The Belhar Confession of South Africa

A Witness for the PC(USA)

The 218th General Assembly (2008) approved a resolution to take the first step toward including the Belhar Confession in The Book of Confessions.  The Belhar Confession is a statement of faith and belief that was adopted by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa in 1986.  It was written in response to the system of apartheid, a system that was implemented to legalize racial segregation in South Africa.  It is a bold statement that the sin of racism, segregation and division must be confronted and calls for unity and reconciliation as marks of faithfulness in the church.
           
Including the Belhar Confession in The Book of Confessions speaks to the persistent reality of racism today but also makes an important witness to the unity of the global church and the global ecumenical movement. It calls the church to a deeper appreciation of the values of unity in diversity in relation to the divisions of race and culture and many other facets of the human condition.  In the United States and around the world, the divisions of race too often determine who receives the greatest benefits in employment, education, housing, healthcare, criminal justice and civil rights. At the core of almost every militarized conflict in the world today are divisions of race, ethnicity and religion. 

The Belhar Confession proclaims “that any teaching which attempts to legitimate such forced separation (based on race) by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine.”

As the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seeks to become a multiracial, multicultural community of faith, the Belhar Confession adds an important voice to the expressions of our faith in The Book of Confessions, one that does not come through the historical experience of European and North American church life. If accepted, the Belhar would join the Nicene Creed as the only non-Western documents in The Book of Confessions.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) now has the opportunity to confess with our South African sisters and brothers “that separation, enmity and hatred between people and groups is a sin which Christ has already conquered” and to make ourselves aware of how these realities continue to take form in our church today so that we make continue to work for justice and reconciliation. 

For further study or to read the Belhar Confession please visit the Theology and Worship Web site.

Online learning opportunity about the Belhar Confession

Western Theological Seminary is providing an online course January 18 – February 28, 2009, entitled “Confessing Christ Today: The Belhar Confession.”  Participants will take part in six weeks of online study exploring the history, context and theology of the Belhar Confession and look at its possible impact on the church if North American communions vote to adopt it as a confessional standard.  This online course will allow you to learn from people from around the globe! [Learn more]