Public Lecture: Dr Andre Bartlett (6 Sept 2017, 19h00)

  WITTENBERG-ROME: 500 YEARS LATER

Leaders of the World Communion of Reformed Churches sign copies of the declaration in Saint Mary’s City Church in Wittenberg, Germany.

On the 5^th of July 2017 at a church service in Wittenberg, Germany representatives of the Vatican, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the World Methodist Council signed the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. With this Declaration these church bodies affirmed that the issue that has been at the heart of the conflict in the Western Church since the 16^th century has been resolved and that a common understanding has been reached on this central doctrine of the Christian faith. It is significant that this ceremony took place in Wittenberg, the same city where the Protestant Reformation started 500 years ago when Martin Luther published his 95 Theses on 31 October 1517. In this lecture the significance of this occasion for our common Christian witness will be explored.

Event Details:

Wednesday, 6 September 2017, 19:00 

St Augustine Auditorium
53 Ley Road, Victory Park, JHB

*** Free of charge, although a cash donation to St Augustine would be appreciated

Speaker:

Dr Andre Barlett is a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, serving in the Johannesburg Congregation; a chair of the South Africa Council of Churches (SACC) in Gauteng and a member of the National Executive of the SACC.

He is the Director of Excelsus, the Centre for Operational Development at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria, which is responsible for Continued Ministry Development (FBE) of ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church.

Excelsus initiates and organises programmes, courses and conferences aimed at developing the continuing ministry of ministers. Its focus is to be a meaningful link between congregations and the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria in the process of ministry development. The Excelsus programmes emphasise the connection between ministry skill, ministry joy and ministry power. 

Dr Bartlett is married to Elma, a clinical social worker, and is the father of three daughters and two grandchildren.