Lidmaatskap van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk prakties-teologies verken

Abstract

In this study certain dt3ficiencies in connection with administrating church membership are being identified by using statistical information from "Kerkspieel Ill". The cause for these deficiencies can not simply be found in only one or even two factors. It constitutes in several factors some of which are easier to evaluate than others. The fact that it is not easy to measure a cause, does not mean that it should be avoided. Therefore, the practice concerning church membership is being examined in an exploring manner as it is an indispensable organisational matter. It is being approached from two dimensions: first the ecclesiology of the church is studied from a systematic-theological and practical-theological viewpoint with the purpose to determine whether that which the Dutch Reformed Church confesses as church clogma is indeed theologically acceptable. Then, with the ecclesiology as background, the structural phenomenon af church membership is investigated to see in what way the current practice in connection with church membership is conducive or perhaps destructive to the practice of the ecclesiology of the church. After identifying certain descrepancies between the church law and regulations and the E!Cclesiological confession on the one hand, and the church law and regulations and the current practice of membership on the other hand, a new practice for membership is designed. The aim of this new practice is to unite the church's ecclesiological confession and its practice on membership in a closer relationship to each other with the goal to lead members of the church to a fuller understanding of the meaning of their membership. This better understanding will serve as motivation for a more dedicated service to God in honor of his Name. The expectation is that other. renewing projects such as liturgical renewal, will be more effective if it is condu·cted in an atmosphere where members have a better understanding of their membership.

In hierdie studie word vanuit statistiese gegewens soos veral in Kerkspieel Ill opgeteken, sekere lee1mtes wat verband hou met lidmaatskap in die kerk ge'identifiseer. Die oorsake vir die leemtes is sekerlik nie simplisties in slegs een of selfs twee faktore te vind nie. Dit hou verband met 'n verskeidenheid van faktore waarvan sommige makliker meetbaar is as ander. Die feit dat 'n saak nie maklik meetbaar is nie, beteken nie dat dit vermy moet word nie. Daarom word hier verkennend gekyk na die hantering van kerklike lidmaatskap as onontbeerlike organisatoriese aangeleentheid. Dit word van twee kante benader: eerstens word gekyk na die kerk se ekklesiologie vanuit 'n sistematies- en prakties-teologiese perspektief met die doel om vas te stel of dit wat in die Ned Geref Kerk oor die kerk geleer word teologies versoenbaar is. Teen hierdie ekklesiologiese agtergrond word die strukturele verskynsel van lidmaatskap bekyk om uiteindelik na te gaan in watter mate die huidige praxis in VE!rband met lidmaatskap bevorderlik of dalk afbrekend inwerl< op die praxis van die ekklesiologie. Nadat bepaalde diskrepansies tussen die kerkordelike bepalinge en die ekklesiologiese belydenis aan die een kant asook tussen die kerkordelike bepalinge en die huidige praxis van lidmaatskap aan die anderkant aangetoon is, word 'n nuwe praxis vir kerklike lidmaatskap aan die hand gedoen. Die bedoeling is om die kerk se ekklesiologiese belydenis en die betekenis van kerklike lidmaatskap nader aan mekaar te bring sodat die lidmate van die kerk daartoe gelei kan wor:d om al beter te verstaan waarom dit in lidmaatskap eintlik gaan en deur hierdie beter begrip daartoe gemotiveer te word om met groter toewyding die Here tot sy eer te dien. Die verwagting is dat ander kerkvernuwende projekte soos oa die vernuwing van die erediens meer effektief sal wees indien dit geskied waar lidmate '