Kerk en Theologie - Volume 73, Issue 1, 2022

This article discusses the document on Ministry and Diversity in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, which was prompted by the need for innovation, due to the new situation of this Church. The document is based on the importance of the ordination. Previous developments are being described and the new proposals are being weighed up with all the pros and cons. The emphasize is on the importance of the ecumenical discussions on Ministry initiated by the World Council of Churches resulting in the BEM-document (1982) and the theological conversations initiated by the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe, resulting in the MOE-document (2013).

This article discusses some recent developments in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in the light of the decisions of the Synod of Emden (1571), in particular Article 1 of its Acta.

The ideal of the Emden Synod of 1571 was to ensure a degree of autonomy for local Reformed churches. Three hundred years later, Emden was still remembered by the Secessionist churches in the Netherland. They affirmed the principle that those who did not belong to the traditional elite in church and society, still could actively take part in church leadership. This ‘bottom up’-principle maintains its relevance for ‘churches of the poor’, anywhere in the world.

The appreciation of gentile religion according to the New Testament in relation to the Christianization of the Northern Netherlands.

The New Testament epistles and Acts are critical about gentile religion, although Rom. 2:14-15 introduces gentiles who do by nature what the law requires and Col. 1:27 might mean that Christ is mysteriously present among them. Ambrose’s and Augustine’s reception of these nuances is briefly assessed. In a few testimonies to the missionary work in the Northern Netherlands gentile virtuousness is acknowledged. Attention is paid to the Frankish imperialism that backed the missionaries and to the absence of such support in Ireland, where missionaries were more inclined to acknowledge natural goodness among gentiles.

This article reinforces the translation ‘I will return’ in Psalm 23:6, following the MT against the LXX and the pious tradition. This translation is substantiated by a line in 23:2 that has to be translated as ‘He makes my spirit return’. This parallelism underscores the reciprocal theme of the anthem. The divine liberation from serious trouble makes the supplicant return to the temple over and over again.