ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Die vier Nicaanse merktekens van die kerk as rigtingwysers in 'n ekklesiologiese diskoers

 

The four marks of the church in the Confession of Nicea as guidelines in an ecclesiological discours

 

 

M.E. Schalekamp; B.J. de Klerk

Department of Practical Theology, Potchefstroom Campus, North-West University, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

---

OPSOMMING

Die ondersoek het rondom die vier begrippe in die Geloofsbelydenis van Nicea gesentreer, naamlik eenheid, heiligheid, katolisiteit en apostolisiteit. Die vraag wat nagegaan was, is of hierdie vier merktekens kan dien as riglyne in 'n ekklesiologiese diskoers. In die artikel was eerstens aandag gegee aan die Belydenis van Nicea oor die merktekens van die kerk, daarna was nagevors of die vier merktekens reeds in beginsel in die brief aan die Efesiërs gevind kan word, en laastens is die merktekens kursories openbarings-histories getoets volgens die briewe aan die sewe gemeentes in Openbaring. Die bevindings wat gemaak is kom op die volgende neer: die kerk in die eerste eeue, volgens die merktekens van die kerk, het sy identiteit vanuit haar oorsprong missionêr geïdentifiseer en daarom was die merktekens in hulle gerigtheid op die aktiwiteit (taak) van die kerk steeds missionêr, om uitdrukking te gee aan die missionêre identiteit van die kerk. Die vier merktekens van die kerk, naamlik eenheid, heiligheid, katolisiteit en apostolisiteit, behoort steeds bepalend vir die kerk se missionêr-ekklesiologiese identiteit te wees.

---

ABSTRACT

The research centred around the four concepts in the Confession of Nicea namely unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity. The question investigated was whether these four marks could serve as guidelines for an ecclesiological discourse. In this article attention was firstly paid to the Confession of Nicea about the marks of the church, next it was looked into whether these marks could in principle be traced in the letter to the Ephesians. Lastly, the the marks were tested in a revelation-historically, cursory manner and in accordance with the letters to the seven congregations in Revelations. The conclusions reached amounted to the following: during the earliest centuries and/or ages the church identified, in accordance with the marks of the church, its identity as being missionary. That is why the marks in their alignment to the activities of the church, are still missionary, to give expression to the missionary identity of the church. The four marks of the church namely unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity should still be determining the missionary ecclesiological identity of the church.

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

Literatuurverwysings

Barth, K., 1936, The church and the churches, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI.         [ Links ]

Bavinck, H., 1986, Our reasonable faith: A survey of Christian doctrine, transl. H. Zylstra, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI.         [ Links ]

Berkhof, H., 1979, Christian faith, An introduction to the study of the faith, transl. G.F. Callenbach, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI.         [ Links ]

Berkouwer, G.C., 1976, The church, transl. J.E. Davison, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI.         [ Links ]

Botha, S., 2002, 'Ons glo een kerk, gegrond op die leer van die apostels', Die Hervormer 95(3), 5, 8.         [ Links ]

Burger, C.W., 2001, 'n Ondersoek na die denke oor sekere voorvrae van die vak Praktiese Teologie in Suid-Afrika, RGN Uitgewers, Pretoria.         [ Links ]

Calvyn, J., [1559] 1991, Institusie van die Christelike Godsdiens, transl. H.W. Simpson, 4 vols., Calvyn Jubileum Boekefonds, Potchefstroom.

Clowney, E.P., 1995, The Church, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL.         [ Links ]

De Klerk, B.J., 1987, 'Die Heilige Gees en die verhouding Skriflesing, prediking en gebed in die erediens', Ph.D. Proefskrif, PU vir CHO, Potchefstroom.         [ Links ]

De Klerk, B.J., 2001, Fokus op Efesiërs, Deputate Jeugsorg van die Nasionale Sinode GKSA, Potchefstroom. (Soeklig-reeks).         [ Links ]

Dreyer, W.A., 2000, 'Die Geloofsbelydenis van Nicea', Die Hervormer 93(7), 5, 8.         [ Links ]

Dulles, A., 1999, 'The church as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic', Evangelical Review of Theology 23(1), 14-28.         [ Links ]

Du Plooy, A. Le R., 1982, 'Kerkverband, 'n Gereformeerd-kerkregtelike studie', Th.D. Proefskrif, Departement Praktiese Teologie, PU vir CHO, Potchefstroom.         [ Links ]

Floor, L., 1995, Efeziërs: Een in Christus, Kok, Kampen.         [ Links ]

Garland, D.E., 1979, 'A life worthy of the calling: Unity and holiness, Ephesians 4:1-24', Review and Expositor 76, 517-527.         [ Links ]

Getz, G.A., 1975, The measure of a church, Regal Books, Glendale, CA.         [ Links ]

Hahn, F., 1965, Mission in the New Testament, SCM Press, London.         [ Links ]

Heitink, G., 2007, Een kerk met karakter, Tijd voor heroriëntatie, Kok, Kampen.         [ Links ]

Jones, J.A., 1958, 'The origin and marks of the church', Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 12, 194-203.         [ Links ]

Küng, H., 1976, The church, 6th edn., Image Books, Garden City, NY.         [ Links ]

Labuschagne, K., 2002, 'Die geloof aangaande die algemene kerk', Die Hervormer April, 5-8.         [ Links ]

Link, C., 1999, Toward the future of Reformed Theology, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI.         [ Links ]

Minnear, P.S., 1966, 'Ontology and ecclesiology in the apocalypse', New Testament Studies January, 89-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0028688500017987        [ Links ]

Moltmann, J., 1977, The church in the power of the Spirit, SCM Press, London.         [ Links ]

Murray, S., 2001, Church planting, Herald Press, Pennsylvania.         [ Links ]

Naude, P., 2002, 'Confessing Nicea today? Critical questions from a South African perspective', Scriptura 79, 46-53.         [ Links ]

Pont, A., 2002, 'Ek glo ... 'n heilige kerk', Die Hervormer 94(22), 5-8.         [ Links ]

Ridderbos, H., 1973, Paulus: Ontwerp van zijn Theologie, 3rd edn., Kok, Kampen.         [ Links ]

Schalekamp, M.E., 2005, 'Missiones ecclesiae: 'n Missionare visie en strategie in gemeentebou ten opsigte van multikulturele kerkplanting', Th.D. Proefskrif, Department Praktiese Teologie, Noord-Wes Universiteit, Potchefstroom.         [ Links ]

Scudieri, R.J., 1997, 'The Creed of Nicea as a paradigm for mission', Missio Apostolica 5(2), 66-77.         [ Links ]

Van Engen, C., 1991, God's missionary people, Baker Books House, Grand Rapids, MI.         [ Links ]

Watson, D., 1978, I believe in the church, Hodder and Stouton, London.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Etienne Schalekamp
PO Box 7670
Westgate 1734
South Africa
Email: meschal@mweb.co.za

Received: 15 Apr. 2010
Accepted: 30 Sept. 2010
Published: 26 Nov. 2012