History made as NG Kerk moves to accept gay unions
NG Kerk in Wolmeransstad
The General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) or NG Kerk has moved towards recognising same-sex relationships and non-celibate gay theology students.
Netwerk24 reports that church leaders at the synod voted in favour of a proposal on Thursday that will allow individual church councils to decide on the issue.
The councils will formulate their own practices and rules on same-sex unions. No minister will be forced to solemnise these unions.
The proposal states that heterosexual and homosexual couples in a relationship of “personal faith obedience to the Lord” should be allowed to fully participate in all the privileges of the church.
While allowing ministers to find a way to confirm same-sex unions, the church reiterated the view that marriage is only possible between one man and one woman. The proposal may be amended, although not substantially, before being adopted in a final round of votes.
The decision is a compromise taken in light of the diverse views on same-sex marriage in the DRC, but has nevertheless been welcomed as a progressive move.
Dr. Andre Bartlett, who proposed the changes, said he was “flabbergasted” by the vote and described it as “a big step forward for the restoration of the dignity of our church’s gay members.”
The DRC was historically one of the country’s most conservative churches and was seen as a cornerstone of apartheid.
Since 2007, only celibate gay clergy have been allowed as ministers in the DRC. In 2008, the Moreleta Park NG Kerk was forced by the courts to rehire, apologise and pay damages to a music teacher it fired for being gay in 2005.
In July this year, the general moderator of the DRC urged the church to fully welcome gay ministers and same-sex marriages.
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This is the way that I look at the situation( having been in a relationship for 7 years at the time that His Holiness Dirkie vd Spuy kicked us out of the NG Church Moreleta Park) . Been together for 25 yrs now, by the way….
The NG Kerk needs money honey, and where is a better place to get it from than those gays who are now allowed back into the church. The NG Kerk en gee en gee is a dying concept who needs young blood to ensure it’s voortbestaan. Those young gay dominees are suddenly accepted to preach in the Kerk for a reason. The Kerk will cease to exist if they do not get their homophobic attitude changed – and they cleverly realised that. Too little too late. And by the way, go fcuk yourself, Dirkie vd Spuy. See you in hell one day.
Aan bogenoemde skrywer,
Jou taal spreek boekdele………stig jou eie kerk waar jy en jou vriene welkom is.
This is the NG Church. They had a certain history under apartheid. We certainly do not need their approval, and nor do we give a damn whether they give it or not.
Welcome to the 21st Century, finally.
Read the document: marriage is still only defined as a union of a man and a woman. So what the NG Church is saying, is that everyone is equal, but heterosexual couples are just that little bit more equal.
The DRC is a joke, in apartheid they claim apartheid was the gospel and white are supreme. Their own white brother turned out to be a bunch of faggarts, so they kick them out of the church. Now that the church pews are empty they are forced to accept fruitcakes back into the church. I am sadden but not surprised they accepted gays. They are a traditional church and traditions are changed in boardrooms, while true Christians follow the Holy of God not man. Both the DRC and Catholic churches are a joke.