Doctoral Degrees (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology) by Author "Brink, George William"

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    Daniel Francois Malan, 1874-1959 : an ecclesiological study of the influence of his theology
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1997) Brink, George William; Coertzen, Pieter; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology.
    ABSTRACT: This study is an analysis of the formation and influence of Daniel Francois Malan's theology on his life and work. It is an ecclesiological analysis from a Reformed perspective. Different theological orientations helped to shape Dr. Malan. At Riebeek-West and Stellenbosch it was the evangelical-reformed tradition that influenced him. At Stellenbosch Theological Seminary he learned the biblical-apologetic tradition. At Utrecht University Dr. Malan was exposed to Ethical Theology. These theological directions remained with him throughout his life. From each theological direction he inherited something. From Ethical Theology, for example, he inherited a synthesis: theology and philosophy coalesced in him. Various philosophical directions also influenced Dr. Malan. Immanuel Kant, Georg Hegel, Johann Fichte and Bishop George Berkeley were some of these. Although he received the Doctor Theologiae degree he wrote a thesis in Philosophy on the Irish philosopher, George Berkeley. Again he inherited something from each philosophical direction. He, for example, inherited from Berkeley his immaterialism with its synthesis. These various theologies and philosophies caused Dr. Malan to become a mediating theologian and influenced his ministry, his newspaper editorship as well as membership of parliament, his career as cabinet minister and prime minister. As dominee at Heidelberg, Transvaal, Montagu and Graaff-Reinet he went far beyond the three basic duties required of a Reformed dominee, namely, preaching the Word, celebration of the two sacraments and exercising church discipline. It was also the syntheses that he adopted from Ethical Theology and Berkeley's immaterialism respectively that helped him to demit from the ministry and enter the world of journalism and politics. Because of his theological orientation, Dr. Malan never drew a line between his newspaper editorship and his membership in parliament. He merged these two careers. The synthesis within Dr. Malan is also evident in his career as cabinet minister. He took it upon himself to give South Africa new national symbols. One of them was Afrikaans as official language. Dr. Malan' s theological orientation also manifested itself in his leadership of the Nationalist Party. It was evident in his handling of the Poor White Issue, the colour issue and the development of the apartheid idea within him. Was it also this synthesis that allowed Dr. Malan to serve as prime minister and foreign minister simultaneously? Dr. Malan' s theology also influenced the formulation of his life's motto which was finally inscribed in the epithaph on his tomb. It says: Glo in God, glo in jou volk en glo in jouself (Believe in God, believe in your nation and believe in yourself) .