The relationship between the Hervormde Kerk in Suidelike Afrika and the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika in the new South Afrika: co-existence or merger?1

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INTRODUCTION
Chulch unity, as we all know, is one of the most important elements makinl up the Christian Church's confession of faith. This unity is prayed for by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel according to St John 17:21, 22, and is therefore, "a liven reality of the new creation of God the Father through the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus" (Fowler 1988: 1).

MJManaJa
This unity or oneness of heart, mind and purpose was the bottom-line for the first Christian church. We read in Acts 2:42-47 that members of this church were together in: • their devotion to the teaching of the apostles • their koinonia or fellowship, having everything in common • their breaking of bread or the holy communion • their prayers • their service to one another or diakonia • their glorification of God.
And we read in verse 47(b) that, as Christians engaged in the above-mentioned activities, the Lord kept on adding those who were being saved. This oneness, togetherness or unity constituted a strong witness to the love of God in Christ, and was conducive to church growth (1 In 4:12; Rm 12:10, 16). This love flows over into service unto one another (In 13:14; Gl 6:10; 1 Pt 4:10), and leads to total acceptance of one another (Rm 14:1, 15:7). The voice in a vision, in Acts 10:15, indicated to Peter that he had to love and accept Gentiles, because God had loved and cleansed them. We realise therefore, that this intimacy between Christians and with Gentile converts was and is of particular importance to God and his kingdom.
It is on this basis that we want to venture into this discussion about the possible unity between our two churches in obedience to the will of God and in concretion of the unity we confess as part of the Christian church. About the koinonia, Koekemoer rightly points out in Booysen (1993:25): "Die leloofslemecnskap word profeties vanaf die kansel verkondig in woorde wat opaevoll moct word in <Iade". Based on the love of Christ and the active work of the Holy Spirit as cementer of this fellowship, the church cannot do otherwise but become an actively interactive community, not just in word, but also and more importantly in deeds.
The Christian church and in particular our two churches confess this unity. This unity is however interpreted differently by different churches. But there are basically two The relalionship between the HKSA and the NHKA opposing views, namely the structural unity and the spiritual unity. I have a problem with the way in which these two views are espoused and propounded by their adherents.

THE PROBLEM OF INTERPRET A TION
The problem I have with the way the unity of the church is being interpreted based on the above-mentioned views, is that they are mutually exclusive. The one says structural unity is the only possible expression of church unity. Emphasis is on the "visible church".
Others who are opposed to the structural unity interpret church unity as confessed, in such a way that for them, the only unity spoken of is spiritual unity. They confine the demand for unity only to the "invisible church". In my view: •  (1978:291) indicates that the guidelines for the unity of the invisible church are the same as those of the visible.
Structural or organisational unity of the church in South Africa is of utmost importance, if the church is to return to the truth of the Word of God, and acceptance of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. To be able to fully grasp the importance of unity of our churches, more especially the missionary and mission chm'ches, one needs to look at the reasons that led to separation and division. After looking at the developments and prejudices that led to separation, it may be required that we reconsider our positions on church unity.

REASONS FOR SEPARATION AND DIVISION
The separation and division of the White missionary churches and the black mission churches can be ascribed to a twofold capitulation by the former, to racial pressure, which emerged and gained momentum in the early 19 th century. The Afrikaner church capitulated to: 3.1 Dehumanising colour prejudice of white members against black Christians.
This situation emerged especially after the promulgation of Ordinance 50, which legislated equality between peoples of the Cape Colony in 1828, and the emancipation of slaves in 1834. Van der Merwe (1985:22)  ( Van der Merwe 1985:25) In this decision, the church accommodated the weakness of the so-called weak members at the expense of the weakest and destitute members. Yes, they were new arrivals in the Christian faith. They were mostly poor slaves. Poor indeed in spirit and material things. Therefore, the poorest and weakest, people who needed to be embraced with love and care, but who were instead being pushed away through negative prejudiced attitudes.
It is however important to note that there were people who, inspired by the Holy Which was among others, used by G J Engelbrecht and his ilk to argue that: "it was not proper to take the bread which was due to their children and give it to other people", so writes H G van der Westhuizen (in Banda 1996:47).

Association of blacks with Ham.
This association meant to these people that blacks were descendants of Ham and therefore not in line for salvation, but destined for everlasting doom, servitude and destruction. This association was based on the misinterpretation of Genesis 9:25 (Banda 1996:49).

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Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services The reilltionship between the HKSA and the NHKA 3.2.3 Sacred things must not be given to dogs nor pearls be thrown to swine (Mt 7:6; 15:27).
According to this belief blacks were like dogs and swine, not worthy of receiving the Gospel, and were potentially dangerous to whites who would proclaim the Gospel to them (Banda 1996:48).

Blacks were not human beings, according to some
According to this view blacks were believed to have no immortal soul. This view was among others expressed around 1911, by G J Engelbrecht who then argued that there was no need for mission work among them, according to Banda (1996:50).
While it is understood that there were many people in the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, opposed to these beliefs and attitudes, it has to be accepted that these beliefs and attitudes indeed bedeviled prospects for healthy mission work and full koinonial existence of the church, as well as race relations in South Africa in general.

The church and its mission can indeed not be based on such a foundation. Such beliefs
and attitudes forced the church to search for strategies which would enable it to do mission work, which is commendable indeed. Therefore, when the church accepted mission work as its responsibility, it was on condition that assurance would be given that there would be: • no equalisation of blacks to whites • no mixing of blacks with whites in the same church organisation or structure.
These conditions presupposed the planting of a separate Bantu church, which would also be divided along ethnic lines as it would be expanding to other ethnic groups (Banda 1996:79).
While it is acknowledged and appreciated that the decision of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika to plant separate autonomous churches facilitated accepance and support of mission work, the continued parallel existence of our churches cannot be regarded as an ideal state of affairs in this age and era of reconciliation, more especially when we consider the negative racially based foundation on which this Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services separate existence was founded and nurtured. The great missionary achievement was based on the great compromise, and that situation needs to be reconsidered and corrected.
This should happen because of the following contrasting positions brought about and perpetuated by separate existence: • Separate existence of the two churches might have given some members of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika the needed distance between themselves and the blacks whose nearness constituted a stumbling block to them, but • it robbed and continued to rob black Christians who are members of the HKSA, of the needed proximity, intimacy and warmth which could act as real support system for their faith and newly acquired Christian way of living. It discouraged and actively impeded, and continued to do so, true koinonia which is demanded by faith in Christ.
• While it was an activating mechanism for the NHKA to actively embark on, and continue with mission work, it on the other hand, • traumatised black members of the mission church; for example when in 1979, the first moderator of the HKSA was barred from entering the hall where he was sent by his church, to deliver a message of greetings to the General Church Assembly of the NHKA. He had to wait outside until the assembly could reach a decision to allow him in -that in spite of the fact that the church he represented had been invited. I have no intention here, of expanding on other incidents of this nature, which traumatised the young HKSA, because they are common knowledge in our two churches.
In this type of forced separate existence, there is no actual opening up of the "I" to the "You" as a result of true faith and love. There is no merging of the "I" and the "You", which Brunner says is, and should be the characteristic of true koinonia, (Booysen 1993:25-26). Our churches cannot continue to live out a false koinonia in and before the world. What message does that situation send to the world?
There is an urgent need for a serious effort to seek to move towards a more ideal goal, which will complete the unity of our two churches. The unity that exists between Digitised by the University of Pretoria, Library Services The reloJionship between the HKSA and the NHKA our two churches, based on our faith in the Triune God and His truth, can and should also be expressed practically. On this, Church and Society (1986: 15) says: "The church has the responsibility to confess its profound, inviolable unity in Christ and to experience and make this unity visible in this broken and divided world." Explaining this point further, it is pointed out that, "it is essential that this unity be experienced and made visible", for the edification of believers, and in order that the world may see and know "the authenticity of Jesus mission". Based on the already existing unity and practical cooperation between the two churches, it is possible to actualise and intensify this unity. The question is however, whether it could be practically possible to do and achieve that. Let us therefore look at the possibilities.

POSSIBILITIES OF UNITY BETWEEN THE HERVORMDE KERK IN SUIDELIKE AFRIKA AND THE NEDERDUITSCH HERVORMDE KERK VAN AFRIKA
It is pleasing to note that many developments have in recent times taken place, pointing to the opening up of our churches to one another. These developments, are to my mind, pointers to the necessity of a closer and real cooperation. The developments referred to, also point to possibilities for togetherness which should replace the ad hoc approach to cooperation. Some of the developments referred to are: • The compartmentalisation of the HKSA along ethnic lines has not materialized.
We can therefore, in our case only talk of unity between two churches and not nine, which would compound the process even more.
• The NHKA has to a larger extent won the battle against the anti-mission and antiequalisation lobby. Most fears and misconceived prejudices have largely been overcome.
• For this reason, it has been possible for the two churches to invite one another to their respective General Church Assemblies, to have fellowship -without problems. The invitation in 1995, of the HKSA by the NHKA, to send two delegates to attend the full 64 th General Church Assembly session as observers, and the positive spirit which prevailed at that assembly, points clearly to the opening up for, and to one another between the two churches.

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MJ Manala
• The active and positive interaction between circuit mission boards of the NHKA and ministers and congregations of the HKSA, have improved and continue to do so.
• The mutual recognition and acknowledgement of one another's autonomy has increased between our two churches. It has increased to the extent that more and more reference is made from the side of the NHKA, to the needed partnership between the two churches. • The growing realisation and acceptance of the HKSA, of its financial responsibilities towards maintenance of own services, and her intensified efforts to achieve financial independence.
• Strict adherence of the two churches, to pure Scriptural principles and Reformed theological heritage.
These developments and more others are positive indicators, pointing to possibilities and opportunities for more intimacy and togetherness, in expression of our true and complete fellowship, witnessing task and service to God and to fellow humans. It is, I believe, desirable and possible to strive towards structural unity, for the sake of Christ and our witness to Christ and his love in the world. The relationship between the HKSA and the NHKA My appeal to this symposium is: where it is Scripturally, doctrinally and geographically possible to merge into one big and strong church structure, whose witness and programmes will impact positively on God's work among Christians and in the society at large, such structural unity should not be resisted but encouraged and nurtured. The motto of the NHKA is in this regard quite encouraging, it reads: "Eendragt maakt magt".

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, please allow m~ to state the following: • Church unity (visible and invisible) is a noble course to be strove for, in "order that the world may believe that you have sent me" (In 17:21b).
• Structural church unity is possible. We have a good example in the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa and the Apostolic Faith Mission.
• Church unity can only be enriching. It can only help to unite people from diverse backgrounds, their experiences and talents into one big theologically harmonious family.
• Church unity can only promote better relations, intimacy and better understanding among our church members and office bearers. The Afrikaans saying: "bekend maak bemind en onbekend maak onbemind" just shows how actual the need for structural unity is for fuller expression of our "communio sanctorum".
If there is an opportune moment for our churches to consider joining forces against the forces of darkness, it is now, when the majority of the people of our country are trying hard to reach out to one another. There is indeed so much to unite for, in terms of our mission as the church of Christ.