The Church Order as empire and anti-empire
Studia Hist. Ecc. vol.37 n.3 Pretoria Dec. 2011
Die Kerkorde as emporium en anti-emporium
Navorsingsinstituut vir Teologie en Religie, Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, Pretoria, Suid-Afrika
In huidige akademiese gesprekke word met "emporium" ("empire") verwys na die eenvormigheid wat deur groot rolspelers globaal op alle fasette van menswees afgedruk word volgens waardes wat deur hulle neergelê word. Die imperialistiese waardes van die emporium skryf voor hoe die geskiedenis geïnterpreteer moet word, hoe tekste gelees moet word, en wat die magsverhoudings in die toekoms sal wees tussen mense van verskillende klasse, rasse en genders. Die emporium skryf waardes aan mense toe volgens hulle posisie in die hiërargie wat deur die emporium bepaal word.
In hierdie artikel word gekyk na die Stipulasies tot die Kerkorde van die Noordelike Sinode van die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider-Afrika (VGKSA). Die vraag word gevra of die plek wat hierin aan die Moderamen gegee word, die beginsels van die (Nederlands-) Gereformeerde kerk-reg weerspieël en of dit nie 'n emporium skep wat eenvormige mag oor "minderes" uitoefen nie. Die ontstaansgeskiedenis van die Stipulasies tot die Kerkorde van die Noordelike Sinode van die VGKSA (2011) vis-a-vis die rol van die Moderamen word beskryf, en tersaaklike gevalle-studies binne die VGKSA word bespreek.
Uiteindelik word gevra hoe 'n Kerkorde en sy Stipulasies sal lyk wat op anti-emporiese beginsels en praktyke berus. Die beginsels wat die Belydenis van Belhar onderlê, en die praktyk van kerklike visitasies soos beoefen in die Protestantse Kerk in Nederland word as voorbeelde van anti-emporium beskryf.
In recent academic discussions, "empire" refers to the hegemony with which major role players take control over all aspects of humanity and impress their values on all. The imperialistic values of empire dictates how history is to interpreted,how texts must be read, and what the relationships between people of different classes, races and genders will be like in future. The empire awards value to people according to their position in the hierarchy of power created by the empire.
In this article the Stipulations to the Church Order of the Northern Synod of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) will be scrutinised. The question will be asked whether the place attributed to the Moderamen in these Stipulations is according to the principles of (Dutch) Reformed church polity, or whether an empire is created which rules over the less mighty. The history of the said Stipulations (2011) is described, and relevant case studies within URCSA are discussed.
Finally, a vision is formulated as to the contents of a church order and its Stipulations that are based on the princeples and practices of anti-empire. The principles of the Confession of Belhar, and the practise of church visitations of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands are described as examples of anti-empire.
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