Geskeidenheid binne die familie van NG Kerke en die stryd om ’n menswaardige Suid(er)-Afrika: enkele implikasies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17570/ngtt.2009.v50n1.a08Keywords:
Constitution, Family of Dutch Reformed Churches, Freedom Unity, Human DignityAbstract
In 1996 het Suid-Afrika haar eerste demokratiese Grondwet aanvaar waarby ’n Handves van Regte ingesluit is. Enersyds verteenwoordig die Grondwet ’n kulminasiepunt van die stryd om die erkenning van elke Suid-Afrikaner se inherente gelykheid, vryheid en waardigheid. Andersyds skep die Grondwet die ruimte vir die voortgesette strewe na ’n menswaardige samelewing.Daar kan egter gevra word in hoe ’n mate Suid-Afrika daarin geslaag het om ’n kultuur van menswaardigheid te vestig. Hierdie vraag hang saam met die rol wat die kerke binne die familie van NG Kerke kan speel in die vestiging van ’n kultuur soos veronderstel deur die Grondwet van Suid-Afrika. In hierdie verband wys die teoloog, Wolfgang Huber, die belangrike verband tussen demokrasie se menseregtekultuur en die belang van menswaardigheid binne Protestantisme.
Hierdie artikel ondersoek die rol wat die familie van NG Kerke kan speel in die daarstel van ’n kultuur van menswaardigheid in Suid-Afrika. Spesiale aandag word gegee aan die strukturele geskeidenheid binne die familie van NG Kerke en die implikasies hiervan op die bovermelde.
Division within the family of Dutch Reformed Churches and the quest for a culture of human dignity in South(ern) Africa: some implications.
South Africa accepted her first democratic Constitution, which includes a Bill of Human Rights, in 1996. Whilst on the one side this Constitution should be seen as the pinnacle in the struggle to realize the inherent equality, freedom and dignity of every South African, on the other side, this Constitution also creates the space for the continous strive towards a society characterised by a culture of human dignity.
It can however be asked to what extend South Africa succeeded to establish a society characterised by a culture of human dignity. This questions relates to the role which churches within the family of Dutch Reformed Churches can play in establishing a culture as it is implied by the Constitution. In this regard the theologian Wofgang Huber shows in his work towards the existing and indeed most important connection between democracy and a culture of human dignity.
This article looks into the role that the family of Dutch Reformed Churches can play in creating a culture of human dignity in South(ern) Africa. Special attention will be given to the structural division wihtin the family of Dutch Reformed Churches and the challenges in this regard.
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