Build One Another Up

Rev Prof Nancy Duff with Chunky and Elvina

Exodus 20: 1-3, I Thessalonians 5:1-11

Nancy J. Duff, St. Columba’s Presbyterian Church

Johannesburg, South Africa

Sunday Morning, 8:00 and 9:30, October 18, 2015

“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Those words make up the Prologue to the Ten Commandments: the words that go before. Without them the commandments are meaningless, because without them the Commandments have no discernable connection to God.

·        But with the Prologue – the words that go before - God reveals God’s name (“I am the Lord”) and claims the people as God’s own (“I am the Lord your God), which means: “You are my people.”

·        And with the Prologue, we are told that our relationship with God is “rooted in the experience of delivery.”[1]

The Prologue offers the words that frame our lives in faith.

·        They are the words that “go before” all that we do.

·        And they are the words we hear when all is done.

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Because these words framed the lives of faith for the people of Israel, Moses could say to them right before they entered the Promised Land: “Be strong and courageous.”[2] Because of God’s identifying name – I am the Lord – and identifying claim – I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery - Moses knew the people of Israel could be strong and courageous.[3]  He knew they did not venture forth alone, for God had claimed them, freed them from bondage, and would never let them go.

And so it is with us. God has claimed us for God’s own, made us into a people – the people of God - and will not let us go. We know we can be strong and have courage. We can join all those in the Bible who heard the words: do not be afraid:

·        “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

(Luke 1:30)

·         “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. (Matthew 1:20b)

·        “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard.

(Luke 1:12-13)

·        Do not be afraid, Jesus said; you are of more value than [the] sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31)

We know as people of faith we have every reason to have courage, but as we move throughout our lives, even knowing that the words of the Prologue frame our lives of faith, and knowing that we do not venture forth alone most of us have to admit that we aren’t always strong or courageous; sometimes we are afraid. Life moves in directions that can make us tremble with fear:

·        Our marriages, our children, our jobs, the problems plaguing our country, the state of the world can fill us with fear.

·        And many of us would have to admit that sometimes our courage falters when we consider our own mortality.

Years ago, for reasons I can no longer remember, a conversation I was having with two older women at a church breakfast turned to the subject of funerals and death. After a while, the women admitted that much to their surprise they were afraid. Neither of them had felt any real fear at the thought of their own death before, but the closer they moved to the end of their lives, the more they found they were afraid. And to make matters worse, they didn’t think they could talk about their fear of dying in church, because they thought others would interpret their fear as a sign of weak faith.

And so, too, for many of us: we are both afraid of death and afraid to talk about death. And perhaps we, too, are worried that we will be judged as people of little faith if we share our fears in church. We can admire and maybe even be encouraged by someone like former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, who recently said he “didn't go into an attitude of despair or anger” at the diagnosis of brain cancer, but was “completely at ease,” “ready for anything and looking forward to a new adventure.”[4] With those words, he became a strong witness to the faith. We can be encouraged by his witness, but we don’t have to make him the standard toward which we strive or the standard by which we are judged. And being courageous doesn’t mean we won’t ever experience fear.

When my daughter was little, and we had left the doctor’s office after she received a shot, I told her how brave she had been. But she objected: “I wasn’t brave. I cried.” I told her that being brave doesn’t mean not being afraid. Having courage doesn’t mean we don’t cry. It can mean that we don’t run away or try to hide from what scares us. We can stand fast and face our fears together, which means we need to talk about them.

Every Christian goes through seasons of doubt and fear. The Old Testament scholar, Renita Weems, notes that in the liturgical calendar there is a long stretch of time between January and the beginning of Lent and then again in the months between Pentecost and Advent when we enter what’s called “ordinary time.” Ordinary time makes up the “the longest portion of the liturgical calendar . . . [when] no particular mystery of Christ is celebrated.”[5]

·        The period of self-examination during Lent followed by the celebration of the empty tomb is over.

·        The expectation of Advent followed by the celebration of the Christ child is yet to come.

For over seven months there are no high holy days to mark the seasons of the year. For over seven months out of the year, Weems says, “life must be lived outside the feasts and fasts of the Christian calendar, and believers are expected to figure out for themselves how to calibrate and celebrate mystery.”[6] For Weems, ordinary time is symbolic of those seasons when God seems to have fallen silent, and when, perhaps, our faith falters.

What do we do when we feel that God has fallen silent and we have fallen into fear? What do we do if we can’t, like Jimmy Carter, look forward to the next adventure when facing our death? What do we do when we aren’t strong and don’t have courage in light of the threat posed by our mortality, but are, in fact, angry and afraid?

I suggest we consider Paul’s words to the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians were worried about death, especially about those who had died before Christ returned. But Paul reassures them that all will be taken into Christ’s resurrection. He tells them to keep awake and be watchful for Christ’s return. And with that reassurance, Paul tells the people to encourage one another and build each other up. We don’t need to encourage people who are already strong and have courage. We encourage one another and build one another up when some of us are anxious and afraid.

We shouldn’t, like those two women, feel afraid to share our fears in church. What better place to bring our fears and doubts and anger about death than in the very place where the Good News is proclaimed to us? And when we express our doubt and fear to one another, we should be able to trust that we will hear people say:

·        Don’t worry if you are afraid. We are going to have courage on your behalf.

·        Don’t worry if you can’t bring yourself to pray right now. We’re going to pray for you.

·        Don’t worry if you are filled with doubt. We have confidence that the One who brought you out of bondage is the One who will never let you go.

No one wants to talk about death – not even the dying. But conversations about death – our own death and the death of people we love – can begin in church. This should be the safest place in the world to express our concerns, our fears, and our hope.

“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” These are the words that go before all we do:

·       These were the words that sustained God’s people when God brought them out of Egypt, and gave them their identity as the people of God, and brought them back when they wandered away and were lost.

·       These are the words that deliver us from whatever bondage holds us back, and give us courage to face the day. They are the words that promise God’s presence with us whatever comes our way. And with these words that delivered us from bondage, we can encourage one another and build one another up.

“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery”: These are the words we hear when the day is done, and we are gathered home at the last.

---

[1]Patrick D. Miller, The Ten Commandments, Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church, Westminster John Knox, 2009, 16.

[2] Deuteronomy 31:6.

[3] The phrases “identifying name” and “identifying claim” are suggested by Paul L. Lehmann, The Decalogue and a Human Future: The Meaning of the Commandments for Making and Keeping Human Life Human, Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995, 97-98.

[4] “Jimmy Carter 'Completely At Ease' Despite Cancer Diagnosis,” National Public Radio, August 20, 2015. http://www.npr.org/2015/08/20/433257715/jimmy-carter-completely-at-ease-despite-cancer-diagnosis

[5] Renita Weems, “Ordinary Time,” Listening for God: A minister’s Journey Thr0ugh Silence and Doubt, Simon and Schuster, 1999, 64.

[6] Weems, “Ordinary Time,” 64.

Eclipsing Empire. Paul, Rome, and the Kingdom of God.

Marcus Borg

Join us 18h30 for 20h00.

Join us for an exciting video series, “Eclipsing   Empire. Paul, Rome, and the Kingdom of God.” Our next lecture is tomorrow at 19h00 and titled Paul's Mission.

Two eminent scholars, Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan, are filmed on location in Turkey. They trace the Apostle Paul’s footsteps throughout the Roman Empire.

The schedule of the remaining topics in our weekly series is as follows

1.  Paul’s Vocation  (Tonight)
2. Cities  (Next week)
3. Paul’s Letters 
4. Paul’s Ethics 
5. Paul’s Theology 
6. Paul’s Eschatology 
7. Icons 
8. Eclipse. 

John Dominic Crossan

Tea and snacks precede each lecture.

Wonder and awe in science and religion

Lecture Two:

Hansie Wolmarans

Introduction

Wonder and awe lie at the basis of both religion and science. The poet behind Psalm 8 is overawed by what he sees in the heavens. It reminds him of his own insignificance, God, and the grace by which he lives:

‘³When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

at the moon and the stars you have set in place,

⁴what is a frail mortal, that you should be mindful of him,

a human being, that you should take notice of him?’

Psalm 8:3-4

Jesus drew similar lessons about life by looking at flowers: ‘²⁸Consider how the lilies grow in the fields; they do not work, they do not spin.’

Matthew 6:28

 Underlying these observations is a realisation that there exists a deep connection between us and creation. This feeling could be triggered by watching the sun rise, or admiring a full moon on a cloudless night, or experiencing the miracle of the birth of a baby. Children have it. They would describe a flower as smiling, or a tree as sad.

 Wonder and awe are also inspired by scientific insights into natural processes. Think of photosynthesis. Plants absorb the carbon dioxide we breathe out. It then uses the energy of the sun and water to transform it into energy and oxygen. The oxygen is released back into the atmosphere. We realise that we are part of one huge living organism. We need green plants to maintain the oxygen levels in the atmosphere. The same happens when we learn the secrets of evolution. We are part of a tree of life. We share sixty per cent of our DNA with banana plants; we are family.

 The Value of Both Experiences

Religious and scientific wonder and awe are beneficial. From a religious perspective we realise that there is something more, something transcendent, in the cosmos. It gives us a sense of peace that we are part of a much larger whole. Religion assists us with a way of life, wisdom to come to terms with our environment. It is not about the survival of the fittest, tooth and claw competition, and raw nature—it is about evolving beauty, truth, love, expanding consciousness, creativity, ever increasing complexity, and a realisation that we are part of an organic whole.

On the other hand, science also brings us valuable insights. We are products of evolution—a huge cosmic process. On every level of creation, things are in a state of movement, change and flux. Creativity is experienced on all levels. Atoms combine to form entities that never existed before. New life forms evolve in organisms. Galaxies and solar systems evolve from more primitive stuff. There is a progression into ever increasing complexity. Even culture is evolving. It seems that in us, human beings, evolution is becoming conscious of itself. This helps us to gain some form of control over our future. As human beings we can take the high road or the low road when it comes to environmental management.

 The Languages of Science and Religion

Religion and science speak two different languages. Religious language is specific to a particular group or culture. Fixed or absolute truths (dogmas) are regarded as important. You have to be a Christian to understand concepts like ‘substitutionary atonement’ or ‘salvation.’ On the other hand, scientific language is universal. Whether you are Muslim, or Buddhist or Christian, the concepts are the same. An atom is an atom is an atom. Truth is not regarded as absolute, and doubt is a virtue. Together a new kind of story is being created: the big history of the universe and ourselves.

 Religious language is based upon the utterances of charismatic figures, or of people regarded as holy by appointment in priestly offices. Tradition, the past, is of the utmost importance. Scientific language wants to hold us accountable for our truth claims. Many theologians, nowadays, are developing a theology which is evidentiary in nature, that is, if you make a claim, you should provide evidence for it. This evidence should be acceptable to all—not only the initiated few. Scientific language is therefore regarded as divine language. It is not farfetched to claim that an evidentiary reformation is taking place. It can help us to devise ways in which to live with ourselves, others, nature and our environment, to sustain and promote life.

 Disenchantment

Unfortunately, modern people have lost their capacity for wonder and awe. We have become disenchanted. Our umbilical cord to the rest of creation has been cut. Modern medicine helps us to live longer and healthier lives. The products of technology like cell phones and computers make our lives easier. Superstition about full moons and curses no longer affect the quality of our lives. Left-handedness was illegal in Albania. It was finally normalised in the late twentieth century. In a sense we have become disconnected from nature. We regard it as a resource which we can use, something which we have to transform in consumer goods. This may be one of the reasons why we pollute and exploit so recklessly. The reverence at creation as something holy and sacred is fast disappearing.

 Following in the Footsteps of Jesus

In embracing the wonder and awe inspired by both religion and science, we are like Jesus. He was always on the move—the gospels describe his life as a journey. He was always stepping over the comfort zones of tradition by moving out of the synagogue into the streets and country side, engaging non-Jewish women in conversation, as well as a pagan centurion. The kingdom he preached was a new creation, something of the future, evolving from things which were destined to pass away. 

 Conclusion

Science and religion inspires wonder and awe at creation. This connects us to life in general, the cosmos of which we form part of. We learn to deal with our environment with reverence, as we are part of a larger body teeming with life. We understand that evolutionary creativity is happening at all levels, from atoms, to molecules, to cells, to living organisms, to galaxies. There is a movement to ever increasing complexity. It points us to something transcendent, understanding that we are the cosmos coming to consciousness about itself and managing its own future. We acquire new forms of wisdom of how to live. Scientific language helps us with theology, to be accountable for the truth claims we make.

Science and Religion in Conflict

Lecture 1

 Hansie Wolmarans

A universe consisting of three storeys
When we stand on a mountain, the earth looks like a flat disk which ends somewhere. At night, the stars above seem to be from another world, which appears when the sun goes down. Therefore, we call it heaven and ancients imagined it to be populated by divine beings. Dead bodies, be it that of humans, animals, or plants, go back into the earth. So our ancestors imagined a realm below which has invariably been called Hades or hell—a dark world where the shadows of the dead have an eerie existence.

From this view of a three tier universe, stories developed to explain how things are, where we come from and where we are going. According to the Christian Bible, God created the cosmos about ten thousand years ago. To rule this world, God created human beings. Inherently, there was a hierarchical order: God, man, woman, children, slaves, and nature. God is in charge, pulling the strings of history. God put the male (created in God’s image) in charge of the female, and, as humans, they rule over the rest of creation. The social system of patriarchy (where male patriarchs were put at the top of social pyramids), was enshrined as the divine ideal.

Women were part of the commodities traded by men in arranged marriages to maintain this social order. The underworld contained characters like demons, which would cause hardship and disease. Luckily, through certain rituals, these demons could be exorcised. When it did not work, it was explained as God’s punishment for sins committed. Suffering was caused by sin and evil and was deserved. Tradition, the memory of the past, became a huge virtue. It had to be accepted uncritically. To doubt was a sin. To believe like a child was virtue. Nature could be exploited.

Everyone was happy: it was a world which was static, with no change. People believed that, as things had been in the past, they would be in the future as well.

The challenge from science
Scientific research supplied an alternative story of the origins of all. It was realised that the earth is not flat, but a sphere. It revolves around the sun which is the centre of our galaxy.

As a result of careful measurement, it is accepted that the cosmos is expanding; the distances between galaxies are increasing. Looking at the process in reverse, and doing retro calculations, a new theory was developed. About 13.8 billion years ago, there was a Big bang, which was the defining moment of the origins of our universe. The earth itself came into being about 4.54 billion years ago. The first signs of life appeared 3.5 billion years ago.

There were five major extinctions, that of the Dinosaurs being one. Simpler life forms evolved and are still evolving into more complex life forms. Death is an integral part of the universe’s creativity. From death and suffering new life forms evolve. After the extinction of the dinosaurs, small mammals evolved, flowers, and pollinators like bees. There were more beauty, complexity, and diversity.

Evolution is not only of cells and life forms. Our psyches, the way we live together with each other and with nature, our culture, and even the way we talk about God, are all evolving. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, we have put male and female on equal footing, as well as black and white. Currently we are also doing the same with gays and lesbians. Our individual consciousnesses are evolving towards the creation of more beauty, truth and goodness.

The idea of design is also challenged by science. It is through random genetic changes that species evolve. These may assist them to have a better chance of survival in a changing environment. This fact questions the idea of God as determining things in advance or intervening in natural processes.

Disease and psychological illnesses are also explained in terms of bacteria, viruses, and chemical imbalances, rather than by referring to evil spirits. Scientists promote doubt and scepticism as virtues, that is, evidenced-based belief, rather than uncritical acceptance of dogmas. For scientists, the belief in miracles is nothing but superstition. The new atheists, like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, declare that religion is dangerous and should be abolished. In the past, Christianity has persecuted scientists.

  In the area of Biblical scholarship, a new research tool has been developed. It is called the ‘Historical Critical Method’—clearly related to Darwin’s historical research into fossils. It showed how the Bible itself is the product of historical processes. It was revised, edited and adapted throughout history. The notion of the Bible as a book faxed from heaven is not accepted any more by modern biblical scholars.

 Is it possible for science and religion to co-exist fruitfully?
 What Christians can learn from science:
Christians have to accept that the Bible is not a scientific textbook. Science can inform us of how creation came about and how reality works. Science supplies us with the Big Story of where we come from.

We are involved in a never-ending process of transformation. We are works in process. Our psyches, our consciousness, our emotional world, the way we relate to others and nature, are evolving.

Creation is ongoing and not completed. We are connected with stardust and the chlorophyll in plants. We are just a small part of a huge ecosystem of life. Evidence-based beliefs are important. We have to accept that we can make sense of life bottom-up. All hierarchies are fraught with the trappings of power, oppression and anti-intellectualism. (It threatens power if people are allowed to think for themselves). In fact, we can see the scientific method as the new reformation sweeping the church.

What science can learn from religion
Science is descriptive of the how of things. Theology goes into the why of things and is therefore prescriptive. A new idea of God is developing as the Ground of All Being. God is more and more seen as an enticing principle, inviting us to be co-creators of new and exciting futures.

    Indeed, Jesus was a change agent. He was focused on the future with his principle of the Kingdom of God. It comes very close to evolution to state that we, as God’s people, are drawn progressively into this new future. We read in John 10:10, ‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’ Life is what all the processes are about. We are here to promote life in all its forms. We are the universe reaching consciousness. We can live more Christ-like lives of greater compassion, integrity, justice, and generosity.

   We can say something about the purpose and the beauty in the universe. It seems that God is a divine, loving, energizing presence, co-operating with us, working through us, for the promotion of all life. Science can learn from us, that life was always anticipated—not in the way that God predesigned everything, but allowing for freedom, randomness and creativity. God is like a composer who invites us to jam with God in a jazz event. In us the universe is reaching personhood: freedom, love, appreciation of beauty, and agency.

Conclusion
Science supplies us with a new vision of the world, and therefore also with an alternative story of where we come from and where we are going. We are products of the Big Bang and evolution. Religion helps us to understand that our tasks as human beings are to promote life in all its forms. God is the Ground of Being, enticing us as co-creators, to new and exciting futures.

Science religion and the future of Faith

Presented by The Rev (Prof) Hansie Wolmarans

You are cordially invited to a series on the relationship between science and faith. We meet  Wednesday evenings at 18h30 for refreshments.

The talks are from 19h00 - 20h00 (including plenty of time for discussion).Everybody is welcome.
A twenty minute video will serve as an introduction to the discussions.
1. 22 July 2015:   Science and religion in conflict
2. 29 July 2015:   Wonder and awe in science and religion
3.  5 August 2015: The real message of Genesis: all life is interdependent
4. 12 August 2015: A faith always emerging, always changing
5. 19 August 2015: The cosmic Christ
6. 26 August 2015: Communities of faith. Communities of hope
7. 2 September 2015: The future of religio

Disciplinary - the full story

Dear Friends,

On Tuesday  evening  the  Presbytery  of  Egoli   received  a  report  from  the  Commission  it  had appointed   to   investigate   all   of   the   alleged  charges   of    heresy    against    Hansie.         

 

The    Commission  found  that  under  the  most  recent Confession   of   Faith   adopted   by   the   UPCSA, there  were  no  bases  for  the  allegations. They further found that the complainant  had  taken Hansie’s academic paper out of its original context,  and  thus  caused  much  of  the  confusion which emanated  in  the  Denomination.     

The Commission also found that the Confession of Faith to which the complainant alluded allowed for different approaches to the interpretation of Scripture, as   long   as   the   hermeneutic   was sound.  

We at St. Columba’s are delighted with this outcome   having    believed    all    along    that    our     Denomination was broad enough in its thinking and belief  to  hold  different  interpretations  of scripture in  tension,  as  long  as  the  historical context  of  the  original  passage  was  respected. In  fact  this  places  us  firmly  in  the  tradition  of the  Reformed  Group  of  Churches  to  which  we belong.

The Presbytery has forwarded this finding to us at St Columba’s, the Court of Assembly and the Presbytery of eThekwini and the Rev Smith and his Session who were the complainants.  As    I    believe    communication,    and    accurate communication    is    important    I    have    asked Pauline to attach the report of our Presbytery to this week’s weekly, so that the congregation may read the report for themselves.

This means that as far as we are concerned it is only the charges  of  misconduct  which  remain, those are against Hansie and me for the use of a Civil Union licence which Hansie had previously obtained and  for  our  willingness  to  bless  Civil Unions.

At its meeting on Tuesday, our Presbytery went one step further and appointed a committee to come with proposals to the next Assembly with regard to Civil Unions and same sex marriages.  I have been asked to serve on that committee which is being chaired by Prof Gonnie Leures, a former member of St. Columba’s.

Let me thank you all once again for your wonderful  support  during  these  very  difficult  times,    and please let me say again,  that if any of these issues are  of  concern  to  you  please  come  and  talk  to Hansie or me.

I am delighted to tell you that there is also a  great  deal  of  other  news  that  is  also good.   Messy Church, one of our newest innovations  to  keep  a  relationship  with young   families   in   our   congregation,   is  going  from  strength  to  strength.    We had 70 young people in church last Sunday who then stayed on for a “bring and share” braai.

Messy church ...... the concept works

Mr Simone Eccles who has recently joined our congregation from Linden Church has completed his   B.Th. and   put   his   name   forward for the Fellowship of Vocation.  That means he would love to explore an opportunity to be called full time into the Christian    ministry.  

During    this    year       Simone      needs      to      work      within      a     congregation  and  he  has  committed  himself  to  try  and  build  up  a  ministry  to  the twenty something  age  group.    I  am  really excited  about  this  and  hope  that  it  will extend   our   ministry   to   younger   people within our community.

Your friend and minster,

CHUNKY

The full text of the Presbytery Report

 Report of the eGoli Presbytery Commission to the Stated Meeting of the Presbytery, 10^th June 2015, regarding an accusation against Prof Wolmarans alleging teaching contrary to the Holy Scriptures.

Below is an extract of the minute of the stated Meeting of the Presbytery of eGoli, which took place  on the 14th of April 2015: The Acting Clerk informed the Council that correspondence had been received from the Convener of the Court of Assembly referring an accusation from the Rev. Jeremy Smith and the Session of Pinetown Presbyterian Church in the Presbytery of eThekwini to the Presbytery of eGoli. The accusation is against the Rev. Prof J L P Wolmarans and alleges teachings contrary to the Holy Scriptures.

Proposal:

“Presbytery receives the referral from the Court of Assembly and refers the matter to a commission in terms of para 18.65 of the Manual, consisting of Rev. CJ Judelsohn (as Moderator), Elder Giyani Matampi, the Rev. MI Cook, Dr. Gonnie Leurs and Prof MJ Masango, to interview Prof Wolmarans in terms of paras. 18.64 and 18.68, and instructs the Commission to report back to Presbytery’s Executive in May 2015”.

This was seconded and AGREED

The Allegations:

The Rev Smith alleges that Prof Wolmarans has contravened para 18.4 of the Manual of Faith and Order in that he teaches doctrine that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures and the doctrine of the UPCSA; and thereby has injured the peace and unity of the Church.

Preliminary steps:

The Clerk of the Presbytery provided the Moderator of  the Commission the Rev Judelsohn, with a copy of the charges and allegations submitted by the Rev Smith to the Court of  Assembly.  It is a substantial document comprising a 9 page charge  a 3 page narrative of events leading to the laying of the charges and then numerous appendices, A – H, comprising various papers, lectures, emails and correspondence in support of the  charges.

Mr Judelsohn scanned the whole document and disseminated it to the members of the Commission for their study.  Due to the length of the document and in a desire to exercise diligence in studying the document, Mr Judelsohn informed the Clerk of Presbytery that it would not be possible to meet the deadline of reporting to the Presbytery Executive meeting in May 2015, but would endeavour to do so by the June Presbytery meeting.

Considering the gravity of the accusations against Prof Wolmarans the members of the Commission agreed that the best way forward would be to compile a set of questions based on the accusations from Mr Smith, to be given to Prof Wolmarans in advance of our meeting with him.  This would allow both the members of the Commission and Prof Wolmarans to come to the meeting well prepared. 

The questions were forthright and dealt with the following issues:

1. 1.     Prof Wolmarans’ approach to the Holy Scriptures and the interpretive tools he employs when studying the bible.
2. 2.      Prof Wolmarans’ attitude towards and understanding of the orthodox Christian teachings regarding the resurrection, Parousia and deity of Christ.
3. 3.     An explanation for some of the statements made by Prof Wolmarans in his paper En route to an alternative, secular Christianity.
4. 4.     The relationship between academia and the Church.
5. 5.     The relationship between Prof Wolmarans’ academic research and his personal faith.
6. 6.     The content of the teaching that Prof Wolmarans is engaged in at St Columba’s Presbyterian Church as Associate Minister.

Proceedings

On the 26^th of May 2015 the Commission met at Midrand Presbyterian Church at 09h30 to pray and prepare for the meeting with Prof Wolmarans which commenced at 10h00. 

All members of the Commission were in attendance as well as the Rev Dr Chunky Young, invited by Prof Wolmarans.

The Commission met with Prof Wolmarans for 2 hours following which the Commission deliberated from 12h00 to 12h30 at which point it was agreed that a further meeting of the Commission would be necessary to conclude our decisions and report.

The Commission met again at Midrand Presbyterian Church on the 4^th of June 2015 at 09h00 for this purpose.

Findings in relation to the 6 questions listed above:

A study of the UPCSA’s Confession of Faith shows that when reading the Holy Scriptures the believer is to recognise that the scriptures are human documents clothed in a culture and context of the times it was written in and so the scriptures need to be rationally analysed. (See below)

Article 6.10

Indeed as human documents the books of the Bible are conditioned by the thought forms of their times and open to rational analysis. Such analysis helps us understand their literary and historical nature and their social, political, ideological and religious contexts.

Article 12.1

In Scripture  revelation  comes  to  us  clothed  in  the culture  of  the  ancient Middle East. To communicate the good news to others we need to express it in their language and cultural concepts. As the good news takes root, it becomes embodied in a particular culture.

Article 12.2

Human  culture,  however,  tends  to  enmesh  the  Church  in  its  values  and  to reduce the Church’s preaching and teaching to an echo of those values. Even in Scripture a cultural patriarchalism and male - centredness in many places obscures the full biblical insight that in God’s eyes all people are equal, no matter their gender, race, nation or class. God’s revelation itself is not to be identified with any human culture or its religious aspect. It remains sovereign over every culture and addresses every culture an .d all people equally

It judges every culture together with its religious beliefs, practices and pretensions. When it comes to the relationship between the Word of God and the Scriptures, Prof Wolmarans identifies with the third view outlined in the footnote to Article 6.5. (see below).

Footnote to Article 6.5

In adopting the Confession the UPCSA  recognizes  that  its  members  have  different  (for  some,  overlapping)  views  on  the  relation  between  the  Word  of  God  and scripture:

1.     Some fully identify the Word of God with Scripture, regarding it as verbally inspired and infallible.

2.     Some distinguish between the Word of God and Scripture as its inspired and normative but fallible human record and witness.

3.     Some  emphasize  that  the  Word  of  God  is  strictly  Jesus  Christ,  the  living  Word,  and  see Scripture  as  the  normative  and  authoritative  witness  to  Christ  that  by  the  power  of  the Spirit becomes and is the Word of God in bearing such witness (Jn.5:39f., II Cor.3 - 4:6).

All, however, confess that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God and that the Scriptures are inspired by God and have unique authority. It is in the light of the above that his reference to mythos, as a biblical hermeneutic, needs to be understood.  Mythos does not mean untruth or lie, but is rather an attempt to separate the truth of God’s revelation in the Holy Scriptures with the vehicle (context and culture) in which that truth is conveyed.  Although some will contend that the two are inseparable, i.e. the truth and vehicle in which it is carried are one and the same, others will not, and the Commission believes that this difference in approach to the Holy Scriptures falls within the scope and intention of the principle of the liberty of opinion that the UPCSA holds so dear.

2) Prof Wolmarans defends the historical creeds of the Church and holds to the doctrines of the Resurrection, Parousia, deity of Christ and all other orthodox teaching, however his understanding is informed by his approach and interpretation of scripture outlined  above.  Although many may struggle with his interpretations, the Commission does not believe that he is in conflict with the faith of the UPCSA. 

3) The Commission is of the view that at the heart of the allegations against Prof Wolmarans and the source of all the dis - ease surrounding Prof Wolmarans over the past year lies the publication of his paper En route to an alternative, secular Christianity.  It is this paper that sparked the numerous inquiries into Prof Wolmarans’ teaching and conduct and doctrine. 

The Commission wishes to affirm, as the Presbytery has done once before, that this paper must be understood within the context in which it was written and for the audience for which it was written

.  

The paper was commissioned for the purpose of an inter - faith conference held at UNISA in 2010 with the express intention to ignite debate on the issues raised in the paper.  It is an academic work not intended for the Church per se and was never introduced by Prof Wolmarans to the UPCSA.  It had been published and been available for well over 4 years without causing any dis -  ease in the UPCSA.  The controversy was sparked, not by Prof Wolmarans, but by Mr Smith who literally took it out of its context and placed it into a new context, the faith of the Church, for which it was never intended. 

4) The Commission needs to state it very clearly that an academic has a responsibility to push the frontiers of faith and thinking and to ask questions that have not been asked before.  It is this drive to experiment and search and question that lies at the heart of the Reformation and many other key moments in the Church’s history. 

As a career academic and minister of the UPCSA, Prof Wolmarans would not be fulfilling his vocation if he did not ask the tough questions and explore new thinking on behalf of the Church.  His opinions may not be liked by all or supported by all, but the UPCSA must affirm the right of all her members to explore their faith and thinking and to disagree with one another within the context of robust discussion.

 It is unfortunate that instead of engaging in this kind of discussion, Mr Smith has chosen to accuse a colleague with misconduct in an attempt to stifle any thinking contrary to his own.

5) Prof Wolmarans’ has stated that his personal journey of faith has inevitably been influenced by his academic work and research, as it would with anyone.  However, he believes, as does the Commission, that his personal faith is not in conflict with the faith  of the UPCSA.

6)  Prof Wolmarans preaches occasionally from the pulpit at St Columba’s Presbyterian Church, Parkview, and facilitates that congregations’ Wednesday Night Live program.  Mr Smith produced copies of some of the lectures that Prof Wolmarans has given at Wednesday Night Live as further evidence of Prof Wolmarans’ deviant teaching.  The Commission needs to make it clear that the Wednesday Night Live program, which has been a part of the life of St Columba’s for many years, is intended to be a safe place for exploring the faith.  It is not a doctrine selling forum, but rather an opportunity for anyone, both members of St Columba’s and others, to explore issues in our faith through discussion and questions.  The lectures given by Prof Wolmarans fall in line with his approach to Holy Scripture and are intended to be conversation starters, not definitive and final pronouncements on various matters. 

Conclusions and Decision:

Although Prof Wolmarans would be considered what some would term a liberal theologian, we believe that his approach to the Holy Scriptures or hermeneutic falls within that which is envisioned by the UPCSA’s Confession of Faith.

Prof Wolmarans is a sincere person who is not ashamed of his convictions and there is no evidence to support the allegation that he has committed violence against the Church.

His teaching and doctrine may well leave some believers uncomfortable, but, in light of his hermeneutic, it is not contrary to the Holy Scriptures and his ministry  is not dangerous to the Church. 

It is not he who has injured the unity and peace of the Church, but in fact it is the actions of Mr Smith that has done so by taking an article out of its context, which had been lying dormant’ for over 4 years, and introducing it to a forum it was never intended for and thereby causing upset and division and suspicion that could well have been avoided had proper and robust discussion been entered into, which lies at the heart of any healthy, living and thinking Church.

Further to this, the Commission wishes to highlight the importance of the spirit of tolerance e from all theological quarters of the Church when engaging in discussions on matters of doctrine and Holy Scripture. And, although the principle of the liberty of opinion must be defended, it has to be done with integrity and respect for those whose opinions differ from our own.

The Commission is also of the opinion that when members of the UPCSA find difficulty with the doctrine and interpretation of Holy Scripture of any other member of the denomination that best practice for dealing with such disagreement would not only be to exhaust all avenues, procedures and structures of all the Councils of the church, but must also include the seeking of opportunities for the parties to engage in robust discussion and debate, before proceeding directly to the highest Court of the UPCSA.

Taking all of the above into consideration , it is the decision of this Commission that no further action be taken against Prof Wolmarans.

Moderator

CJ Judelsohn

Proposal:

1.

Presbytery receives the report

2.

Presbytery sends this report to the Convener of the Court of Assembly, the Clerk of the Presbytery of eThekwini, the Minister and  Session of Pinetown Presbyterian Church and the Session of St Columba’s Presbyterian Church.