ON LEARNING TO SPEAK: A SOUTH AFRICAN REFORMED PERSPECTIVE ON DIALOGUE

• Dirk J. Smit Systematic Theology Stellenbosch University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7833/88-0-1004

Abstract

The paper makes a contribution to the official Roman Catholic-Reformed dialogue between the Vatican and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. After several years of reflection on the notion of “the kingdom of God” it became obvious to participants in the dialogue that different views of authority and of dialogue itself played a major role in the process. This paper was requested as an attempt to reflect on some of these differences from a Reformed perspective and from a South African experience. It therefore represents a case study of bilateral dialogue in which South African Reformed Christians have been participating. A first introductory section proves narrative background to the specific case study (par. 4-13). In four further sections four major clusters of crucial ecumenical issues that came to the fore in the dialogue are then discussed, namely questions concerning truth and community (par. 14-27), questions concerning doctrine and ethics (par. 28-46), questions concerning real reception (par. 47-56) and questions concerning speaking with authority in the church (par. 57-70). A final section offers some concluding reflections on the process of learning to speak when Reformed Christians and churches are involved. These concluding remarks are intended to contribute to this official bilateral dialogue. Key