Beets te laten vertrekken is schier ondenkbaar: Nicolaas Beets en de teologiese kweekschool

Abstract

Nicolaas Beets (1814-1903), author of the famous novel Camera Obscura and of many religiously inspired books and poems, Minister in the Dutch Reformed Church, national renowned theologian in the Netherland, and professor at the theology faculty in Utrecht was called twice (in 1852 and 1853) to Stellenbosch to become the first professor at the Theological seminary in Stellenbosch. However twice did Beets reject the call from South Africa. These calls took place in a period in which the Dutch Reformed church was sharply divided in different theological movement ranging from the humanistic Groninger School to the dogmatic reformed Afscheiding. The undivided Dutch reformed church was threatened to split up in different parts. Beets was the key person of the Ernst and Vrede movement of ministers in the Dutch reformed church who wanted to preserve the unity of an undivided national church. Beets and his ethical-irenic theology was very influential in Secor Dabar, a theological student organisation in Utrecht and its missionary branch, Eltheto. And many theology students from South Africa, including John and Andrew Murray, were very active in these organisations and came to know and to favour the work and ideas of Nicolaas Beets.