Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nineteenth century Presbyterian witness in South Africa provides us with a wonderful
testimony of close work relationships between ministers that served independent
colonial congregations and missionaries in native mission stations. However, these
relationships remained good as long as these two streams of Presbyterianism were
kept separate. Attempts to form one Church failed resulting to the formation of the
Presbyterian Church in South Africa, a coming together of some mission and colonial
congregations, in 1897. The majority of mission congregations stayed out of this
union and formed themselves into the Bantu Presbyterian Church in 1923.
From the beginning of the twentieth century the Ecumenical Movement posed a
challenge to the world church, condemning her inability to live as the Body of Christ
and as God's one big family. South Africa witnessed a deeper polarization of society
through the rise of divisive nationalist ideas among Africans and Europeans.
Churches did not escape this wave of thought. They also could not ignore the
challenge by the World Council of Churches. Unity talks started just after 1923 and
took a serious turn in 1959 under the heat of South Africa's racist policies. In the
same year a Committee on Union Negotiations was appointed by both Churches. It
had become very clear that a divided witness was a mockery of Presbyterian witness
as well as of Christian witness in general. This was evident in continued conflict in
areas where work overlapped. Africans in both Churches did not understand why
there were two Presbyterian Churches. They changed Churches as it suited them
sometimes to avoid disciplinary action.
Whilst there was a desire to have the two Churches unite problems relating to,:
1. the laws of the land, the legal policy of the Government, that of
separate development and an un-Christ-like attitude of Whites
towards blacks weighed heavily in the minds of most people.
2. a distorted Christian understanding of the members of both
Churches as the Body of Christ due to lack of theological
reflection,
3. suspicion and mistrust of each other
4. and an inadequate or total lack of information on unity
negotiations with decisions only at the top with very little or no
input from most congregations
derailed all attempts on union. There were genuine fears on both sides. Blacks had
learnt never to trust white people. These negotiations came to an end in 1973 with
the Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa voting in favour and the Bantu
Presbyterian Church against.
In 1994 another attempt was made. This time the laws of .the land had changed,
Both Churches had come to accept the need to come together. Past hurts were
addressed and this led to the formation of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in
Southern Africa on the 26th September 1999. It is still not too late. We can still help
make this union have real meaning to most people at grass root level. We must help
people develop trust, create a strong theological base and mobilize them around a
better understanding of the church. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Negentiende eeuse Presbiteriaanse getuienis in Suid-Afrika verskaf aan ons 'n
wonderlike getuienis van noue werksverhoudings tussen predikante, wat
onafhanklike van koloniale gemeentes gedien het, en sendelinge wat die
inheemse bevolking vanuit sendingstasies bedien het. Hierdie verhouding het
goed gewerk solank as wat die twee Presbiteriaanse strome apart gehou is.
Pogings om een kerk te vorm het misluk en aanleiding gegee tot die stigting
van die Presbiteriaanse Kerk van Suid-Afrika deur die samevoeging van 'n
aantal sendingstasies en koloniale gemeentes in 1897. Die meerderheid
sendinggemeentes het egter buite hierdie kerkeenheid gebly en hulleself
gedurende 1923 georganiseer as die "Bantu Presbyterian Chuch".
Sedert die begin van die twintigste eeu het die Ekumeniese Beweging 'n
uitdaging aan die Wereldkerk gerig deur haar onverrnoe tot uitlewing van "die
liggaam van Christus" en "God se groot familie" te veroordeel. Suid-Afrika is
verder gepolariseer deur die opkoms van verdelende nasionalistiese idees
tussen die Swart en Wit gedeeltes van die bevolking. Die Kerke het nie
ontsnap aan hierdie kennisgolf nie en hulle kon ook nie die uitdaging van die
Wereldraad van Kerke ignoreer nie. Versoeningsgesprekke het net na 1923
begin en In ernstige wending in 1959 geneem veral as gevolg van Suid-Afrika
se toenemende rassistiese beleidsrigtings. In dieselfde jaar is In Komitee van
Eenheidsonderhandeling deur beide Kerke aangestel. Dit was duidelik dat die
verdeelde geestelike uitlewing In bespotting van beide Presbiteriaanse sowel
as Christelike getuienis gemaak het. Daar was volgehoue konflik binne areas
waar werk oorvleuel het en Swartmense het nie verstaan waarom daar twee
Presbiteriaanse Kerke was nie. Hulle het dan ook na willekeur van Kerk
verander ten einde dissiplinere stappe te voorkom.
Alhoewel daar 'n begeerte vir die vereniging van die twee kerke was is dit
ernstig belemmer deur o.a.: 1. Die wette van die land, die regsbeleid van die Regering, afsonderlike
ontwikkeling en In on-christelike houding van Blankes teenoor Swartes.
2. 'n Verwronge begrip van die Kerk (as Liggaam van Christus) onder
gemeentelede, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van 'n gebrek aan teologiese
refleksie.
3. Agterdog en wantroue en
4. 'n onvoldoende of selfs totale gebrek aan inligting oor
eenheidsonderhandelings. Besluite is slegs in die topstruktuur geneem en
daar was weinig of geen insette van die afsonderlike gemeentes nie.
Bogenoemde faktore het aile pogings tot eenheid ontspoor, daar was werklike
vrese aan beide kante en Swartes het 'n totale wantroue in Blankes ontwikkel.
Die onderhandeling het in 1973 tot 'n einde gekom toe die Presbiteriaanse
Kerk van Suidelike Afrika ten gunste van en die "Bantu Presbyterian Church"
teen eenwording gestem het.
'n Verdere poging tot eenwording is in 1994 aangewend. Teen hierdie tyd was
die landswette reeds gewysig en beide Kerke het die onderlinge behoefte aan
mekaar besef. Verskille van die verled~ is aangespreek en die "United
Presbyterian Church in South Africa" is op 26 September 1999 gestig. Hierdie
eenwording was nie te laat nie en dit kan werklike betekenis vir mense op
grondvlak he. Mense moet egter gehelp word om vertroue te ontwikkel, In
sterk teologiese basis moet ontwikkel word en hulle moet gemobiliseer word
tot 'n beter begrip van die kerk.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/70309 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Xapile, Spiwo Patrick |
| Contributors | Coertzen, P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Systematic Theology & Ecclesiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 238 pages |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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