It's still about women in office.
The 2005 Synod of the Christian Reformed Church
began with an opening worship service at the Palos Heights Christian
Reformed Church. As the host church, Palos Heights invited elders
from neighboring churches to assist in the distribution of the elements
at the communion service. The Loop Christian Ministries of Chicago
sent a woman elder to the service. The Palos Heights elders, exercising
their CRC-given right not to have women office-bearers, asked the
woman elder to refrain from participating in
the serving of the elements. The service continued as planned without
any hitches. However, the matter was brought before the floor of
Synod, the chairman of the Palos Heights Consistory had to apologize
for the stand taken by those who were appointed to be overseers
of the Sacrament.
Later in the week, Synod discussed whether or
not women elders could be a part of their own body. After a lengthy
discussion that opened a few more ministry doors to women.
Synod balked at the idea of having women elders
serve as delegates to its body. Synod made very clear that women
may distribute the body and blood of Christ to the people of God,
but they are not to have an authoritative voice within the body
of Christ. They may bring the means of grace as long as they have
no vote as to who receives it. In spite of the fact that this is
a clear violation of the CRC Church Order, which states that no
elder may lord over another elder, no apology was given. It is ironic
that Palos Heights Consi story had to apologize for upholding a
CRC approved view of Scripture, while Synod did not.
Don't get me wrong; I fully believe the Word
of God clearly teaches that women should not be ordained - a view
that the CRC, by the way, acknowledges as biblical, but for Synod
to open every door but its own seems very hypocritical, to say the
least. Those who have adopted an interpretation of Scripture that
Synod has declared as a valid view of God's Word are called to task
on the floor of Synod. However, when Synod, for the sake of unity,
adopts the same strategy of excluding women it is seen as best for
the church. Apparently decisions based on a desire for unity are
more tolerable than those that are based on a desire to be faithful
to Scripture.
Synod approved thirty-one men and seven women
as candidates for the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments with a
simple voice vote. In the past, candidates were voted on individually,
allowing for those opposed to women's ordination to abstain from
voting for female graduates of seminary. Slowly the door is being
closed for those who acknowledge that women should not be ordained.
Synod also discussed First CRC of Toronto's desire
to ordain practicing homosexual members to church office. Synod
rightly expressed dismay and frustration with Classis Toronto which
had been instructed to investigate First CRC's views on homosexuality
but had failed to do so. At the end of a lengthy debate, Synod appointed
a committee to investigate the position of the church council and
determine if the church is in compliance with the position that
the denomination has on homosexuality.
This committee should not have to work very hard
to discern the council's position in this matter since they have
been very clear on their views for some time. The facts are: First
CRC of Toronto has practicing homosexuals in its congregation who
are members in good standing. Two years ago, the council wrote a
letter to the churches within Classis Toronto that they wanted to
place these individuals up for nomination as elder and deacon. They
also made clear that they had studied the issue and have no desire
to discuss the matter any further. These facts are currently not
in compliance with the denomination's view on homosexuality; they
will never be in compliance with the Word of God.
Synod reaffirmed its commitment to Christian
Day Schools and approved several recommendations for promoting Christian
education. This affirmation came after acknowledging that there
has been a decline in the CRC's support of Christian Day Schools.
What Synod failed to acknowledge was that this decline has come
because there is a growing concern about the direction that the
Christian schools are taking. A Reformed Christian school should
teach a Reformed worldview. When the word "Reformed" is taken out
of the by-laws, when teachers deny various tenets of the Reformed
faith, when sports and music programs are more important than Reformed dogmatics,
parents become disillusioned with the school and find other ways
to instruct their children.
But who can blame the schools? A recent survey
revealed that over a quarter of the churches in the Christian Reformed
Church no longer preach the Heidelberg Catechism. That is more than
one out of every four churches! In addition, almost twenty percent
of the churches in the CRC do not have weekly catechism classes.
Is it any wonder that those who grow up in these churches no longer
know what the Reformed faith is? When the church no longer has the
desire to defend the Reformed faith, why should the schools teach
it?
Synod acknowledged the retirement of Rev. Peter
Borgdorff who served the denomination as Executive Director of Ministries
for thirteen years. Rev. Cal Bremer was appointed the new director.
Leaving the seminary is Rev. Robert DeVries, professor of Church
Education. Rev. Dave Feddes said farewell as the English language
minister of The Back to God Hour. Dr. David Engelhard was given
an indefinite medical leave from his duties as General Secretary
of the denomination, a position he has held since 1994.
Let me conclude by saying that most of the information
I received about the CRC Synod of 2005 came from The Banner and from The Grand Rapids
Press. It is interesting to note that last year synod decided to
send The Banner to every household in the CRC. It was reported then
that there would be no additional cost, no additional ministry shares
used to finance this project. Now, one year later, The Banner is
appealing to its readers to donate between $10 to $25 each so that
they can keep getting the magazine for free.
As a former minister in the Christian Reformed
Church, I continue to pray for the denomination. Yet, I must also
admit that I grieve over certain trends that have developed over
the last few decades. The CRC is no longer the church that I grew
up in, and, in their efforts to promote diversity and unity it no
longer teaches the historic Reformed faith that was once instilled
in her members.
Rev. Wybren Oord is the pastor of the Covenant
United Reformed Church of Kalamazoo, Michigan. He also is the Editor
of The Outlook.
