Ordination of women : part of the Dutch Reformed church's Mariological gift

Abstract

On 20 March 1994, Gretha Heymans became the first female minister ordained in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in Bloemfontein, following the 1990 Synod decision to allow women as elders and ministers. This article explores whether the DRC’s experience of ordaining women can help the ecumenical church in South Africa encounter Mary, the mother of God, and through her, God in Christ. It invites critical reflection on the DRC’s doctrine (or lack thereof) regarding Mary and questions the appropriateness of linking women’s ordination with her. The article examines the nature of ordination, suggesting that embracing Mary and ordained women could renew the DRC’s encounter with God, while offering a gift to South Africa’s broader church community.