Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK)

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Dutch Reformed Church

Abbreviation NGK

Classification Protestant

Orientation Reformed

Polity Presbyterian

Region South Africa,

Namibia,

Eswatini,

parts of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia[1]

Branched from Dutch Reformed Church of the Netherlands

Separations Afrikaans Protestant Church (1987)

Congregations 1,158[2]
 Members 1,074,765[2]

Ministers 1,602[2]

Official website www.ngkerk.org.za

The Dutch Reformed Church (Afrikaans: Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk,

abbreviated NGK) is a Reformed Christian denomination in South Africa. It also has a
presence in neighbouring countries, such as Namibia, Eswatini, and parts
of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.[1] In 2013 it claimed 1.1 million members and
1,602 ordained ministers in 1,158 congregations. [2]
The Nederduits in the denomination's Afrikaans name refers to the old nomenclature for
the Dutch language, formerly written as Nederduitsch in Dutch.[3] This not to be confused
with the literal translation Low German, which is a dialect in the north of Germany. It is
therefore correctly referred to as the "Dutch Reformed Church" in South Africa.
Originating in the 17th century from the Dutch Reformed Church of the Netherlands, the
NGK is the largest denomination within South Africa's Dutch Reformed tradition. Along
with the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NHK) and the Reformed Churches in
South Africa, it is considered one of the three sister churches of South Africa.

Contents

 1History
o 1.1Origins in the Cape Colony
o 1.2Divisions (1853–1859)
o 1.3Expansion (1860s–1902)
o 1.4Recent history
 2Doctrine and polity
 3Current issues
o 3.1Homosexuality
o 3.2Abortion
 4References
 5Further reading
 6External links

History[edit]
Origins in the Cape Colony[edit]
The Groote Kerk in Cape Town is the church building of the oldest existing congregation in southern Africa

The interior of the Groote Kerk

When the Dutch East India Company sent Jan van Riebeeck to start a Dutch settlement
at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, most of the company's employees were members of
the Dutch Reformed Church. At first there were no ordained ministers from the
Netherlands but only a sick comforter. In 1665, Johan van Arckel arrived in the Cape
Colony and became its first minister. A consistory was formed but was still subject to the
control of the classis (presbytery) of Amsterdam.
In 1688, 200 Huguenot refugees arrived at the Cape. Though at first allowed to hold
services in French, they were eventually assimilated into the Dutch-speaking population
and became members of the Dutch Reformed Church, which had a monopoly in
territory controlled by the company. An exception was eventually allowed for
a Lutheran church in Cape Town (many of the company's employees were German).
During the Napoleonic Wars, the British occupied the Cape Colony in 1795 to prevent
the French from doing so. The French had occupied the Netherlands, and so the link
between the church in the colony and the Amsterdam classis was broken. The first
British occupation was temporary, but in 1806 a long-term occupation was undertaken.
For the next century, the colony would be under British control. Ministers from the
Netherlands were not as willing to serve in what was now for them a foreign country,
and the British authorities were not keen to have them. Presbyterian ministers from
Scotland were encouraged to serve the needs of the Dutch Reformed Church in the
Cape. The church was semi-established, and the government helped with stipends of
ministers.
Divisions (1853–1859)[edit]
The colony had expanded a long way beyond the Cape Peninsula in the preceding two
centuries, both to the north and the east, and on the eastern frontier the Dutch farmers
came into contact with Xhosa-speaking cattle herders. There were conflicts over grazing
and water and cattle rustling across the frontier. The frontier farmers did not like the way
the government in Cape Town handled the situation, and the ending of slavery in 1834
was another bone of contention.
Afrikaner Calvinism was developing a different worldview to that of the British rulers,
and many farmers left the Cape Colony in the Great Trek during the 1830s and 1840s.
The Dutch Reformed ministers generally tried to discourage them and, as the Dutch
Reformed Church was the established church of the colony, did not initially provide
pastoral ministry for the emigrant farmers, who eventually formed several independent
republics in present-day South Africa. Several of the republics in the land beyond
the Vaal ("Transvaal") eventually merged to form the South African Republic in 1852.
Because the NGK was seen by the trekkers as being an agent of the Cape government,
they did not trust its ministers and emissaries, seeing them as part of the British
Empire's attempts to annex the Boer Republics. A minister from the Netherlands, Dirk
Van der Hoff, went to the Transvaal in 1853 and became the first minister of the newly
established Dutch Reformed Church (NHK), which became the state church of the
South African Republic in 1860.

Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk, Wolmaransstad.

There were also religious divisions among the trekkers themselves. The more
conservative ones (known as Doppers) were opposed to singing hymns that had not
been determined to be scripturally pure in church. There was controversy in the
Netherlands over hymn singing as well resulting in a group breaking away from the
Dutch Reformed Church to form the Christian Reformed Churches. A minister from this
group, Dirk Postma [af], traveled to the South African Republic and was accepted as a
minister of the NHK. After learning that he and his congregation could be required to
sing these untested hymns, however, he and the Doppers broke away from the state
church to form the Reformed Churches in South Africa (GK) in 1859. There were thus
now three Dutch Reformed churches in what would become South Africa—the NGK
(the Cape Synod), the NHK (the state church of the South African Republic), and the
GK (led by Postma).
Expansion (1860s–1902)[edit]
In the NGK meanwhile there was more controversy over theological
liberalism and conservatism. An evangelical revival led by Andrew Murray tipped the
balance away from theological liberalism. One result of the revival was that many young
men felt called to the ministry, and a seminary was opened at Stellenbosch. The NGK
was thus no longer dependent on getting its clergy from overseas, and as most of the
recruits to the ministry had emerged from the revival this was the dominant element.
One of its features was a kind of Reformed "Lent", between Ascension
Day and Pentecost, a custom that eventually spread beyond the confines of the NGK.
The revival also led to an interest in mission work which led to the establishment of the
Dutch Reformed Mission Church for coloureds and the Dutch Reformed Church in
Africa for blacks. These were segregated entirely from the white churches, but
eventually united to form the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. The NGK
expanded from the Cape Colony, but in Natal and the two inland republics it set up
separate synods that were at first loosely federated but later developed a closer
relationship.
Following the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) the NGK played an important role in
reconstruction and resisting the tendency of the British rulers to anglicise the Afrikaners.
As the church ministers became increasingly involved in attempts to uplift the Afrikaner
people, they also became politicised, and many became spokesmen for Afrikaner
nationalism.
Recent history[edit]

Church of the Dutch Reformed Church in Keetmanshoop, Namibia

The Church supported apartheid[4] and in 1982 was expelled from the World Alliance of

Reformed Churches which declared apartheid to be a sin. [5] In 1986 during the General
Synod the church changed its stance on apartheid and opened its doors to people of all
races[6] (the Andrew Murray ministry within the Dutch Reformed Church, since its
inception, had its doors open to people of different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities).
After various processes the Church has been accepted back into the World Alliance of
Reformed Churches.
In recent years, there have been efforts at reuniting the various branches of South
Africa's Dutch Reformed tradition. From 6 to 8 November 2006, 127 representatives of
the GK, the Uniting Reformed Church and the Dutch Reformed Church met at
Achterbergh near Krugersdorp to discuss the reunification and how this can be realized.
The Dutch Reformed Churches Union Act Repeal Act, 2008 of the Parliament of South
Africa[7] has one of its objectives as to "remove obstacles in the unification process of the
Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk, Reformed Church of Africa and the Dutch Reformed
Churches without legislative intervention". [8]

Doctrine and polity[edit]

Theologically, the Dutch Reformed Church is in the Reformed branch of Protestantism.
It holds the Bible as authoritative Word of God by which all doctrine is judged. It has
three doctrinal standards: the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and
the Canons of Dordt.[9]
The NGK has a presbyterian polity with power divided between synods, presbyteries,
and church councils. Church councils govern local congregations. Local churches are
organised geographically into 146 presbyteries ("rings") which are further organized into
synods. Every four years, the 10 synods come together and meet as the General
Synod. The office of the General Synod is in Pretoria, Gauteng Province. [2]
There are ten synods, whose borders roughly resemble those of the provinces of South
Africa plus Namibia. They are:

 Western and Southern Cape Synod (Western Cape province and the

southern and western parts of the Northern Cape province),
 Eastern Cape Synod (Eastern Cape province)
 Northern Cape Synod (northern part of the Northern Cape province, the
western part of North West province, and the southern part of Botswana)
 Natal Synod (KwaZulu-Natal province)
 Free State Synod (Free State province)
 Western Transvaal Synod (eastern part of the North West province and the
southern part of the Gauteng province)
 Northern Synod (most of the Limpopo province, eastern part of Botswana,
parts of Zimbabwe, and the eastern part of the Caprivi Strip of Namibia)
 Highveld Synod (south-eastern part of Gauteng province and south-western
part of Mpumalanga province)
 Eastern Synod (most of the Mpumalanga province, the south-eastern part of
Limpopo province, and Eswatini)
 Namibia Synod (all of Namibia except for the eastern Caprivi Strip) [10]

Current issues[edit]
Individual church councils may decide for themselves how specific current issues that
are not dealt with in the six officially accepted confessions of faith are dealt with within
the congregation. This can lead to widely differing approaches on issues such as
marriage, gambling, sexuality, sins in general, social issues, etc. between
congregations. Both the General Synod and the regional synods may pronounce an
official statement on certain issues, which local church councils broadly follow. There
can be marked differences between the synods with regard to social issues.
When an issue has a wide range of opinions, the synods and the General Synod
releases "discussion documents" which are intended to move the opinion of
congregations in some direction.
Homosexuality[edit]
Milestone decisions about homosexuality were taken in 1967, 1982, 1986, 2004, 2015,
2016 and 2019. The 1986 and 2004 decisions were broadly similar to each other, but
the 2015 decision was dramatically different, and was reported in the media under
headlines such as "Gays now welcome in NG Church", even though strictly speaking
homosexuals had been welcome since 1982. The 2016 decision reversed most of the
2015 decision; local congregations are still able to decide to support same-sex unions.
In 2019, a secular court overturned the 2016 decision and allowed the blessing of
same-sex unions to resume.[11]
Traditionally, and certainly prior to the end of Apartheid, the NG Church held the view
that homosexuality is a mental health issue or a sinful state of being. No distinction was
made between homosexuality and homosexual activity, as both were regarded as either
a psychological illness or a deliberate decision to sin.
The 1982 General Synod declared that homosexual sex is sinful and that homosexuals
may not participate in the Lord's Supper or become elders, deacons or pastors,
regardless of whether they have sex. The 1986 General Synod confirmed that
homosexual sex and homosexual relationships are sinful, but declared that
homosexuals may use the Lord's Supper and may become elders, deacons or pastors,
if they are otherwise eligible. The 1986 decision confirmed the existence of
homosexuality as a sexual orientation, but labelled it a deviant form of sexuality.
By 1990, the mood was changing, and the 1990 General Synod appointed a committee
to investigate the validity of the 1986 decision. The 1994 and 1998 General Synods did
not deal with the issue. By the 2002 General Synod, the synod indicated that it was
doubtful about the 1986 decision. The 1986 decision was formally withdrawn in 2004,
although in practice the 2004 decision (which replaced the 1986 decision entirely) was
the same as the 1986 decision.[12]
The church's previous stance on homosexuality was published in 2004, and confirmed
by the 2007 and 2013 General Synods. The 2004 decision was that homosexuality is
not a deviant form of sexuality, and that homosexuals may become active members of
the church (including becoming ministers). The decision also states that homosexuals
may not marry in the same gender, and that all sex outside of marriage is sinful. [13] Due
to changes in South African legislation concerning marriage and civil unions, the 2007
General Synod clarified that it does not regard homosexual civil unions and homosexual
legal marriages as "marriage", and that homosexuals may only become pastors if they
don't have sex.[12]
The 2004 decision was formally withdrawn in 2015. The 2015 General Synod decided
that sex outside of marriage is no longer sinful, as long as both partners live good
Christian lives and are committed to each other. This applies to both homosexuals and
heterosexuals. The church recognises South African civil unions, but does not regard
legal marriage between homosexuals as Biblical marriage – instead, the church regards
legally married homosexuals as simply having a formalised, committed sexual
relationship.[14]
The 2015 decision caused a backlash of appeals and objections. In November 2015,
the decision was suspended, initially to be discussed again at the 2017 General Synod.
However, on 7 September 2016, the suspension was lifted and at the same time an
Extraordinary Synod was called, which was held in November 2016. [15][16] The
extraordinary synod reversed much of the 2015 decision officially. [17][18][19]
Therefore, the current view on homosexuality of the NKG is:

 Marriage is a commitment between one man and one woman.

 Sex outside of marriage is sinful, and therefore gay sex is sinful.
 No-one may be excluded from participation in church activities owing to their
sexual orientation.
 No-one may be excluded from becoming a minister, elder or deacon owing to
their sexual orientation.
o There are currently ministers who are openly gay or lesbian [20]
 Congregations are allowed to deny employment to married gays.
 Congregations are allowed to deviate from any of these decisions if they
believe that that is what God wants.
Progressive members of the clergy and laity have taken the denomination to court to
restore the decision from 2015 and reject the reversal. [21] Although the decision was
reversed, local congregations, as aforementioned, are able to make their own decisions.
The church's reversal still "makes allowance for ministers and parishes to make their
own decision around this. It is stated that no decision may be forced on any parish". [22] In
2019, the secular Gauteng High Court, in Pretoria ruled to reverse the 2016 decision
and decided that ministers should bless same-sex unions and that gay and lesbian
ministers could marry and be ordained.[23][24][25] This decision was reached, in part, on the
basis that, while religious organizations have the religious freedom to define marriage,
the 2016 decision was not made in accordance with the church's own proper process.
[26]
 The General Secretary Gustav Claasse told the press that, despite the court decision
the church will hold to its 2016 official stance against same-sex marriage. [27]