Office Bearers

GS 1974 ARTICLE 57 – South-Africa [The “Two Parties”]

The discussion regarding the “two parties” in South-Africa is continued. The following motion is dealt with:

  • 1. Synod do not discuss the matter presented in the three reports of the members of Committee I any further in Synod session for the time being in order to grant the Synod members more time for study of the whole matter.
  • 2. Synod advise a new Committee on the ground of having heard the discussion in Synod to reconsider the matter and try to come with one report to serve Synod better thereby.

Grounds:

  • 1. The fact of three reports on the same matter makes it nearly impossible for Synod to prepare a judgment.
  • 2. The fact of three reports and the discussions in Synod indicate that more time granted to study the contents of the reports and the remarks made in the discussions might benefit the Committee members and the members of Synod in order to arrive to a well-founded judgment in this serious matter.”
  • This motion is rejected. Another motion, reading:
    • “Synod decide to put the report of hrs. Gritter and Wierenga to the vote immediately.
    • Ground: The matter has been sufficiently discussed”, is adopted.

The following report of Advisory Committee I, members hrs. G. Gritter and E. Wierenga is put to the vote:

MATERIAL:

  • B 1 – Report of Committee for Correspondence with Sister-Churches Abroad, Enclosure 1, dated February 26, 1973.
  • S 1 – Letter of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses dr. C. van der Waal) to Canadian Reformed Churches, dated June 1, 1973.
  • S 2 – Evaluation letter Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk Pretoria (praeses dr. C. van der Waal) by the Committee for Correspondence with Sister-Churches abroad.
  • B 7 – Additional report Committee for Correspondence with Sister-Churches a­ broad.

OBSERVATIONS:

  • A.1.      The mandate of Synod 1971 reads:
    • “Synod, noting that ‘two parties’ in South Africa ask for continuance of the correspondence with our Churches, charge this Committee to advise the Churches as soon as possible concerning this double request.”;
  • 2. In an enclosure added to the report of the Committe1:: for correspondence with Churches abroad this Committee concludes as follows:
    • a. with regard to the ‘parties’ involved:
      • “that the two parties requesting continuation of the correspondence with The Canadian Reformed Churches are
        • (a)  the confederation of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika,
        • (b)  Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal).”;
    • b. concerning the cause of the schism in Pretoria:
      • “The reason why six office bearers seceded from Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal) and declared themselves the lawful continuation of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria are their objections to the teachings of the Consistory regarding the grounds for the dissolution of marriage, and to the suspension of two elders from their office. ;
    • c.  Concerning the issues involved:
      • “that the teachings … of the Consistory of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal) are contrary to the Scriptures and undermine the call to repentance and reconciliation in marriage”; and also “that Synod Pretoria 1971 rightly rejected these teachings.”;
    • d. with respect to the church governmental issue:
      • “that the Consistory (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal) denied brethren who objected to the actions of the Consistory, the right to use the, in South Africa, limited possibilities for appeal, Article 31 C.O.”, and “that there is no reason to doubt the judgment of Synod Pretoria 1971 that ‘de kerkeraad van Pretoria zich independistisch (heeft) opgesteld en met de daad alle banden aan de zusterkerken heeft doorgesneden’.”;
  • 3. The Committee for Correspondence with Sister-Churches Abroad advises the Churches:
    • “I. that no attestations should be addressed to nor received from Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal).
    • II. that the Committee will recommend to the forthcoming General Synod to be held at Toronto
      • a. not to establish correspondence with Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal);
      • b. to continue the correspondence with Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika;
      • c. to appeal to Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal) to rescind their teachings concerning marriage and divorce and to earnestly seek the unity and fellowship of the faith with Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika.”
  • B. 1. After the report of the Committee has been sent to the Churches a letter was received from Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal), dated June 1, 1973, requesting the Churches to propose to General Synod Toronto, 1974 to reject the Advice of the Committee for the Correspondence with Churches Abroad;
  • 2. The Churches of Barrhead and Toronto asked the Committee mentioned above to give guidance concerning the letter of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal);
  • 3. The Committee decided to give some evaluation of the contents of this letter, from which evaluation it concluded as follows: “the letter of the Consistory of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal) dated June 1, 1973 … has no bearing on their Advice dated February 26, 1973.”
  • 4. In an “additional report” of the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad it is stated:
    • “… your Committee maintains its advice to the Churches (given in a letter of February 26, 1973) and recommends General Synod
      • a. to continue the correspondence with Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika;
      • b. not to establish correspondence with Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal);
      • c. to appeal to Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk te Pretoria (praeses Dr. C. van der Waal) to rescind their teachings concerning marriage and divorce and divorce and to earnestly seek the unity and fellowship of the faith with Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika.”.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Synod decide:

  • a. to adopt the conclusions of the Committee for Correspondence with Sister­ Churches Abroad, referred to in the Observations A 2 a, b, c and d; B 4.
  • b. also to adopt the Advice of the Committee for Correspondence with Sister­ Churches Abroad, referred to in Observation B 4.

Ground:

Synod wholeheartedly approves of the EVALUATION OF THE ISSUES as set forth in the first enclosure (“ADVICE” to the Churches dated February 26, 1973) to the Report of the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad and the second enclosure (“EVALUATION” of the letter of Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk at Pretoria, praeses Dr. C. van der Waal, to The Canadian Reformed Churches).

ADOPTED