Church versus state? Divorce legislation and divided South Africa

The Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) or Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) is seen as one of the most influential bodies in South African society by virtue of its links with the government. Serfontein has meticulously documented how 'the policy of the NGK towards racial and political matters reads like a blueprint of the policies of the National Party government',2 and the Dutch Reformed Church is frequently described as 'the National Party in prayer'. 3 Further, as Hope and Young report, 'perhaps the most telling example of church-state ties one that shocked many NGK adherents themselves was the secret donation by a government department of $180 000 to the NGK, which used the money to set up an "ecumenical affairs bureau!"'.4 Yet, on the issues of divorce and remarriage, crucial to the church's central concern about the family, the National Party has passed legislation which appears completely opposed to all that the church stands for. This article investigates the way in which the present situation arose, and discusses its significance and possible consequences.