scholarly journals Seventy years of dogmatics and Christian ethics at the University of Pretoria: A Dutch reformed perspective

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrad Wethmar

This article provides a brief analysis and evaluation of the work done by the Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics at the University of Pretoria during its history of 70 years. The respective periods of tenure of the successive members of staff were extensive enough to serve as a basis for distinguishing between various phases in the development of the Department. In each of the phases, a significant and istinctive contribution was made to the academic enterprise of the Faculty of Theology, as well as to the work of the Dutch Reformed Church which was represented by the relevant members of staff.

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Van der Watt ◽  
Andrie Du Toit ◽  
Stephan Joubert

This article deals with the history of the Department of New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria from 1938 to 2008. The focus falls on the permanent staff members and their contributions during this period. The article begins with a discussion of the life and career of Prof. E.P. Groenewald. It then proceeds to the more diff cult time of cultural boycotts, with Profs A.B. du Toit and F. Botha as members of the Department at that time. Then the careers of Profs J.G. van der Watt and S.J. Joubert are discussed. The article concludes with a discussion of the contribution made by Prof. G.J. Steyn.


2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Van der Merwe

The Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria celebrates its centenary in 2017. Theological training at the university started in 1917 when the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika decided to train its own ministers. In 1937 the Dutch Reformed Church decided to establish a faculty of its own at the university. This led to a faculty with two sections: Section A for the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk and Section B for the Dutch Reformed Church. This was the situation until 2000 when the two faculties merged to become one. Although theological training by the Dutch Reformed Church only started in 1938, their faculty, Section B was an important partner through the 100 years of theological training. This article gives a chronology of the history of the Faculty of Theology Section B as partner in the history of theological training at the University of Pretoria.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elsje P. B�chner ◽  
Julian C. M�ller

This article tells the story of the development of the Department of Practical Theology of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria. The story goes back to the start of the Faculty in 1938, although the Department of Practical Theology was only established in 1966 when Professor H.D.A. du Toit applied himself fully to the subject and Professor C.W.H. Boshoff became the first full-time lecturer for Missiology. The article is written mainly from the perspective of the Dutch Reformed Church, but with the acknowledgement of the appointments of Professor Yolanda Dreyer from the Nederduitsch Reformed Church of Africa and Professor Maake Masango from the Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippus R. Du Toit

The focus of this article is on the fundamental and practical reasons that led to the establishment of theological training by the Dutch Reformed Church in the northern part of South Africa. The Faculty of Theology (Division B) was eventually established in 1938 at the University of Pretoria - nearly 80 years since the opening of the Theological Seminary in Stellenbosch. Attention is given both to the major role players in Church and Faculty as well as to the developments that inf uenced both Church and Faculty: the Dutch Reformed Church of Transvaal eventually dissolved into four synods; the Faculty of Theology on the other hand united the two Divisions to become one multi-denominational faculty in 2000. Cognisance is taken of the major tensions between faculty and Church during the course of time. Special attention is given to certain accusations regarding theological heresy during the last decade.�


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-118
Author(s):  
Johan M. Van der Merwe

The Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria chose oikodome as a Faculty Research Theme (FRT) in 2014. This term refers to life in its fullness. The Dutch Reformed Church, as one of the partners of the Faculty, contributed to life in its fullness through the important role it played in the reconciliation in South Africa since 1986. One of the beacons on this road of reconciliation was the General Synod of 1994. It became known as the ‘Synod of reconciliation’ as a result of the visits of Mr Nelson Mandela, Prof. B.J. Marais and Dr Beyers Naudé, and the important decisions that the meeting took. It was however, not only the visits of these important roleplayers in history which made the meeting a beacon on the road to reconciliation. This chapter shows that it was imbedded in a much larger context of reconciliation in South Africa in which the Dutch Reformed Church played an important role. By participating in the process of reconcilation in the country, the Dutch Reformed Church contributed to oikodome – life in its fullness for all.


1992 ◽  
Vol 48 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Koekemoer

Dogmatics and Christian Ethics within the Faculty of Theology (Sec A) at the University of Pretoria This article explores the history of the Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics within the Faculty of Theology. The focus is on two specific lines in this history, namely the period which ended in 1952 and the period from 1952 onwards. Attention is given to the thoughts of P J Muller, J H J A Greyvenstein, S P Engelbrecht, H P Wolmarans and B J Engelbrecht, and their influence on the study of Dogmatics and Ethics in the Department. The article concludes with a vision for the future of the Department at the University of Pretoria and it highlights the importance of theological research for the doctrine and life of the Church.


Author(s):  
Arnau Van Wyngaard

This article covers the time from 1985 to 1992 in the history of the Swaziland Reformed Church (SRC). In 1985, for the first time in its existence, the SRC had four missionaries working in the four districts of the country. At this stage the SRC formed a presbytery within the synodical region of the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa (DRCA) of Northern Transvaal. In 1989 – at its own request – this church became a regional synod within the DRCA. However, not long thereafter, in 1992, it was forced to become an independent Reformed church, even though it still remained part of the family of Dutch Reformed churches. Making use of original documents, this article records this history of the SRC.


2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Jacobus Van Wyngaard

This article analyses the open session debates on the Belhar Confession at the 2011 and 2013 General Synod meetings of the Dutch Reformed Church. It identifies six key themes that repeatedly emerge from arguments made by delegates, namely: 1) accepting Belhar for the sake of the youth and future of the church; 2) Belhar as guide in the mission of the church; 3) Belhar as challenge to racism within the church; 4) Belhar and its relationship to liberation theologies; 5) the role of members in formal adoption of a new confession; and 6) adoption of confessions in ways which would not make them binding on all. From these themes three matters, which remain outstanding in terms of how the Dutch Reformed Church engages with the Belhar Confession, are raised: 1) the relationship between mission and racism; 2) the history of heresy and its implication for the present; and 3) the implication of and response to black and liberation theologies. These matters are identified as challenges given particular meaning in light of the emphasis on local congregations and members of the Dutch Reformed Church when discussing the Belhar Confession.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document