NR #1996-070: Christian Reformed Synod Intensifies Restrictions on Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland By a margin of 19 votes, the Christian Reformed synod has intensified restrictions on its Dutch "mother church," the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (GKN). According to a 1995 report of the CRC's Interchurch Relations Committee, the key items of concern have been the GKN's admission of practicing homosexuals to church membership and church offices, including the pastorate, the GKN position on scriptural authority, and whether missions to the Jews are necessary. Synod 1983 suspended pulpit and table fellowship between the CRC and GKN; Synod 1996 decided to refrain from exchange of fraternal delegates and joint action in areas of common responsibility as well as mandate its Interchurch Relations Committee to "intensify its pursuit of the two remaining provisions of ecclesiastical fellowship with the GKN. NR #1996-070: For Immediate Release Christian Reformed Synod Intensifies Restrictions on Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland * Acceptance of Gay Marriages, Ordination of Practicing Homosexual Ministers by Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland to Highlight CRC Synodical Debate by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (June 17, 1996) URNS - By a margin of 19 votes, the Christian Reformed synod has intensified restrictions on its Dutch "mother church," the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (GKN). According to a 1995 report of the CRC's Interchurch Relations Committee, the key items of CRC concern have been the GKN's admission of practicing homosexuals to church membership and church offices, including the pastorate, the GKN position on scriptural authority, and whether missions to the Jews are necessary. At last year's Christian Reformed synod, the GKN synod president touched off a firestorm of criticism when he told the CRC synodical delegates that in his denomination, "where believers are true to each other in love, and are committed to the edification of Christ's church, the apostle's words become true that in Christ there is neither male nor female, slave nor freeman, Jew nor Greek - and, I might add, neither hetero nor homo." In his June 16, 1995 speech, GKN synod president Rev. Richard Vissinga said that in his own local church, the Open Hof Gemeente in the Dutch city of Kampen, "homosexual men or women participate in task forces, committees, and consistory." "When they live with a partner under one roof, they are faithful to each other in love. In faith we accept one another as a gift of God," said Vissinga. "Homosexuals experience the room which the church has come to respect as theirs as a boon and a gift. Unfortunately, this room is not found everywhere among us." Vissinga also told the CRC synodical delegates that his denomination had adopted a report on the medical treatment of seriously handicapped newborn children. "With reverence for the Creator, for life, for those concerned, and with great care, the study notes that in exceptional cases it may not be irresponsible to terminate life," said Vissinga. Despite Vissinga's speech, Synod 1995 voted by a slim margin of 80 to 89 not to break fraternal relations with the GKN. However, that led to Synod 1996 receiving eight overtures asking the CRC to "terminate," "sever," "discontinue," or "suspend" ties with the 800,000-member GKN. A ninth overture asked synod to "intensify restrictions on ecclesiastical fellowship" with the GKN citing grounds similar to the other eight. This ninth overture was the closest to Synod 1996's final decision to "further restrict its ecclesiastical fellowship with the GKN for a minimum of two years," which represents the strongest stance the CRC has ever taken toward its Dutch mother church. The CRC's definition of ecclesiastical relations with other denominations includes six items: "exchange of fraternal delegates at major assemblies," "occasional pulpit fellowship," "intercommunion (i.e., fellowship at the table of the Lord)," "joint action in areas of common responsibility," "communication on major issues of joint concern," and "the exercise of mutual concern and admonition with a view to promoting the fundamentals of Christian unity" (Manual of CRC Government, p. 269). Synod 1983 suspended pulpit and table fellowship between the CRC and GKN; Synod 1996 decided to refrain from exchange of fraternal delegates and joint action in areas of common responsibility as well as mandate its Interchurch Relations Committee to "intensify its pursuit of the two remaining provisions of ecclesiastical fellowship with the GKN." "This action acknowledges the concerns of those who believe that fellowship with churches which tolerate practicing homosexuals as members and officebearers is contrary to the teaching of and disobedient to Christ and the gospel," according to the advisory committee. Despite the fairly wide margin of the final vote, most of the debate was supportive of the GKN. While most defenders of the GKN made clear that they did not agree with it on gay marriage and similar issues, debate centered on the emotional issue of whether it was proper to restrict ties with a denomination in which a number of delegates were baptized before immigrating to North American and in which many delegates still have family and friends. "I was born and baptized in the Gereformeerde Kerk," noted Rev. John Postuma of Maranatha CRC in York, Ontario. "The best way for family to communicate is to show our weakness, and they have done that. We are here as family. If you want to build family ties you cannot close doors and say if you do not agree with us you cannot talk with us." Even defenders of the committee report were divided over their reasons for defending it. "Our intent in the motion is not that we cut off all our face-to-face contact and then communicate only by fax and E-mail or something like that," said advisory committee member Rev. Scott Hoezee. "Some of these overtures speak of the verse to 'expel the wicked man from among you.' That is a scandalous misuse of that verse. It says the GKN is a false church and we just can't say that about all these thousands and thousands of Christians in the GKN." However, Rev. LeRoy Christoffels of Preakness CRC in New Jersey defended the overture because it would send a sign that the CRC was unwilling to continue unproductive talks. "We need to send a clear message, very clear, to our people and to the GKN," said Christoffels, citing questions in the GKN about the need for Jews to believe in Christ and whether people can be saved without explicit profession of faith in Christ. "We have been talking with them for years and not much has been changed, in fact many things are getting worse," said Christoffels. "Why go to church if you are not hearing that Jesus Christ is the one way to eternal life?" One amendment did pass, however - synod agreed with Pastor George Vander Weit of North Hills CRC in Troy that it should not cite the point that "ecumenical relationships with other churches have been weakened or severed in part because of our present relationship with the GKN" as a reason for intensifying restrictions. "The Reformed Churches of New Zealand suspended relationships with us due to women in office, not because of our relationships with the GKN," said Vander Weit. "It's true that they sent us a grocery list of problems they had with us, including theistic evolution, John Suk's editorial in The Banner on inerrancy, and our membership in the World Council of Churches of which we are not members." "I hope that this synod is not going to send John Suk a letter telling him that our ecumenical relationships are threatened because of his editorials in The Banner," said Vander Weit, prompting laughter from a number of synodical delegates. After debate, Vander Weit's amendment passed by a margin of ten votes. Synod subsequently acceded to a request from Elder Sid Jansma of Plymouth Heights CRC to vote on refraining from "exchange of fraternal delegates at major assemblies" separately from "initiating new joint action in areas of common responsibility. Several Christian Reformed leaders cautioned that one or both restrictions might be problematic. Dr. Peter Borgdorff, CRC executive director of ministries, informed synod that the CRC and GKN were discussing cooperation between the two denominations in mission and diaconal work in Romania and Russia. "It is my understanding that if this passes these areas of cooperation will not be able to happen, and from an agency point of view that would be most unfortunate," said Borgdorff. CRC Interchurch Relations Committee member Dr. Henry Zwaanstra also cautioned synod against strong action. "The GKN have come to live since 1983 with the two restrictions we have placed on our fellowship, the areas of pulpit and table fellowship," said Zwaanstra. "They are inclined to think that if we are to have meaningful conversations we must hold them as fully and completely brothers in Christ, and this restriction on exchange of fraternal delegates would make that difficult." Nevertheless, Zwaanstra noted that discussion of what to do with the GKN had to consider opinion within the CRC. "No state department can conduct foreign relations without taking into account the opinions of the people at home, and the same is true of interchurch relations committees," said Zwaanstra. Despite the high-level cautions, synod adopted both restrictions on separate votes. The restriction on "exchange of fraternal delegates at major assemblies" passed by a 19-vote margin; the restriction on initiating new "joint action in areas of common responsibility" passed by a voice vote without a roll call of the delegates. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1995-067: Christian Reformed Synod Votes to Keep Fraternal Relations with Gereformeerde Kerken Despite Advocacy of Gay Rights #1995-068: Complete Text of the GKN President's Fraternal Address #1995-106C: Interclassical Conference Urges Christian Reformed Synod to Lead Denomination in Repentance; Calls for Formation of "Covenant Union" of CRC Conservatives #1996-011: CRC's Largest Congregation Joins Protest Against Fraternal Relations with Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland #1996-044: Engelhard to Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland: Christian Reformed Synod Upset by Biblical Justification of Homosexuality in Dutch Mother Church #1996-045: Christian Reformed Conservatives Pleased by Engelhard Speech to Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland #1996-063: Christian Reformed Interchurch Relations Committee Recommends that Fraternal Relationship with Dutch Mother Church be Held "In Abeyance." #1996-064: GKN Synod President Addresses Christian Reformed Synod #1996-067: President of GKN Synod "Very Disappointed" by Advisory Committee Recommendation to Suspend Ties #1996-072: Prominent GKN Minister Regrets Synodical Action Contact List: NOTE TO EDITORS: Most synodical delegates are staying on the campus of Calvin College. To reach delegates in their dormitory rooms during Synod 1996, expected to adjourn on or before June 20, call Calvin College at (616) 957-0000 or contact the synodical news office at the following numbers: Synod News Office: Press Officers Rev. Robert De Moor and Rachel Boehm Van Harmelen O: (616) 957-8652 * F: (616) 957-6469 Pre-Recorded Synod News Hotline: (616) 224-0841 or toll-free (888) 277-9663 Dr. Peter Borgdorff, Executive Director of Ministries, Christian Reformed Church 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0832 * H: (616) 957-3288 Rev. LeRoy Christoffels, Pastor, Preakness (NJ) Christian Reformed Church 490 Valley Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470 * H: (201) 694-1516 * O: (201) 628-1313 Rev. Paul den Butter, Member, CGKN Interchurch Relations Committee Oranjelaan 12, 3971 HG Driebergen, NETHERLANDS * O: 03438-21101 Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North America 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 * E-Mail: engelhad@crcnet.mhs.compuserve.com Rev. Scott Hoezee, Pastor, Calvin Christian Reformed Church 1634 Fisk Rd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506-6544 * O: (616) 451-8467 * H: (616) 247-6720 Rev. Bruce Hoyt, Stated Clerk, Reformed Churches of New Zealand 700 Park Rd. South, Hastings, New Zealand * H: 6-876-4353 * O: 6-876-4351 * FAX: 6-878-6696 Rev. John Postuma, Pastor, Maranatha Christian Reformed Church 288 Morrison Dr., Caledonia, ON N3W 1A2 * H/O: (905) 765-5623 Rev. John Suk, Editor, The Banner 1510 Seminole Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 O: (616) 246-0791 * H: (616) 243-5695 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 * E-Mail: CRCBanner@aol.com Rev. M.C. Tanis, President, Synod of the Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland Rivierdyk 759, 3361 BV Sliedrecht, NETHERLANDS * O: 01840-12776 Pastor George Vander Weit, North Hills Christian Reformed Church 2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084 * O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: NoHillsCRC@aol.com Rev. Richard S. E. Vissinga, President, Synod of the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland Watermunt 11, 8265 EL Kampen, NETHERLANDS Dr. Henry Zwaanstra, Professor of Historical Theology, Calvin Theological Seminary 3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4387 * O: (616) 957-6035 * H: (616) 942-8051 * FAX: (616) 957-8621 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr96-070.txt .