Abstract:
The Dutch Reformed
Church has a history of social care and development through its professional social service
organisations, and of goodwill through its congregations and members. Since 2002, declarations
of intent for transformative service from the church in all its facades have testified to the Dutch
Reformed Church’s commitment to contribute to a better life for everyone in South Africa.
However, it appears in practice that the Dutch Reformed Church’s response has fallen into silos
and that it has been challenging to accomplish collective impact.
The publication of the Dutch Reformed Church’s Framework Document for Missional
Transformation (2013) has increased the need for an in-depth discussion about the diaconate. An
outdated diaconate policy (1994) exposed problems with which the Dutch Reformed Church is
struggling. It showed, among other things: the ecclesiocentric focus of the diaconate; a theological
departure that has not kept pace with the development of a missional theology; and the
disposition for separate operatives between the different forms of ecclesiastical diaconate.
The aim of this article is to react to the potential for collaboration between different forms of
the diaconate in the Dutch Reformed Church. The Research Strategy for Missional
Transformation (2018) provides an approach that allows clarification of a research problem
that leads to the design of prototypes in the next phase of research. The research shows that
collaboration should be approached in a nuanced way, and that practice theory for integrated
diaconal ministry should be further researched and developed.
INTRADISCIPLINARY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY IMPLICATIONS : Theological development contributes
to a new appreciation for a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to diaconal work.
