MORNING SESSION - TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1998

Article 43

Reopening

The chairman calls the brothers to order, requests that Ps. 76: 1, 5 be sung, reads from 1 John 3: 11-24 and leads in prayer. Roll call shows that all are present.

Article 44

Adoption of the Acts

Articles 37 - 42 of the Acts, pertaining to May 11, 1998 are adopted.

Article 45

Committee for Churches Abroad: ICRC (continued)

It becomes apparent that some new proposals have been drafted by members regarding the ICRC.

The following motion is made:

To distribute the submission by Rev. Pol and br. Pleiter to all the delegates and that this matter be tabled until the matter of RCUS has been dealt with.

DEFEATED

Article 46 and 47 were in closed session.

Article 48

Adjournment

Synod adjourns until the evening in order to do committee work.

EVENING SESSION - TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1998

Article 49

Reopening

The chairman asks that Hymn 10: 1, 9, 10 be sung. Roll call shows that all are present. A special welcome is extended to Revs. Paulin Bedard and Jean Guy de Blois from the Eglise Reformee du Quebec. The floor is given to Rev. George Syms of the RCUS.

Article 50

Address of Rev. G. Syms

Rev G. Syms, also on behalf of br David Stelpstra, expresses his gratitude for the possibility of being here this evening. He addresses Synod with the words found in Appendix 1. Thereafter br. T. M. Veenendaal speaks some appropriate words (as also found in Appendix 1).

Article 51

Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad: RCUS

Committee III presents: Agenda items: I.D, II S, IV W, II GG, II HH.

1. MATERIAL
2. 1. Report of the Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad regarding the RCUS.
   2. Letters from the churches of Yarrow, Fergus, London, and Elora.
3. INTRODUCTION
4. 1. The Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad received from Synod 1995 the following mandate regarding the RCUS:
   2. 1. To continue the mandate regarding the Reformed Churches in the United States: "to investigate the RCUS with a view to entering into a relationship of Ecclesiastical Fellowship, making use of the findings of the church at Carman."
      2. To report on this to the churches at least six months prior to the next General Synod, and to the next General Synod.
5. OBSERVATIONS
6. 1. From the Committee Report:
   2. 1. The 251st Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States decided to invite the Canadian Reformed Churches to enter into a fraternal relationship (sister-church relationship) of ecclesiastical fellowship.
      2. The Committee has used the work done by the church at Carman.
      3. The CRCA has studied the history, background, doctrinal standards and their maintenance, church government and practices of the RCUS.
      4. The RCUS now has the Three Forms of Unity as their confessional standards.
      5. The CRCA is of the opinion that the RCUS maintains the marks of the true church.
      6. The sermons which were heard reflected the preaching of the gospel of grace. By means of the Three Forms of Unity the preaching is safeguarded further.
      7. With regard to the pure administration of the sacraments the Committee states, "As we share the same confessions, we can conclude that the sacraments are understood scripturally". The Committee adds a section of the RCUS Constitution to show how they work out the confession concerning the sacraments.
      8. With respect to the proper administration of discipline the Report includes a sampling of some of the articles of the RCUS Constitution dealing with the application of discipline. It also makes mention of the practice of erasure.
      9. In light of its investigation and contacts which show the RCUS to meet the marks of the true church, the Committee recommends that the Canadian Reformed Churches enter into Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the Reformed Churches in the United States under the adopted rules.
   3. The churches express the following concerns:
   4. 1. The church at London considers the recommendation of the CRCA to enter into Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the RCUS to be premature for the following reasons:
      2. 1. The fact that we have the same confessions does not mean we have the same understanding of the administration of the sacraments.
         2. The criteria for admission to the Lord's Table seem to present a double standard with respect to what they demand of their own members compared to what they expect from visitors coming from other denominations. The issue of the supervision of the Lord's Table is still an outstanding impediment for Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the OPC and therefore should also be considered an impediment to establishing Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the RCUS.
         3. The underlying problem is the RCUS' understanding of the doctrine of the church. They have a pluriformist view of the church. This was " the major concern in the findings of the church at Carman." The CRCA did not deal with this underlying concern.
         4. Sunday observance in the RCUS is cause for grave concern due to the fact that generally in the RCUS there is only one worship service per Sunday, "it was acknowledged that some (members) work due to economic pressure…it is not uncommon for people to go out for dinner on Sunday." This is not a minor difference in ecclesiastical practice but a principal one.
         5. The RCUS is a member of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC ), and is "considering working towards some sort of closer relationship with all NAPARC churches," (Report CRCA) which would include the Christian Reformed Church at that time.
      3. The church at Elora in a similar fashion raises concern about Sunday observance, the fencing of the Lord's Table and is convinced that these points are not to be considered as minor points of Church Order and ecclesiastical practice. They recommend to instruct the Committee to continue the mandate with a view to these concerns, and that it is premature to enter into Ecclesiastical Fellowship at this time.
      4. The church at Fergus expresses concern in regards to the fencing of the Lord's Table and in keeping the Sabbath Day.
      5. The church at Yarrow raises the same concerns on the matters of the doctrine of the church, the fencing of the Table, and Sabbath observance. The church at Yarrow also overtures General Synod 1998 "not to invite the RCUS to enter into Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the CanRC."
7. CONSIDERATIONS
8. 1. Synod gratefully takes note of the positive contact between the two Committees and thankfully acknowledges the decision of the RCUS to adopt the Three Forms of Unity as their confessional standards.
   2. The Report of the CRCA states that the "RCUS does guard the table, and all who attend must receive permission from the elders. More latitude is allowed in that confession of the Reformed faith is not necessarily required of visitors" (Report of CRCA page 48). The churches at London, Yarrow, Elora and Fergus are correct that in the RCUS the Lord's Supper is not fenced in a manner that is compatible with our Reformed understanding of what the Bible requires on this point. Synod 1992 stated with respect to the supervision of the Lord's Supper that although an identical practice regarding the Lord's Supper is not required, a profession of the Reformed faith is required in the presence of the supervising elders from the guests wishing to attend the Lord's Supper (Acts, Article 72, IV.A.1.e.i).
   3. The matter the churches at London and Yarrow raise regarding the doctrine of the church deserves further discussion in view of the fact that the RCUS has now adopted the Belgic Confession as one of their standards.
   4. The church at London judges the doctrinal integrity of the RCUS. They incorrectly call into question the statement of the CRCA that "as we share the same confessions, we can conclude that the sacraments are understood scripturally." When two church federations have the same confessional standards we must assume that the understanding of what the Word of God teaches on these points of doctrine will be the same (eg. The doctrine of the Trinity, Scripture, sin, election etc.). At the same time honesty demands that we admit to diversity in understanding among our churches as well.
   5. The practices in the RCUS with respect to Sunday observance (one worship service per Lord's Day, and non-essential employment, eating out in restaurants) are not in harmony with Scripture or the Reformed Confessions (Nehemiah 13:15-22; Isaiah 58:13; Acts 2:42; Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 38) and Article 180 of the RCUS Constitution. The churches at Elora, Fergus, London and Yarrow rightfully point Synod to this matter.
   6. In the Report of the CRCA, page 22, Art. 119 mention is made of the practice of erasure whereby church membership is terminated. Further clarification should be sought on this practice as to what gives rise to the distinction made between Article 118 (the process of discipline culminating in excommunication) and Article 119 (the process of discipline culminating in erasure).
   7. The church at London suggests that, since the RCUS has stated it desires closer relationships with all NAPARC churches, that this would include the Christian Reformed Church. The church at London, however, overlooks what is stated in the appendix of the CRCA report (page 51) that the RCUS turned down the request of the CRC to enter discussions with them even though both are members of NAPARC. Nevertheless, the continued participation of the CRCNA in NAPARC warrants further investigation.
9. RECOMMENDATIONS

10. Synod decide:

    1. To thank the CRCA for fulfilling its mandate with regard to the RCUS.
    2. To acknowledge with gratitude the commitment of the RCUS to the Word of God and the Reformed heritage.
    3. To decline the invitation of the RCUS at this time to enter into a fraternal relationship (sister church relationship) of ecclesiastical fellowship.
    4. To give the following mandate to the CRCA:
    5. 1. To continue working towards a relationship of ecclesiastical fellowship with the RCUS;
       2. To resolve the matter of proper supervision of the Lord's Supper so that only those who confess the Reformed faith will be admitted;
       3. To discuss the matter of Sunday observance and the doctrine of the church;
       4. To seek clarification of the concept of erasure;
       5. To investigate the position of the CRCNA among the NAPARC churches.
       6. To serve Synod 2001 with a report to be sent to the churches at least six months prior to the opening of Synod.

ADOPTED

Article 52

Committee for Contact with Churches Abroad: ICRC

The discussion continues on Committee III's proposal re the ICRC

1. MATERIAL
2. 1. Report of the Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad regarding the ICRC (I.D)
   2. Letter from the church at Yarrow (II.O)
3. INTRODUCTION

4. The Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad received from Synod 1995 the following mandate:

   1. That the Canadian Reformed Churches continue to participate in the ICRC and report to Synod 1998 its findings and evaluation.
   2. That the Canadian Reformed Churches be represented at the next meeting of the conference scheduled to take place in Korea during the month of August in the year of our Lord 1997.
   3. That the Rev. C. VanSpronsen and Dr. N.H. Gootjes be sent as voting delegates.
5. OBSERVATIONS

6. The CRCA reports:

   1. The Conference took place October 15-23, 1997, in Seoul, South Korea. Rev. C. VanSpronsen and Dr. N.H. Gootjes attended as voting delegates.
   2. The following churches were received as new members: The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (North America), The Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Christelijk Gereformeerd), the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of England and Wales, the Gereja Gereja Masehi Musyafir N.T.T. (Indonesia), the Reformed Churches of New Zealand, the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, and the United Reformed Churches in North America. The Free Reformed Churches of Australia withdrew their membership. This brings the membership in the ICRC to twenty-one.
   3. The main themes of the Conference were the matter of expressing our unity in the Lord and the execution of the great commission to preach the gospel to all nations.
   4. The next meeting of the Conference has been scheduled for 2001, to be held in the USA. The hosting church will be the OPC.
   5. The number of presentations should be limited to four so as to make more time available for the delegations to have informal meetings.
   6. The CRCA recommends
   7. 1. that the Canadian Reformed Churches continue to participate in the ICRC.
      2. that Synod give a mandate to the CRCA to recommend to the ICRC that the next meeting of the Conference limit its speeches to four and allow for meeting time between delegations.
      3. That Synod give a mandate to the CRCA to send a normal sized delegation of two voting delegates and two advisors to the next meeting of the Conference to be held in the Northern USA.
   8. Synod observes appendix 3 (Report on the Fourth meeting of the ICRC held in Seoul, Korea from October 15-23, 1997) mentions a change in the Constitution of the ICRC. Article IV, 1 which used to read "Those Churches shall be admitted as members which: a. adhere and are faithful to the confessional standards stated in the Basis" now reads: "Those churches shall be admitted as members: a. which faithfully adhere to the Reformed Faith stated in the confessional documents listed in the Basis, and whose confessional standards agree with the said Reformed faith." The rationale adduced for this change is that "this defines the faith shared by the member churches as the Reformed Faith expressed in the Three Forms of Unity and several versions of the Westminster Confession of Faith, thus making clearer the intent of the original wording."
   9. The church at Yarrow places an overture before Synod, since they "believe that our membership in the ICRC can usurp the authority of our ecclesiastical bodies, thereby challenging the integrity of our church federation." They overture Synod
   10. 1. To mandate the CRCA not to make any membership recommendations at the ICRC for churches with which we do not have official sister church relations.
       2. To mandate the CRCA to express to the next ICRC that we can no longer accept the basis of the ICRC as per Article III.1 in the current ICRC Constitution, and mandate the CRCA to propose the following constitutional changes:
       3. 1. That Art.III. 1 of the ICRC Constitution be changed to read: "to seek and promote unity of faith with member churches of the Reformed confession."
          2. That Art.IV.1.c be changed so that churches shall be admitted as member to the ICRC which "are accepted by an unanimous vote." This would replace the current two-thirds majority vote.
       4. To terminate our participation in the ICRC if the proposed changes to the ICRC Constitution are rejected.
7. CONSIDERATIONS
8. 1. An Interim Committee establishes the agenda of the next Conference (see Proceedings of The International Conference of Reformed Churches Seoul,1997 Article 84, point 7, p.38). Limiting the number of presentations at the Conference should be taken up with them.
   2. Article V of the Regulations of the ICRC states that "each member Church shall be entitled to send two voting delegates to the meeting." Concerning advisory delegates the same article states, "Each member church may appoint two advisors…". This article does not speak about a "normal sized delegation". Synod also takes note of the fact that at the last ICRC ten member churches out of fourteen sent voting delegates only.
   3. The CRCA should have highlighted and evaluated in its Report the "significant move" of the Conference (ICRC 1997 Press Release) to revise Article IV. 1. a of the Constitution. The notes of the Proceedings explain the change on page 78, "This does not require any applicant church to subscribe to all of the six documents, or even to any of them, thus leaving open the possibility of admission of churches who subscribe other Reformed Confessions than those listed. Such churches and their confessions would have to be in agreement with the Reformed Faith as summarized in the six documents."
   4. The new reading of the Constitution makes an unnecessary distinction between the Reformed Faith and the confessional standards contained in the Basis. It leaves open the question "What is the Reformed faith?" The concept of "the Reformed Faith" could be perceived as the lowest common denominator in confessional unity and takes away from the need for a confessional basis. It has the potential of opening membership in the ICRC to churches whose confessions, upon examination, are found wanting.
   5. What Yarrow proposes in their first recommendation is in line with what Synod Abbotsford expressed in Article 101, IV, B. 3, "that the CRCA should not have supported the request of the FRCNA and the RCUS. The letters of support state more than our Synods have decided with regard to these churches." It should be made part of the mandate given to the CRCA that they make and support membership recommendations at ICRC for those churches only with which we have official sister-church relations.
   6. The church at Yarrow fails to show how their proposed change to the purpose of the Constitution is substantially different from the present wording. The words "express and promote" can refer to two types of members of the ICRC, that is, those with whom we have Ecclesiastical Fellowship and those with whom we do not. Therefore Synod Lincoln 1992 could state, "the integrity of our churches is not jeopardized by our being members of the ICRC."
   7. The church at Yarrow does not provide grounds why unanimity would be required for admittance to the ICRC.
9. RECOMMENDATIONS

10. SYNOD DECIDE

    1. To thank the CRCA for the work done with regard to the ICRC.
    2. That the CanRC continue to participate in the ICRC and that the CRCA submit a report to General Synod 2001 on the activities of the Conference, along with an evaluation.
    3. That the Canadian Reformed Churches be represented at the next meeting of the Conference scheduled to take place in the USA in 2001 by two voting delegates.
    4. To mandate the CRCA to make and support membership recommendations at ICRC for those churches only with which we have official sister-church relations.
    5. To mandate the CRCA to convey to the next meeting of the ICRC that the Canadian Reformed Churches disapprove of the change made in the Constitution Article IV.1.a. and to recommend that this Article be changed in such a way that the concerns of the CanRC are addressed.

It is moved to add the words "as outlined in Considerations. C and D above" to V.E.

DEFEATED

It is moved to divide the vote re the five recommendations above.

DEFEATED

The proposal of Committee III above is put to a vote.

ADOPTED

Article 53

Adjournment

Br. P. Vanwoudenberg requests that Psalm 19: 3, 6 be sung, after which he leads in prayer.