Reformed Churches in South Africa
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Reformed Churches in South Africa | |
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Abbreviation | GKSA |
Classification | Protestant |
Orientation | Reformed |
Theology | Calvinist[1] |
Polity | Presbyterian |
Associations | International Conference of Reformed Churches, World Reformed Fellowship |
Region | South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, India |
Origin | 1859 Rustenburg |
Separated from | Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NHK) |
Congregations | 397[2] |
Members | 100,000[3] |
Ministers | 276 |
Official website | gksa |
The Reformed Churches in South Africa (Afrikaans: Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika) is a Christian denomination in South Africa that was formed in 1859 in Rustenburg. Members of the church are sometimes referred to as Doppers.[4]
History of Gereformeerde Kerke in South Africa[]
In the early 19th century a new hymnbook was introduced in the Dutch churches in the Netherlands, which was implemented in the Dutch Reformed Church in the Cape Colony. Many of these songs contradicted the teachings of the three confessions accepted at the Synod of Dort in 1618/1619 (The Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession and the Canons of Dort). Some of the church members could not accept these doctrines. When they refused to sing the hymns, they were threatened with excommunication. They had the view: In Gods huis Gods lied (In God's house God's songs).[5]
The main founders of the denomination, were particularly concentrated in the vicinity of Rustenburg, in the Transvaal. In 1859, 15 brothers decided to separate them from the Dutch Reformed Church. These 15 members made a meeting on 10 February 1859 convened under a seringboom at Rustenburg. At this meeting, 300 members have enrolled as members of Gereformeerde Kerke.[6] The spot is marked today by the Syringa Tree Monument.
The Gereformeerde Kerke founded a seminary for theological studies as well as teacher training in Burgersdorp in the Eastern Cape. It was moved to Potchefstroom in the early 20th century, where it became the Potchefstroom University College for Higher Christian Education, now the North West University. One of the faculties is the seminary for training their ministers.
The Gereformeerde Kerke today[]
The official name of the church body today is Die Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA). It is also known as the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA). It has 415 Congregations ministering to people in all 11 official languages of South Africa.[7] There are congregations in Zimbabwe, Namibia and Lesotho.
The General Synod meets every third year in Potchefstroom.
It has ecumenical ties with churches on all the continents of the world, except Antarctica.
Songbook of Gereformeerde Kerke[]
The Gereformeerde Kerke today uses only hymns from the Bible: the Psalms as well as Skrifberymings. Skrifberymings are hymns based on passages from the Bible.
Besides the Psalms and Skrifberymings, the hymnal contains the following:
- Three Forms of Unity, which consist of the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort.[8]
- The liturgical forms for the baptism of children, public confession of faith, the baptism of adults, the holy communion, confirmation of elders and deacons, confirmation of ministers, and the marriage ceremony.
- The Church Order[9]
- A number of prayers.
Theology[]
Creeds[]
- Apostles Creed
- Athanasian Creed
- Nicene Creed
Confessions[]
Church government[]
The Reformed Churches have a Presbyterian – Synodal system of church government.[12] The church consists of the Eastern Regional Synod, the Bushweld Synod, the Northwest Synod, the Regional Synod of Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, the Southern Regional Synod, and the Randvaal Regional Synod.[13]
Criticism that the churches in the RCSA have abandoned the principle that Christ is the only Head of the church, exists. The impression that some of the churches have abandoned the principles from the Reformation has been discussed at the "GKSA Forum". Since Christ reigns through his Word and Spirit (see Heidelberg Catechism, Sunday 48), tension arrises when important decisions are made that is perceived to deviate from Scripture. In 2017, the Reformed church Bet-El was placed outside the communion of the RCSA as result of such differences.
Seminary[]
The Reformed Churches in South Africa have their own Theological Seminary " Die Teologiese Skool"[14] in Potchefstroom.[7]
Missions[]
The Reformed Churches in South Africa has a number of growing local congregations. The denomination has local outreaches in Botswana and Mozambique. There are churches that support missionaries in Burundi. The Reformed Church in has agreement with Koshin Presbyterian Church in Korea to support evangelism, and establishing new multicultural churches in Rustenburg area. The church cooperates with the Presbyterian Church of Brazil in missions in Angola and Mozambique. It is also involved in a Reformed church plant in Hanoi, Vietnam. Through membership in the World Reformed Fellowship, Gereformeerde Gemeenten collabotates WRF's works, also for example in the International Institute of Islamic Studies.[15]
Relations with other Reformed churches[]
Reformed Churches in South Africa is a member of the World Reformed Fellowship[16] and the International Conference of Reformed Churches[17]
The Gereformeerde Kerke has sister church relationship with the :
- Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
- Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)
- Netherlands Reformed Churches
- Reformed Churches in Botswana
- United Reformed Church in Congo
- Christian Reformed Church in North America
- Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- Christian Reformed Churches of Australia
- Free Church of Scotland
- Reformed Churches of New Zealand
- Reformed Church in Japan
- Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin).[18][19]
Footnotes[]
- ^ "South African Christian". Sachristian.co.za.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ [1]
- ^ Pettman, Charles (1913). Africanderisms; a glossary of South African colloquial words and phrases and of place and other names. Longmans, Green and Co. p. 151.
- ^ Fasse, Christoph. "Address data base of Reformed churches and institutions". Reformiert-online.net.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b "BBK.GKV » Zuid-Afrika". Bbk.gkv.nl.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ [2]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 October 2003. Retrieved 28 March 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ [5]
- ^ "The World Reformed Fellowship – Membership List". 30 July 2012. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- ^ "The International Conference of Reformed Churches". 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ [6]
References[]
- "Professor Dirk Postma (1818–1890)", Dr. G.C.P. van der Vyver, Pro Rege Pers, 1958
- "Handleiding vir die studie van Kerkgeskiedenis" (Guide for the Study of Church History), Prof. S. du Toit, Pro Rege Pers, 1970
External links[]
- Protestantism in South Africa
- Reformed denominations in Africa
- Members of the World Reformed Fellowship
- Religious organizations established in 1859
- 1859 establishments in South Africa
- Establishments in the South African Republic
- 1859 in the South African Republic
- 1859 establishments in Africa
- Afrikaans words and phrases
- Dutch-South African culture
- Reformed Churches in South Africa