SOUTH AFRICA: White Dutch reformed church accused of heresy and idolatry by its predominantly black sister church

Record ID: 452236

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: White Dutch reformed church accused of heresy and idolatry by its predominantly black sister church
  • Date: 6th October 1982
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN AND BELHAR, SOUTH AFRICA 4 OCTOBER, 1982 (VISNEWS - MICHAEL GAVSHON) GV INTERIOR Synod of the Sending Kerk meeting in progress SV Moderator I Mentor and others seated on platform GV & SCU PULL BACK TO GV Members during debate (2 shots) GV & SV EXTERIOR Synod of Dutch Reformed Mission Church (Sending Kerk) in Belhar, 32 kilometres from Cape Town; members of Mission Church Synod talking and drinking during a break (3 shots) SCU ZOOM IN TO CU Rev. Allan Boesak, Sending Kerk Assessor and President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, saying (ENGLISH) "We have decided that we will say apartheid is a heresy. We have also taken a decision which literally says we accuse the white Dutch Reformed Church: you are responsible for apartheid; you can have the power to change apartheid. We have called on the white Church to repent, and we have said this repentance and this confession of guilt from your side must have political consequences, which means consequences in terms of change, not only in this Church, but also in the state."
  • Embargoed: 21st October 1982 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CAPE TOWN AND BELHAR, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA9IR8NV13USJGEDVJTDCFIERNR
  • Story Text: In South Africa, the powerful Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK), largest of the three Dutch Reformed Churches serving the white community has been told to condemn apartheid or face rejection by its sister church.
    In Cape Town, a Synod of the predominantly-coloured Sending Kerk has labelled apartheid "an idolatry and a heresy", and called on the NGK to "confess her guilt in proving a moral and theological justification" of racial discrimination.
    The warning comes on the eve of an NGK Synod which will consider its position after its suspension last month from the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The Sending Kerk's Assessor, Dr. Allan Boesak, was elected President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches as the NGK's membership of the alliance was suspended. Speaking at the Sending Kerk's Mission in Belhar on October 4, Dr. Boesak issued a warning to the South African government, and called on the NGK to stop supporting the government's apartheid policies.
    JS/BB
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register