NL: Confessional speaking about God

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Confessing church
1. The church has been called to proclaim the Gospel in this world. In essence this is about the good news of Jesus Christ. He is the living Word of God. In being faithful to her assignment the church therefore brings up God for discussion. In religious language: she professes God. The church order of the Protestant church says it like this: ‘Involved in God's turning towards the world, the church (…) confesses the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.’ The very existence of the church depends on the loyalty to this assignment.

Faith-discussion within the confessing church
2. The classical assembly of Zierikzee has, also based on the advice of the visitation committee, found no basis to continue the investigation into the doctrine of Rev. Hendrikse. That is something different than ‘anything goes’. It has been stated that the conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse and others can be heard in the faith-discussion, just as it has been the case previously with conceptions of other liberal theologians. Within a confessing church the faith-discussion is conducted as well. Silencing speakers too soon is not of use to this faith-discussion, even if matters are introduced which are at daggers drawn with the confession of the church. Certainly, a faith-discussion can be painful. Things can be said which in a way bring the confession of the church up for discussion. But by suspending or disqualifying the speakers you do not enforce professing God. It speaks well for wisdom to give voice to the pros and cons both. Counterparts may bring commotion, can sometimes overstep the mark, but they can also give us the chance to ask ourselves once more what our faith in God really means.

Dispute
3. The classical assembly clarified the conception of Rev. Hendrikse regarding the existence of God separately. She thinks that the conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse are a voice in the dispute on how the existence of God should be perceived. This does not mean that with this the conception that ´God does not exist´ has been accepted. We believe in God. Whoever does not, places him/herself outside of the confession of the church. With that you leave the church.
Although I think that the conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse are not maintainable, they are at least cause for further reflection and discussion on the question ‘who is God?’ How do we speak correctly about Him who revealed himself in Jesus Christ as Immanuel: God with us? What do we mean with the word ‘exist’ in this framework?

Discussion in the synod
4. There will be done more than simply saying that the ‘case’ Hendrikse will not be proceeded. In November the synod will occupy itself with the theme ‘speaking about God’ – also at the request of the classical assemblies of Walcheren and Zierikzee, in order to result in an assistance on this speaking. This proposal for an assistance will also be meant to be guiding in the assignment to bring up God for discussion. The church takes the questions about God very seriously.
They have been given sound in various ways during the past years. Questions around ‘Something-ism’ and Theism. Recently followed by the conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse. Therefore the synod will reflect on the theme ‘speaking about God’, so the church will be able to proceed with her assignment with all the more conviction. This assistance will therefore be meant as form of confessional speaking about God. That the church does this now shows that Rev. Hendrikse has certainly focussed this discussion. Earlier the synod spoke regarding the conceptions on Jesus Christ of Prof. Den Heyer. This resulted in the memorandum ‘Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.’ This was an appropriate manner to speak as a church and to shun what contradicts her confession.’ Why would this not be possible in this case? This way the classical assembly Walcheren (it remained considerably more calm around the decision of this classical assembly) has done more than just saying not to proceed with the investigation. She took the opportunity for confessional speaking about God.

Disciplinary measures
5. The issue of doctrine discipline goes further and is therefore broader than the conviction of a minister. The church can perform her assignment to proclaim God and to fight what contradicts her confession in many ways. There is a discipline on doctrine and a discipline on a person in connection with the doctrine, as noted by Rev. Sonnenberg, the chairman of the General Visitations Committee. It is a fact that the Protestant Church is very reluctant in this in suspension of a minister. This can be seen as a token of weakness. Visitator Sonnenberg however noted that if and when the church had ordered disciplinary measures on ministers it mostly resulted in grief, division, argument, etceteras. This could of course be perceived as excuse, but it can also be seen as a fruit of religious practice and with this of wisdom.

Principles
6. The regularly raised assertion that the church has legalized the conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse is wrong in the light of what I have written overhead. The church does not legalize conceptions anyhow. Moreover the declaration that the conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse do not impair the principles of the church is something quite different than legalizing them. In this declaration is said that they are not of the importance to undermine these principles. These principles therefore remain standing. The principle of the church is God, who revealed himself in Jesus Christ. ‘Not undermine’ is something else than fitting with these principles. The conceptions of Rev. Hendrikse are cause to discuss these principles again, and discussing them, recover them again in order to become strengthened again in the assignment to confess the triune God.

Dr. A.J. Plaisier, secretary of the general synod of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands

This article was also published in Reformatorisch Dagblad* of February 11th, 2010.

http://www.protestantchurch.nl/info.aspx?page=14664