Die gevolg van die Loedolff-saak van 1862 : ’n rigtingwyser vir die herorganisasie van die NGK-verband na 200 jaar

Abstract

On the 2nd of November 1824, the first General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) convened in Cape Town. The unity that was established through synodical ties did not last long. In 1862 the denomination was thrown into turmoil when an elder of the church took the church to court. HH Loedolff challenged the participation of congregations outside the Cape colony to be part of the General Synod. After the court ruled in his favour, congregations of the church in the Transgariep established three individual synods, namely, Orange Free State (1864), Natal (1865) and Transvaal (1866). Two hundred years after the first General Synod, the DRC again finds herself in troubled waters with the denomination. Due to decisions taken by the General Synod, regional synods, presbyteries, and congregations want to sever their ties with the General Synod. To save the unity of the church, this can lead to a reorganisation of the church. This article focuses on the events and consequences of the ruling of 1862 to find directives for the current challenges in the church. The author makes use of the study of important literature which entails both primary and secondary sources to explore the topic. Many of the original documents were consulted online from the archives of the Dutch Reformed Church in Stellenbosch.