ORIGINAL RESEARCH
http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ve.v33i2.772

 

Ekklesiologie en Etiek: Die werk van Etienne de Villiers in die lig van die ekumeniese diskussie oor ekklesiologie en etiek

 

Ecclesiology and Ethics: Etienne de Villiers' work in the light of ecumenical discussions on ecclesiology and ethics

 

 

Conrad Wethmar

Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

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ABSTRACT

In honouring Etienne de Villiers, this article discusses the latter's contribution to a deepening of the notions of church and ethics, as well as the mutual relationship between these notions in the South African context. De Villiers' work in this regard is compared with that which has been done by the World Council of Churches (WCC). The article therefore highlights the manner in which De Villiers, in line with the WCC, analysed the moral deformation, but also the transformation and formation in which especially the Dutch Reformed Church was involved in in South Africa since the middle of the 20th century. Although De Villiers mainly works in the field of Christian ethics, it is clear that the latent ecclesiological views to which his ethical contributions are related, would also, to a considerable extent, be in line with those that have been and are being developed by the WCC.

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Literatuurverwysings

Best, T.F., 1990, Faith and Order 1985-1989: The commission meeting at Budapest, WCC, Geneva.         [ Links ]

Best, T.F. & Robra, M., 1997, Ecclesiology and Ethics. Ecumenical ethical engagement, moral formation and the nature of the church, WCC, Geneva.         [ Links ]

Brinkman, M.E., 1995, Progress in unity?, Peeters, Louvain.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 1986, 'Kritiek uit die ekumene', in J. Kinghorn (red.), Die NG Kerk en apartheid, pp. 144-164, Macmillan, Johannesburg.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 1988, 'Die evangelie van vrede en vrede in Suid-Afrika', in C.J. Wethmar & C.J.A. Vos (reds.), 'n Woord op sy tyd(F.S.J.A. Heyns), pp. 9-22, NG Kerkboekhandel, Pretoria.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 1989, 'Tussen simpatie en veroordeling', in P.F. Theron & J. Kinghorn (reds.), Koninkryk, kerk en kosmos (F.S.W.D Jonker), pp. 144-163, Pro Christo Publikasies, Bloemfontein.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 1995, 'Die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk en die nuwe situasie in die samelewing', Ned Geref Teologiese Tydskrif36(4), 558-569.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 1999, 'Die NG Kerk en die oorgang na 'n nuwe Suid-Afrika', Verbum et Ecclesia 20(1), 15-38.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 2000, 'Die morele genesing van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing: die bydrae van die Afrikaanse kerke', Hervormde Teologiese Studies 56(2-3), 440-455.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 2004, 'Durf ons nog preek dat werk 'n roeping van God is?', HTS Teologiese Studies 60(3), 901-918.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 2008, 'Kan die NG Kerk nog 'n konstruktiewe rol in die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing speel?', Verbum et Ecclesia29(2), 368-386.         [ Links ]

De Villiers, D.E., 2010, 'The public role of churches in present democratic South Africa', in J.D. Gort, H. Jansen & W. Stoker (eds.),Crossroad discourses between Christianity and culture, pp. 197-214, Rodopi, Amsterdam.         [ Links ]

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Wethmar, C.J., 2010, 'Recent ecclesiological developments in the World Council of Churches: continuity or discontinuity?', in J.D. Gort, H. Jansen & W. Stoker (eds.), Crossroad discourses between Christianity and culture, pp. 505-523, Rodopi, Amsterdam.         [ Links ]

Wiles, M., 2001, A shared search. Doing theology in conversation with one's friends, SCM, London.         [ Links ]

World Council of Churches, 2005, The nature and mission of the church: A stage on the way to a common statement, WCC, Geneva.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Conrad Wethmar
Private Bag X20
Hatfield
Pretoria 0028
South Africa
Email: conrad.wethmar@gmail.com

Received: 30 July 2012
Accepted: 19 Sept. 2012
Published: 06 Dec. 2012