Christelike konfessies, getuienisse en credo’s

Aan watter lewensbeskoulik-filosofiese kriteria behoort nuwe formulerings te beantwoord?

Abstract

Ter inleiding tot hierdie verkenning word die aandag eerstens daarop gevestig dat (veral sedert ongeveer die sewentigerjare van die vorige eeu) ? groot aantal nuwe Christelike konfessies, credo’s en geloofsverklarings die lig gesien het. In die tweede plek blyk egter dat daar wel teologiese analises bestaan waaroor sulke geskrifte behoort te handel, maar weinig, indien enige, besinning vanuit ? Christelik-Reformatoriese filosofiese perspektief oor die aard en struktuur van sulke dokumente.

Volgens die Skrif het die Christelike religie ? integrale karakter. ? Gelowige se lewe vorm ? eenheid van omvattende gehoorsame diens aan God. Die feit behoort ook in Christelike geloofsbelydenisse verwoord te word. Sulke geskrifte behoort nie net oor ? mens se (kerklike) geloof te handel nie. Daarom word vanuit ? filosofiese perspektief in die tweede deel van hierdie ondersoek in ? struktuuranalise die aandag op die volgende dertien ander fasette van ? integrale belydenis van die Christelike religie gevestig: die etiese, juridiese, estetiese, ekonomiese, sosiale, linguale, historiese, logiese, emosionele, biologiese, fisiese, ruimtelike en numeriese.

In die derde afdeling word in die lig van die voorafgaande enkele redes genoem waarom nuwe, kontemporêre Christelike getuienisse nie net dringend nodig is nie, maar selfs ? verpligting inhou asook wat hulle status sou kon wees.

Christian confessions, testimonies and credos: What are the criteria for their contemporary formulation?
As an introduction this article first draws attention to the fact that, since about the seventies of the previous century up to today, a stream of new Christian confessions, testimonies, and creeds were published. Some theological analyses are available but Christian philosophical reflection on the nature of such documents is lacking.

The nature of the Christian religion is according to the Scriptures integral and comprehensive. This fact should clearly be acknowledged and reflected in the confessions of Christians and not be limited to their ecclesiastical life of faith. Therefore, secondly, from a Reformational philosophical perspective, this investigation provides a structural analysis of these phenomena. Apart from the fact that they should be confessions of faith it indicates thirteen other facets of (mainly church) confessions that should also be acknowledged. They are the ethical, juridical, aesthetic, economic, social, lingual, historical, logical, emotional, biological, physical, spacial and numerical aspects.

Thirdly, in conclusion, some basic reasons are given why a new, contemporary Christian testimony is not only necessary today but even compulsory, followed by a suggestion about its possible status and authority.