, J van Lonkhuyzen, W A van Es, aan die eenkant en H G Kleyn, H H Kuyper, M Bouwman en Joh Jansen aan die anderkant. Die ekklesiologiese onderbou in die regering van die kerk asook die verskillende kerkregeringstelsels kom ook in die hoofstuk onder bespreking. Hoofstuk 3 dek kursories die kerkreg en kerkregering van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) in soverre dit betrekking het op die kerkreg en kerkregering van die sendingkerke. Die NGK het aanvanklik die kerkregtelike beginsels, soos veronderstel word in die Algemeen Reglement voor het bestuur der Nederlandsche Hervormde Kerk in het Koningrijk (1816) , onderskryf en het by die daarstelling van die sendingkerke beide die teologiese insigte van Voetius met betrekking tot die sending in onder andere sy Politica Ecclesiastica asook Doleansiekerkregbeginsels geïgnoreer. In Hoofstukke 4 tot 7 word die kerkreg en kerkregering van die NGSK, NGKA, RCA asook die VGKSA gedek. Die onderskeie sendingkerke het sedert die stigtingsjare tot en met 1978, met die daarstelling van die eerste kerkorde, gepoog om hul kerkreg en kerkorde op Doleansiekerkregbeginsels te skoei. Van meet af is klem gelê op die selfstandigheid van die plaaslike gemeente, die konfederatiewe karakter van die kerkverband asook die tugreg van die meerdere vergadering. Gedurende die negentigerjare tot op hede het die meerdere vergaderinge van die NGKA, NGSK en selfs latere VGKSA hul gaandeweg die gesag toegeëien om sonder inspraak van die mindere vergadering ingrypende besluite met betrekking tot kerkeenwording, eiendomsreg en selfs die belydenisgrondslag te maak. In Hoofstuk 8 word die kerkregtelike beginsels wat uit beide die Doleansiekerkregbeginsels en die nieuwe kerkrecht in die voorafgaande hoofstukke onderskei was, in ’n kerkregtelike raamwerk gesinkroniseer. ’n Behoefte aan kerkordelike reëlings dat die meerdere vergaderinge in die geval van wanbestuur, onmag, dwaalleer of skeurmakery oor die reg beskik om in die bestuur van plaaslike gemeentes in te gryp en hul besluite in mindere vergaderinge te implementeer, word aan die einde van die dissertasie aangedui. ENGLISH : Chapter 1 entails the research methodology and theoretical framework of this dissertation. One can discern seven church polity principles in this chapter to adjudicate the church polity and church governance of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church, (=DRMC), Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (=DRCA), Reformed Church in Africa (==RCA) and the United Reformed Church in Southern Africa (=URCSA): i. Christ as head of the church, ii. The autonomy of the local church, iii. The character of the denominational ties, iv. The character of the power of the major assemblies, v. The power to discipline church officials, vi. The appeal right regarding decisions of the major assemblies, vii. The capability of the major assemblies regarding misconduct. Chapter 2 deals cursorily with the church polity development of the Dutch Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (1816-1944). The foundational grounds and main notions on Doleansie Church polity are being drawn in this chapter. The Doleansie did not try to develop a new church polity system, but is rather a regression to a system of church polity as enacted by the National Synod of Dordrecht (1618-1619). Both the Doleansie church polity (oud kerkrecht) and the nieuwe kerkrecht impacted the church polity and the church governance of the mission churches. The study is therefore a interaction between the notions of A Kuyper, F C Rutgers, A F de Savornin Lohman, and H Bouwman, J van Lonkhuyzen, W A van Es, on the one side and H G Kleyn, H H Kuyper, M Bouwman and Joh Jansen on the other side. The ecclesiological basis of the governance of the church as well as the different church polity system is also discussed in this chapter. Chapter 3 focuses cursorily on the church polity and church governance of the Dutch Reformed Church, (DRC) in so far it has implications on the church polity and church governance of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church, (DRMC). At the outset the DRC subscribed to the church polity principles as presumed in the Algemeen Reglement voor het bestuur der Nederlandsche Hervormde Kerk in het Koningrijk (1816) and ignored at the inception of the mission churches the theological notions of Voetius about mission in his Politica Ecclesiastica as well as Doleansie church polity principles. The overriding jurisdiction resided in the mission commission of the DRC. In Chapters 4 to 7 an attempt is made to investigate the church polity and church governance of the DRMC, DRCA, RCA and the URCSA. Since their inception the mission churches until 1978 with the acceptance of the first church order tried to base their church polity and church order on Doleansie church polity principles. From the outset the mission churches placed emphasis on the autonomy of the local churches, the confederative character of the denomination and the disciplinary power of the major assemblies. During the nineties up to date the major assemblies gradually usurped power to make decisions on church unification, property rights and even the confessional basis of the church without giving the minor assemblies the opportunity to participate in the decision making. The church polity principles, discerned out of the Doleansie Church polity and the nieuwe kerkrecht in the preceding chapters, are synchronized in Chapter 8 in a church polity framework. A need for church order regulations that give the major assemblies in case of maladministration, impuissance, heresy or schism the right to intervene in the governance of the local congregation and to implement their decisions in minor assemblies are presented at the end of this dissertation. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Church History and Church Policy / unrestricted

Conflict and injustice are endemic to the imperfectness of human existence, and the Church of Christ is not immune to them. Various means can be adopted to solve conflict in the church. This study is concerned with legal restitution through calling at a major assembly, as provided in Article 31 Church Order. Statement of the problem Biblical grounds for the right of appeal are largely lacking in the Reformed church polity. In addition, there is no clear definition of the concept 'injustice' in Article 31 Church Order. In the case of appeals brought to a synod of the RCSA, the verdict usually contains no guidelines on how the matter should be dealt with in practice in order to effect reconciliation. Consequently, the outcome of an appeal does not necessarily contribute to the solution and restoration of broken relationships. Aim and method of work This study endeavours to determine the biblical grounds of appeal and legal restitution in Reformed church polity through scriptural study; establish the essence and content of appeal in Reformed church polity; and examine the functioning, treatment and application of appeal with a view to legal restitution in the RCSA, and address shortcomings in this respect. Findings Legal restitution occurs when an appeal is judged according to clearly defined norms; the verdict rests on the same norms; and the necessary steps had been taken to reconcile the parties involved in the appeal Organisation The study is divided into four main sections: biblical foundation of appeal with a view to legal restitution; historical development of appeal with a view to legal restitution; fundamental definition of appeal with a view to legal restitution; and practical treatment of appeal with a view to legal restitution. Finally, the research questions born from the problem statement are answered by means of concluding statements. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Church Polity))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Conflict and injustice are endemic to the imperfectness of human existence, and the Church of Christ is not immune to them. Various means can be adopted to solve conflict in the church. This study is concerned with legal restitution through calling at a major assembly, as provided in Article 31 Church Order. Statement of the problem Biblical grounds for the right of appeal are largely lacking in the Reformed church polity. In addition, there is no clear definition of the concept 'injustice' in Article 31 Church Order. In the case of appeals brought to a synod of the RCSA, the verdict usually contains no guidelines on how the matter should be dealt with in practice in order to effect reconciliation. Consequently, the outcome of an appeal does not necessarily contribute to the solution and restoration of broken relationships. Aim and method of work This study endeavours to determine the biblical grounds of appeal and legal restitution in Reformed church polity through scriptural study; establish the essence and content of appeal in Reformed church polity; and examine the functioning, treatment and application of appeal with a view to legal restitution in the RCSA, and address shortcomings in this respect. Findings Legal restitution occurs when an appeal is judged according to clearly defined norms; the verdict rests on the same norms; and the necessary steps had been taken to reconcile the parties involved in the appeal Organisation The study is divided into four main sections: biblical foundation of appeal with a view to legal restitution; historical development of appeal with a view to legal restitution; fundamental definition of appeal with a view to legal restitution; and practical treatment of appeal with a view to legal restitution. Finally, the research questions born from the problem statement are answered by means of concluding statements. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Church Polity))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.