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In die Skriflig
On-line version ISSN 2305-0853
Print version ISSN 1018-6441
In Skriflig (Online) vol.44 n.2 Pretoria Jan. 2010
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Uitgangspunte vir staatsoptrede in die Institusie van Calvyn soos vergelyk met uitgangspunte van Suid-Afrika se Handves van Regte (1996)
Points of departure for the state in the Institutes of Calvin compared with points of departure of the South African Bill of Rights (1996)
P.J. Strauss
Departement Ekklesiologie, Universiteit van die Vrystaat, BLOEMFONTEIN. E-pos: straussp@ufs.ac.za
OPSOMMING
In die laaste hoofstuk van sy "Institusie" gee die hervormer Johannes Calvyn (1509-1564) aandag aan die staat en die taak van die staatsowerheid. Calvyn se beskouings is sterk deur die Bybel beïnvloed. Daarom sien hy staatsregering as 'n instelling wat deur God verordineer is. Wat hom betref, moet geregtigheid en billikheid die grense van alle staatswette wees. Die Suid-Afrikaanse "Handves van Regte" word geag die hoogste wet in die land te wees waaraan alle ander staatswette ondergeskik is. Om chaos te voorkom, of te verhoed dat mense die wet verkeerd toepas, vorm die Grondwetlike Hof die finale gesag ten opsigte van die interpretasie van die Grondwet. Dit maak van Suid-Afrika 'n regstaat. Alhoewel Calvyn, soos ook die "Handves", almal regverdig wil behandel, loop sy beskouings met dié van die "Handves" uiteen oor die vraag of die staat 'n dienaar van God is.
Kernbegrippe: denkklimaat van Calvyn verskil van Handves, staatsowerheid: deur God gewettig en nie deur meerderheid van bevolking nie, staatsowerheid: dienaar van God, staatswette: moet billik wees
ABSTRACT
In the last chapter of his "Institutes" the reformer John Calvin (1509-1564) concentrates on points of departure for the state and on the task of the state government. Calvin is strongly influenced by the Bible and sees the state government as being ordained by God to exercise justice in society. For him justice and fairness should be the norm for every law created by the state. The South African "Bill of Rights" is regarded as the highest law in the country. To prevent chaos or people exercising the law wrongly, the Constitution with the "Bill of Rights" in the final instance should be interpreted by the Constitutional Court. This makes South Africa a just state or a society governed by the constitution or law. Although Calvin, like the "Bill of Rights", has a feeling for justice to all, he and the Bill part company on the important issue that the state should be seen as a servant of God.
Key concepts: government: legitimised by God and not by the majority of people, laws of the state should be fair and reasonable, points of departure for Calvin differ from Bill of Rights, state government: a servant of God
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