“Seekers of truth and justice”: an investigation of the Accra Declaration’s ecclesiology

Abstract

This article investigates the implied ecclesiology of the Accra Declaration (WARC, 2004). It does this by viewing the document through the lenses of various ecclesiological categories: Biblical images or metaphors, social manifestations of the church, Protestant and Catholic marks of the church, the threefold office of prophet, priest and king, the four ministries or dimensions of the church and Avery Dulles's Models of the Church (1976). This is done in an appreciative manner, yet reveals some of the shortcomings of the document's implied ecclesiology. It also lays the foundation for deeper reflection on the role of the church with regard to social issues such as global economic injustice and ecological destruction. ABSTRAK "Seekers of Truth and Justice": ʼn Ondersoek na die Accra-verklaring se ekklesiologieHierdie artikel stel ondersoek in na die Accra Verklaring (WRGK, 2004) se veronderstelde kerkbegrip. Hiervoor word verskeie ekklesiologiese kategorieë as lense gebruik waardeur die dokument bestudeer word: Bybelse beelde en metafore, sosiale gestaltes van die kerk, Protestante en Katolieke tekens van die ware kerk, die drievoudige amp van koning, priester en profeet, die vier bedienings van die kerk en Avery Dulles se "Models of the Church" (1976). Die ondersoek word op ʼn waarderende basis gedoen, maar wys ook van die veronderstelde ekklesiologie se swakpunte uit. Die artikel lê ook ʼn goeie fondasie waarop dieper oor die kerk se rol in sosiale kwessies, soos ekonomiese en ekologiese ongeregtigheid, besin kan word.