Constitution or Church Order? A church judicial analysis of the church documents in the Reformed Church of East Africa By Luka Ariko Ekitala Dissertation presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ecclesiology) in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University Supervisor Prof Mary-Anne Plaatjies-Van Huffel March 2018 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Luka Ariko Ekitala March 2018 i Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Copyright © 2018 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ABSTRACT The Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1944. The RCEA however deviates in its church governance from Reformed/Presbyterian church polity principles ordinarily embraced by Reformed churches across the globe. The church judicial development of the RCEA has been influenced on the one hand by the mission agencies for example the Dutch Reformed missionaries as well as the Reformed Mission League and on the other hand by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA). The researcher assessed the Constitution of the RCEA in this dissertation against the Reformed/Presbyterian church polity principles (see Chapter 3 and 5). The research tries to determine to what extent the Constitution of the RCEA is grounded in reformed church polity principles, namely: a) Self-government under the sole headship of Christ, b) The limited autonomy of the local congregation, c) The denominational ties serve the well -being of the Church, d) The restricted power and responsibilities of ecclesial assemblies, e) The necessity and nature of Christian discipline, f) Right of appeal, g) The power of the major assemblies with regard to misconduct. Three phases of the church judicial developments of the RCEA can be discern, namely i. Dependency to “mother church” 1905-1963, ii. RCEA as semi-autonomous church 1963-1991, iii. RCEA move towards self-governance 1982-1992. The researcher proposes in the dissertation amendments based on Reformed/Presbyterian church polity principles, as well as provision being made of in reformed church orders from different contexts inter alia the Church Order of Dordt (1619), the church order of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PCN), the church order of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) as well as the church order of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) which the RCEA might take into account when the denomination embark on the drafting of a new church order. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za The researcher concluded at the end of the dissertation that the RCEA should make provisions in the envisaged church order regarding: The ordination of women, The authority and responsibilities of the ecclesial assemblies, The confessional basis of the RCEA, The necessity and nature of Christian discipline and the right to appeal. iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za OPSOMMING Gedurende 1944 het die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk die Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) gestig. Kerkregtelik wyk die RCEA van die Gereformeerde / Presbiteriaanse kerkregbeginsels af wat gewoonlik met Gereformeerde kerke dwarsdeur die wêreld geassosieer word. Die kerkgeregtelike ontwikkeling van die RCEA word aan die een kant deur die sendelinge van die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk asook die Gereformeerde Sendingbond beïnvloed en aan die anderkant word dit deur die Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) beïnvloed. Die Grondwet van die RCEA word in hierdie verhandeling teen die beginsels van Gereformeerde / Presbiteriaanse kerkreg geëvalueer (vergelyk hoofstukke 3 en 5). Die navorsing poog vas te stel in welke mate die Grondwet van die RCEA op die volgende gereformeerde kerkregtelike beginsels geskoei is al dan nie, naamlik: a) Selfregering onder die hoofskap van Christus, b) Die beperkte outonomie van die plaaslike gemeente, c) Die kerkverband dien die welsyn van die Kerk, d) Die beperkte gesag en verantwoordelikhede van kerklike gemeentes, e) Die noodsaaklikheid en aard van Christelike dissipline, f) Die appèlreg, g) Die mag van die meerdere vergaderings met betrekking tot wangedrag. Die kerkregtelike ontwikkeling van die RCEA kan in drie fases onderskei word, naamlik a) Die afhanklikheid aan "moederkerk" 1905-1963, b) Die RCEA as semi-outonome kerk 1963-1991, c) Op weg na selfbestuur 1982-1992. Die navorser maak in die verhandeling voorstelle, geskoei op Gereformeerde kerkregbeginsels asook op kerkordes van gereformeerde kerke uit verskillende kontekste onder andere die kerkorde van Dordt (1619), die kerkorde van die Protestantse Kerk in Nederland (PKN), die kerkorde van die Verenigende Gereformeerde Kerk in Suider Afrika (VGKSA) asook die kerkorde van die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK), wat die RCEA in ag kan neem wanneer die denominasie hul nuwe kerkorde opstel. v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Die navorser konkludeer aan die einde van die dissertasie dat die RCEA behoort in die beoogde kerkorde voorsiening te maak vir bepalinge wat betrekking het op: Die ordening van vroue, Die gesag en verantwoordelikhede van gemeentes, Die belydenisbasis van die RCEA, Die noodsaaklikheid en aard van Christelike dissipline en die reg om te appelleer. vi Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1. I sincerely register my profound gratefulness to the individuals and groups of people without whose assistance and support this research would not have been completed. 2. Firstly, I convey my profound thanks to the Almighty God for his continued faithfulness throughout the years of my studies at the University of Stellenbosch. 3. I am deeply indebted to my wife and children for their moral and spiritual support rendered during my studies. 4. I hereby express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Mary-Anne Plaatjies-Van Huffel, for her useful guidance, insightful comments, and considerable encouragements to complete this thesis. Her expertise supervision, enthusiasm, rigorous attitude to church polity, valuable advice and suggestions on my work and extensive knowledge put me in the position to complete the dissertation. A word of indebtedness is being expressed to Professor Pieter Coertzen and Robert Vosloo of the Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology at the University of Stellenbosch for their guidance in the early phases of my research. I own my deepest gratitude to the Faculty of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch for travel bursary granted to me that put me in position to finalize my research. 5. I wish to express my gratitude to the members of staff of the University of Stellenbosch Library, the Dutch Reformed Archive in Stellenbosch, particularly Mrs. M Marlene Schoeman and Miss Christine Misik of RCEA Head Office and Brenda Jerobon of Reformed Institute Theological Training library, for giving me access to archival documents. 6. In a special way, my thankfulness go to my employer and colleagues of Moi University for granting study leave to complete the research. Special thanks is being conveyed to the Moi University Christian Union and of Moi University Grace Chapel for their prayers. 7. I am also grateful to Reformed Church of East Africa led by Rev. Samson Akoru and Rev. Geoffrey Songok for moral and financial support. 8. I wish to express my warmest thanks to my friend and mentor Rev. Evert Van den Ham and his family for their encouragement. May God richly bless you. 9. In addition, may the Lord God abundantly bless those whom I have not mentioned for their encouragement during the preparation of this thesis. vii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za DEDICATIONS This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved, devoted and departed parents, my wife Maculater Jebiwot Kipkoech, who encouraged me throughout the years of my study, and to our children, Adolem and Abong. Though not endowed with much wealth on earth my parents struggled to educate their children. To them education was as precious as gold. Unfortunately, their demise occurred before they reaped the fruits of their labor. To them I say, “Thank you and may your souls rest in peace.” viii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za CONTENTS Declaration…………………………….………..……………….………………………………….……...i Abstract…………………………….…..……………...….….….………………………………………..iii Opsomming ………………………..…….….……………….….……………………………………..…..v Acknowledgements…………….……………….….…...…………..…..………………………………..vii Dedications……………….…………….……...……………………..………………………………….viii Abbreviations……………………………………………………...…………………………………..…xii CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY……..........…....................................1 1.1 Introduction………………………………..……………………………………………….………….1 1.2 Historical background to Reformed church orders ……………………………………………………..2 1.3 Church polity and ecclesiology ...……………………...…….……………..…….………….…………4 1.4 Constitution and Church Order……………………………………………………………….………... 7 1.5. Motivation and problem statement ..........................................................................................................8 1.6 Research Questions ............................................................…................................................................11