Without the Gospel Everything is Useless and Vain

John Calvin’s preface to Pierre Robert Olivétan’s French translation of the New Testament in 1534.

Without the gospel, everything is useless and vain; without the gospel, we are not Christians; without the gospel all riches are poverty, all wisdom folly before God; strength is weakness, and all the justice of man is under the condemnation of God. But by the knowledge of the gospel we are made children of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, fellow townsmen with the saints, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, heirs of God with Jesus Christ, by whom the poor are made rich, the weak strong, the fools wise, the sinner justified, the desolate comforted, the doubting sure, and slaves free. It is the power of God for the salvation of all those who believe.

This is what we should, in short, seek in the whole of Scripture: truly to know Jesus Christ, and the infinite riches that are comprised in Him and are offered to us by Him from God the Father.

It follows that every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, He was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; He was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; He died for our life; so that by Him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despise despised, debt cancelled, labour lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune.

For all these things which were to be the weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn to our profit. If we are able to boast with the apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? It is because by the Spirit that Christ promised to the elect, we live no longer, but Christ lives in us; and we are by the same Spirit seated among those who are in heaven, so that for us the world is no more, even while our conversation [life] is in it; but we are content in all things, whether country, place, condition, clothing, meat, and all such things. And we are comforted in tribulations, joyful in sorrow, glorying under vituperation [verbal abuse], abounding in poverty, warmed in our nakedness, patient amongst evils, living in death.

Source: https://www.monergism.com/without-gospel-everything-useless-and-vain-john-calvin

Message of Reconciliation, Truth and Justice Highlighted at German Protestant Gathering

A press release of the World Council of Churches (WCC) on the 27^th May 2017

Reconciliation was once primarily seen as a message of the church but is now used by secular leaders trying to establish peace in communities torn by conflict and war, WCC president for Africa, the Rev Dr Mary Anne Plaatjies van Huffel, has said at a major Protestant gathering in Germany.

“To pursue punitive justice exclusively will not result in reconciliation,” said South African theologian Plaatjies van Huffel in a Bible study during the 24-28 May German Protestant Kirchentag, or “church festival,” in Berlin. “Reconciliation has also to do with the uncovering of the truth and forgiveness.”

Referring to South Africa’s post-Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Plaatjies van Huffel said both victims and perpetrators revisited the divided past together and shared in collective feelings of hurt and shame.

“The premise of the truth and reconciliation process was that reconciliation is needed, not only at an individual level, nor only between individuals, but also within and between communities and the nation as a whole,” she noted.

“The road to reconciliation requires more than forgiveness and respectful remembrance. Forgiveness is not about forgetting, but rather means remembering the past in a way that makes a different kind of future possible for both victim and the wrongdoer,” said Plaatjies van Huffel, the first woman to be ordained as a pastor within the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa.

Organised every two years in a different German city, the Kirchentag this year has gathered more than 100,000 participants of all ages in Berlin.

Other Bible studies were offered by WCC general secretary the Rev Olav Fykse Tveit; Agnes Abuom, moderator of the WCC Central Committee; and Central Committee members Bishop Samuel Azariah of the Church of Pakistan, and Audeh Quawas, belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and from Amman in Jordan.

“For us at the World Council of Churches, the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace has become the key through which the fellowship of churches seeks to make its mission resonate in the face of the challenges of our time,” said Tveit in his Bible study.

Referring to the biblical account of the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus, a repentant tax collector in Jericho (Luke 19:1-10), Tveit noted that Zacchaeus found peace in joyfully welcoming but he was also ready to make up for the injustice of the past by rendering justice.

“Our call as followers of Christ is to proclaim the message of justice in order that our world will experience true and lasting peace. And this is the core message of the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace,” he continued.

The story, said Tveit, “can open not only minds and hearts, but open the walls that are erected to divide people of today, walls of suspicion, of hatred, of sin.”

“This story brings hope to us, wherever we are in our closed minds and closed behaviour. The story can also bring hope to those who are living in Jericho and near Jericho today, who are divided by occupation and oppression and violence,” said the WCC general secretary.

In his bible study, Quawas noted that Zacchaeus would have been considered by his townspeople as a collaborator with the Roman occupiers of the time.

Jesus, however, showed unexpected grace and love towards Zacchaeus, and in so doing brought the anger of the townspeople upon himself.  Grace is unexpected, “because Zacchaeus didn’t earn it,” said Quawas. “Grace is free, but not cheap. And its nature is love.”

Source: http://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/message-of-reconciliation-truth-and-justice-highlighted-at-german-protestant-gathering

GREETINGS FROM URCSA TO DRC GENERAL SYNOD 2015

A speech by Rev Dr Dawid Kuyler, then scribe of the URCSA General Synod, to the 2015 Dutch Reformed Church General Synod.

Dear Moderator, Moderamen and delegates

GREETINGS FROM URCSA TO DRC GENERAL SYNOD 2015

It is an honour for me to bring greetings to you from URCSA. On behalf of the leadership in URCSA, the seven regional synods and the 753 congregations it is my pleasure to greet you in the name of Jesus who is Lord.

When I bring greetings today, I bring it from a church that is in a relationship with you. Our relationship is not only historically and confessional, but a relationship that is currently defined by our Memorandum of Agreement for our journey towards unity.

In our Memorandum of Agreement together we stated:

2.1          We as churches have decided to covenant together, because we believe that the Lord, who graciously committed himself to us, requires this of us. We use the term covenanting because we want to bring ourselves and the reunification process under the authority of the word of God and the will of Christ. As the family of churches, we already decided together at Achterberg to journey together.

2.2          We envisage a new organically united reformed church, organized according to synodical-presbyterial structures, which lives missionally and is committed to the biblical demands of love, reconciliation, justice and peace. At the same time, we are committed to non-racialism, inclusiveness and the acceptance and celebration of our multicultural composition. The different languages in our churches will be treasured.

In our road map, we charted the map we are following to achieve our goal of unity. We have agreed on church unity that:

3.1          From the different models for church unity in different churches, we intentionally choose a Presbyterial-synodical church body (i.e. organic) that supports the Gospel of Jesus Christ who broke down the wall of separation between people (Ephesians 2: 14-16).

3.2          We believe that this proposed model is a Scriptural embodiment of unity in the Southern African context. This model we believe can help the church on different levels to be the living body of Christ in the world.

3.3          As reformed churches we believe that the local congregation is the expression of the church of Christ in a local community, but we also believe that local congregations live in communion with one another and this communion is expressed in various manners e.g. presbyteries, synods.

The four churches undertake to identify ways in which the local churches can express their unity with each other inter alia forming uniting congregations, receiving ministers across cultures, starting uniting commissions and projects, re-aligning the congregations with their full consent to incorporate wards of other cultures.

In the past month, we have together drafted a proposed Interim Order at Volmoed in Hermanus to make it possible to start at different levels with unity and not only to co-operate. We cannot let some regional synods and congregations keep the whole church hostage while others are ready for unity. As URCSA we are eagerly looking forward to see how you will deal with the Interim Order.

On the Confession of Belhar we have agreed to journey together.

4.1          We agree that the Confession of Belhar will be taken up in the confessional basis of the reunited church.

4.2          We understand that the Dutch Reformed Church decided to make the Confession of Belhar part of the confessional basis of the Dutch Reformed Church in a church orderly way and we also understand that it proposed to do it in the following way:

Already in November 2013 URCSA cautioned you about the process to get Belhar accepted and in the beginning of this year as the results from Namibia and Free State was made known, we had a very honest conversation. URCSA conveyed to you that we have experienced the results have brought us to a Stop and Go in the road to unity. We are looking forward to see how you will deal with Belhar on the way forward. We were encouraged with the Cape Synod and their decisions on Belhar. The question now is: How will this General Synod deal with the process of Belhar. That will determine whether we have to stay longer at the Stop and Go, do we have to turn back, or do we need to build another road or do we need a 4x4 for the journey?

What we appreciate on the journey that we have traveled since 2011, is the relationship between the leadership of URCSA and DRC. We have become brothers and Sisters in Christ. We have moved from arguments to conversation. We have learned to hear one another and to work on a common goal. I would like to thank Prof Jerry Pillay, the President of the WCRC, for the role that he played in getting us together.

I am excited about two projects that we have decided to jointly embark on, to help us on the journey towards unity: The Season of Human Dignity and Churches Addressing Racism. Our past was influenced by a theology and anthropology that undermined peoples´ dignity. Together we need to work on a process to help our members and all citizens in SA to rediscover in one another´s presence the dignity bestowed upon us as humans by God. We need to re-affirm one another’s dignity. That will only be possible if the members of URCSA and DRC and the rest of the DRC Family will meet at grassroots level. This does not mean that we ignore the hurtful past, but that we constructively deal with it and move on. In 2014 we agreed that the elephant in the room is racism. Churches through their theology and practices have assisted racism to flourish in our society and unfortunately continue to do so. It is time that we do something together to address racism in all its forms: personal and institutional. Every day we are reminded of incidents of racism. Let us together create opportunities and stories how Christians can relate how they are helping one another to be move beyond racism and foster a society and church not defined by racism. This will tell our children and the world that DRC and URCSA are serious about being church in Southern Africa.

The Season of Human Dignity and Churches addressing Racism needs to make reconciliation and justice visible within the church and in society. Together with other churches in South Africa we need to show how an alternative society look like based on the principles of God´s Kingdom.

Church unity, reconciliation and justice is not a luxury for the church in South Africa. This challenge is our challenge. We are looking forward to your decisions how to deal with these issues.

As fellow members of the SACC we need to make our prophetic voice heard in Southern Africa. Let us speak truth to power.

It is my prayer that God through his Spirit will guide you in your deliberations. Not everybody will be happy with your decisions but may you be guided to be obedient to God.

We believe that, in obedience to Jesus Christ, its only head, the church is called to confess and to do all these things, even though the authorities and human laws might forbid them and punishment and suffering be the consequence.

Source: http://kaapkerk.co.za.dedi740.jnb2.host-h.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Greeting-DRC-Gen-Synod-2015.pdf

The People of the Way on a Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace

Message of the presidents of the World Council of Churches at Pentecost 2017.

Acts 2:1 – "When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place." Let us reflect deeply during Pentecost 2017 on the meaning of being a “People of the Way” on a pilgrimage of justice and peace as we find it in Acts 2:1-47.

When the day of Pentecost came, the followers of Jesus were all in one place and of one accord. They, meaning the apostles with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers, devoted themselves with singular (homothumadon) purpose to prayer. They were of one mind in anticipation. There was a oneness, a conjunction of fellowship (association), minds and place. All were awaiting the fulfilment of the words of Jesus, who had spoken to them about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The word “Pentecost” is a Greek word signifying the fiftieth part of a thing, or the fiftieth in order. Among the Jews it was applied to one of their three great feasts, which began on the fiftieth day after Passover. Of all the feasts of the Jewish year, it was the one that attracted the largest number of pilgrims from distant lands and many nations. Therefore, many foreign pilgrims were assembled in Jerusalem for the festival.

On the day of Pentecost, the promised gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on them – not on the apostles only, but on the whole 120 men and women. Then Peter stood up with them, raised his voice and addressed those who are Jews, that is, Jews by birth, as well as all others besides native-born Jews, whether proselytes or strangers, who were abiding at Jerusalem. In the early days of the church the believers in our Lord Jesus Christ were known as people of "the Way" (Acts 9:2). The term seems to have been used as a synonym for the disciples of Jesus five times (in Acts 19:9; 19:23; 22:4; 24:14; 24:22). And it refers to the way, as being the only one. Jesus is the “way,” as well as the “truth” and the “life” (John 14:6). The followers of Jesus were people on a pilgrimage. For them, pilgrimage included, among other things, being a witness of the Risen One.

The word pilgrimage is derived from the Latin word “peregrinus”, meaning foreigner and “peregri”, meaning abroad, referring to a traveller in foreign lands. St Augustine describes a Christian spiritual journey as a kind of estrangement and exile. The followers of our Lord were persecuted for His namesake. The way is a common expression in Acts for the Christian religion. It is a metaphor for life and conduct. The way of God and the way of life are seen as the only right and true way. The first time the term Christian (which literally means “Christ Ones”) was used in describing followers of Jesus was in Antioch, Syria (Acts 11:26: “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch”). The way refers to their lifestyle, that is, the way of life they assumed. The Christians adopted a special way or mode of life, building on Christ, in whom they had found the Way, the Truth, the Life. Their lifestyle identified them as being followers of Jesus Christ. Coram Deo is a Latin term that means "before the face of God," or “in the presence of God.” To live coram Deo is to live in the grace of God, under the authority of God and to the glory of God. Christian spirituality proposes an alternative understanding of the quality of life and it encourages a prophetic and contemplative lifestyle. This is what Pentecost is all about. It is about embracing a new life in Christ. In Christ, the Risen One, a society was founded. Not on the law of self-interest and competition, but on compassionate justice and self-denial. The distinguishing point by which they were known from others was their conviction that Jesus was the Messiah.

They were together – in one accord, sharing the same vision and mission in church (praising, praying, sharing the Word of God) and community (sharing their property or possessions, Acts 2:44 f.). For them having all things in common referred not only to their belief in Jesus as the Son of God, but also that their conduct should be in harmony with their confession, namely that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

To be on a pilgrimage entails deep reflection about our personal conviction that Jesus is the Lord as well as our moral obligation to heed the numerous issues of socio-economic justice around us. Part of the church’s mission and humanity’s responsibility is to protect God’s creation for future generations (Pope Francis, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, no. 159).

We as people of the way should stand where God is standing, even if it costs us our lives. Today religious persecution is taking place across the globe. With profound sadness, we recall many who lost their lives to persecution. But we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. This is our conviction. Christianity provides us a way, a path to engage in church and society – to embody the way. The gift of the Spirit shows its power, not only in tongues and prophecy, but also in our lives and conduct. Following His way, may we live in anticipation of the coming of the eternal reign of God.

The presidents of the World Council of Churches:

•      Rev Dr Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel, Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa

•      Rev Prof. Dr Sang Chang, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea

•      Archbishop Anders Wejryd, Church of Sweden

•      Rev Gloria Nohemy Ulloa Alvarado, Presbyterian Church in Colombia

•      Bishop Mark MacDonald, Anglican Church of Canada

•      Rev Dr Mele’ana Puloka, Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga

•      H. B. John X, Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East

•      H. H. Karekin II, The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Source: https://www.facebook.com/ma.vanhuffel/posts/10211617378102000

CYM Lives!

Keynote address by Mr Chris Kilowan at the gala event of the CYM Southern Synod Regional Conference at the A. O. G. Conference Centre on the 29^th April 2017.

I wish to thank the Regional Executive Committee of the CYM Southern Synod, for allowing me to address this CYM gathering even though I am long over the age of 35. I hope the constitutional experts will not throw me out.

The title of my message is CYM Lives! I will expand further on why I have chosen this theme, but first let me talk a little bit about the history and foundation of the CYM. In June 1995, the young people from the CJV (Christelike Jeugverenging) and MBB (Mokgahlo wa Bacha wa Bokreste) came together in a historic meeting in Bloemfontein. This was to be the first gathering of young people who were kept apart for more than 60 years by apartheid. This was an era of hope and willingness to stretch out hands across barriers and bridge divides.

Today many are questioning that historic moment and the divide seems wider at all levels in our church. It is within this context that we have assimilated political language into our church and structures instead of infusing politics with our church language. During the 80's (here I must tell you what my 15-year-old daughter asked when I said I will be speaking tonight – she asked whether I would talk about my plastic bag for schoolbooks – she said I shouldn't tell that story, so I won't) but in the 80's we had a common enemy and our struggles were filled with church language. The church itself became a site of struggle.

We were talking of bringing the church closer to the youth instead of the other way around. We were praying: “Come Holy Spirit renew your whole creation.” Not only part of His Creation. Not only renewal for us within the church. Not only for us within the youth structures, but the entire creation. The youth was alive, committed, involved and motivated. We were everywhere. We worked in different community, youth and student structures. We reached out. We were inclusive. We participated in ecumenical activities across denomination.

If we look around us today, I would say the time has come that CYM provide leadership once more. We have become inward looking. We should be looking at what we can do outside of our usual gatherings. There are 3 things we should do:

1.    Start reconnecting with our community, not only congregation. Infuse community/political discussions with church language. Join political parties of your choice and act as catalyst for good instead of becoming part of the negative narrative about and within our country. We should reach out again to young people of all shapes, colours and sizes. We should bring back the level of ecumenical inclusion that was the order of the day in the 80’s and 90’s.

Say CYM Lives! in every engagement that we have with people outside of the CYM. Adopt programmes that will be inclusive of more than just the members of the CYM in a branch.

When we arrange our conferences at presbytery and regional synod levels, think about having it within congregations and having members of the congregations hosting delegates. You will be surprised at the bonds you will form that will last long after you have departed from the house of that family. Recently I bumped into the sister at whose house I stayed in 1985 during the CJV Congress in Stellenbosch. When I walked up to her and asked if she knows who I am she threw her arms around me and said “…of course, how can I forget my children?”

In this way, the CYM Lives!

2.    Educate yourself about everything that has to do with our church. Arrange discussion groups. Invite members of the Rings Kommissie or regional synod to come and explain the church order and processes in our church. Have a year-long engagement around these issues. By immersing ourselves deep in the business of our church at all levels we will prevent the sort of oppression that we often see within our church these days. This in turn results in young people being pushed away from our church and our church becoming a site of dispossession, pain and hatred.

3.    Swing our focus away from a dogmatic following of our CYM Constitution and see how it can become a living document that facilitates the youth ministry rather than box people into corners. If the CYM Constitution were to be abolished today, there should still be a CYM that will continue to do the things that we have set out as our aims and objectives of the CYM.

Focus more on what we agreed to do in our church, rather than on who will occupy which position. Focus on how we draw all young people into the activities of the CYM, rather than marginalising them through our programmes or the language we use when we debate issues.

Avoid the lobbying that takes place around leadership elections because we should be infusing these processes with Christian values and raise servant leaders rather than power obsessed young people. In this way, we will provide leadership even to our church structures such as presbyteries, regional and general synods.

#FeesMustFall and other social formations have shown us as a church what it means to be engaged with our context. If we read the entire Bible we see constant engagement with context by the prophets and even Jesus and the Apostles of the early church.

CYM must, therefore, say it lives! It lives today. It must say:

·         Oppression Must Fall,

·         Favouritism Must Fall,

·         Nepotism Must Fall.

CYM exists today. CYM acts today. CYM reflects on our context today.

If we look at it in this way the questions we will ask of ourselves and the programmers of action will be more pro-active rather than reactive. We will be agents of change rather than victims of externally induced change.

So as from tonight let the rallying cry be CYM Lives!

I thank you.

Mr Chris Kilowan was elected as the first chairperson of CYM in 1995.  

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/127714693918125/permalink/1482540841768830/

PASTORAL LETTER TO URCSA CONGREGATIONS

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

We greet you in the Name of the Head of this Church, Jesus Christ. Our Seventh General Synod (GS) of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) met from 3-9 October 2016 at the Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre, Benoni, under the theme “Celebrating 30 years of the Belhar Confession: Unity, reconciliation and justice in obedience to Christ.” This theme will remain the guiding vision of the URCSA during the four-year recess till the next general synod in 2020.It is with immense gratitude that the Moderamen wishes to write to you and provide feedback on some of the key issues discussed and decision taken.

Already in his opening remarks, based on 1 Peter 2:1-5, the Assessor of the GS, Rev Betha, reminded us that Jesus is the Lord of the church and whatever direction the church takes, should be in obedience to Christ, the cornerstone on whom the church is built. The Moderator of the GS, Prof Plaatjies-van Huffel challenged the GS with the notion that God, as a God of justice and mercy, seeks from God’s church the same justice and mercy. Prof Allan Boesak, one of the co-authors of the Belhar Confession, in his reflection of the confession challenged the GS on what it means to walk with God. Boesak helped to rekindle the spirit of the Belhar Confession – who we are, how we speak and how we act is done from the stance that the church is the possession of God. The Confession of Belhar was more than a political response to the legitimised gross violations of our human dignity during the apartheid years. The Belhar Confession, rather, was a faith response to the issue of apartheid and its impact. In the light of the spirit of the confession, reconciliation is not an option, but an obligation, a calling and a ministry entrusted to us by God.

As the church of Christ, the “ultimate stranger” (Prof. M A Plaatjie-van Huffel), we are called to be a church on the margins for the marginalised. Hence, the GS has no choice but to reflect on the marginalised in our societies who include the poor, the stateless refugees, those affected by xenophobia, gender equality, sexuality issues and to fight for inclusivity, justice, unity and reconciliation. The URCSA fully acknowledges that issues of oppression, abuse, injustice and conflict are global issues and hence also reflected on the Israel-Palestine situation and the challenges of Christian Zionism for the ministry of justice. As the result of deliberations on the above, the GS would like to share the following:

First Deaf Ministerial Candidate with Full Status at Synod

GS was blessed with the presence of Proponent Betty Wanza, who lost her hearing at the age of 5. Proponent Wanza was licensed in 2013 as a Candidate of the Word with full status in the URCSA. Her presence affirmed to the GS that inclusiveness is possible, yet on the other hand it brought to reality that on so many levels we are failing the ministry of inclusiveness and our witness to the power of the Belhar Confession. This GS affirmed the URCSA’s commitment to assist differently-abled members who have the calling for ministry in the church with the necessary training and mentoring that will enable them to be licensed in the URCSA as ministers with full status. Hence, GS calls on vacant congregations to consider calling Proponent Wanza.

GS acknowledged the presence of proponent Betty Wanza, the first deaf ministerial candidate in the history of the URCSA. Wanza’s story affirms to GS the possibilities of inclusiveness, yet continues to challenge GS to embody the Belhar Confession on different levels.

With regards to a just and inclusive community the URCSA recommits herself to actively work towards becoming an even more inclusive faith community as well as towards a more inclusive society. The URCSA commits to creating an enabling environment for people with disabilities to share in the calling of the church. The URCSA rejects any form of violence and injustice and commits to working for the elimination of violent and unjust practices in society.

The Gift of Diversity

Prof David Xolile Simon urged GS to embrace multi-cultural ministries that goes beyond the mere tentativeness of “cooperation”, which he said was a theological imperative. He also shared his experience with congregations that have successfully braved this route. GS acknowledge the numerous challenges faced by the church in moving towards multi-cultural ministries, but cannot condone situations where these challenges serve to deter this confessing church from earnestly and obediently striving for multi-culturalism.

The GS reaffirms that diversity is a gift and commits to:

      (1)   embracing the cultural diversity of the URCSA and in the world we live in, and

      (2)   to actively work towards the expansion of the inclusive identity of the church.

Free, Decolonised and Quality Education

With regards to the current plight for free, decolonised and quality education as witness in the #Feesmustfall movement in South Africa, the GS resolved the following:

“Due to our prophetic calling we should respond to the demands of the Gospel. The Belhar Confession inspires us to act in accordance to the Word of God and adhere to the Biblical imperative to stand where God stand and to walk with God. Therefore, GS declare that we:

·         Believe tertiary education is not a privilege, but a right enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa;

·         Condemn all forms of violence;

·         Also condemn the violence of poverty towards the poor students of South Africa;

·         Continue to fundraise for students as funds are available;

·        Affirm the issue of equity when addressing the struggle of students pertaining to student fees;

·        Support that parents who are in the position to contribute proportionally to the paying of fees, do so;

·     Support fully that free education be made available to all financially needy students as well as the lost-middle

Immediate action proposed:

·         The Executive of URCSA meet the student leadership of #Feesmustfall before the end of 2016;

·        To act in accordance with the Belhar Confession, which calls on us to physically stand with the oppressed and the marginalised”

The questions of restorative justice and equality are questions inherently implied by the Confession of Belhar and cannot be ignore by the church of Christ.

Church Unity

GS univocally confesses that the church of Christ is one church. GS confesses that Scripture remains clear about the unity of the church and, hence, URCSA cannot abandon the Biblical call to strive for the unification, at first, of the churches from the Dutch Reformed Church family. The God of the Belhar Confession compels us to remain obedient and faithful to His call for the unity of the Church of Christ and, hence, we remain committed to the process. We acknowledge that we cannot control the processes of others, but it is our duty, as far as possible, to provide an enabling environment for progress to happen.  In this respect, GS adopted a provisional Church Order that allows for joint ministry that goes beyond mere agreements of cooperation.

Nuclear Energy Development

Synod took note of the plans of the government of the Republic of South Africa to go ahead with a nuclear procurement plan. GS realises that this is a complex matter that cannot be dealt with in a superficial manner. As a church that confess to the Lordship of Christ and who embrace the God-given mandate for stewardship of the created environment, GS does not condone the current coal-dependent energy generation paradigm. GS, however, expresses concern with regards to the huge costs associated with planned nuclear energy projects as well as with regards to issues related to safety and the safe disposal of nuclear waste. In addition to this, GS pleads for a transparent process to be followed in every step during this process.

This General Synod resolved:

•          That the URCSA align herself with the Astana declaration;
•          To call on the Faith Community and Civil Community in Southern Africa to oppose the governments’ nuclear programme;
•          To engage with the governments in the region on the issue of cleaner and affordable technology in the energy generation.

The Israel-Palestine Situation and Christian Zionism

Synod was reminded of the oppression under apartheid in South Africa during the 1980’s, a context within which the Belhar Confession was born. GS acknowledges the significant similarities between that context and that of occupied Palestine today. URCSA stands with the people of Palestine against the practices of abuse, oppression, marginalisation and dehumanisation directed towards them by the state of Israel. GS also expresses concern about the ease with which Christian faith communities proclaims a Zionist agenda justified from Scripture, and calls on URCSA congregations to refrain from such Christian Zionism. In the spirit of the Belhar Confession, the URCSA has no other option but to stand with our sisters and brothers in Palestine as they continue to suffer the atrocities of occupation and oppression.

The position of the URCSA Regarding Homosexuality

After discussions on this matter, GS decided to refer the matter regarding homosexuality back to congregations, presbyteries and regional synods for dialogue and engagement. Congregations, presbyteries and regional synods are requested to seriously engage on this matter during the following four years till the next General Synod.

Newly Leadership Elected: 2016-2020

The URCSA General Synod elected the following Executive Committee to serve the church as new leadership until the next General Synod in 2020.

1.    Moderator:                    Rev Prof L. J. Modise from the Southern Synod

2.    Assessor:                     Rev M. G. Betha from the Phororo Synod

3.    Scribe:                          Rev W. J. Julius from the Namibia Synod.

4.    Actuarius:                     Rev D. P. Carelse from the Cape Synod.

5.    Additional Member:      Rev Prof C. Landman from the Northern Synod.

6.    Additional Member:      Rev L. P. Fokase from the Free State & Lesotho Synod.

7.    Additional Member:      Rev T. E. Ngema from the KZN Synod.

May God continue to guide us through His Spirit and may we continue to remain an ever-confessing church, walking with God in the light of the cross of Jesus Christ.

On behalf of the Moderamen of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA).

Rev W J Julius

Scribe: General Synod

Vision:           A Committed and United Church in service of unity, reconciliation and justice to all people through Christ

This letter was published on the 08^th March 2017 on the www.urcsa.net website.

Source: http://urcsa.net/blog/2017/03/08/pastoral-letter-to-urcsa-congregations/