1. The Belhar fills a significant gap. There is little mention in our three historic Reformed confessions (the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort) of the large biblical themes of unity, reconciliation, and justice. These three confessions were written within sixty years of each other and were adopted within the then context of conditions in northern Europe. Much has been learned about the fullness of the Reformed faith since that time, and the Belhar Confession supplements the confessions that have guided Reformed churches.
2. The Belhar Confession’s content is the gospel and is fundamental to our faith. The biblical themes of the Belhar Confession are larger in Scripture than some of the themes the historic confessions focus on. For example, Scripture is less explicit about total depravity than the obligation for God’s people to live in unity. Further, countless passages of Scripture indicate God’s concern about justice for the poor, widows, orphans, the suffering, and so on. This scriptural emphasis is substantially greater than the verses addressing the doctrine of reprobation.
3. The Belhar Confession addresses key issues of concern to all churches. For example, racism and other forms of exclusion are universal. The Belhar Confession is currently being studied by a number of Reformed and Presbyterian churches. A leader of the Middle Eastern Council of Churches (MECC) believes that the Belhar is highly relevant to the conflict in Palestine and Israel.
4. The time and place of the Belhar Confession’s origin expand the breadth of our confessional base, making it more representative of worldwide Reformed faith throughout history. What is particularly significant is that the Belhar Confession is the first and only confessional contribution received from the Reformed community in the Southern Hemisphere. Also, the Belhar Confession is the only confession in the global Reformed community’s history that wasn’t written during the sixty-year period from 1561 to 1619.
5. The Belhar Confession can enrich our Christian way of life. As the URCSA points out, the Belhar Confession functions as “an instrument for profound self-examination, to help determine whether the church really lives by the faith it proclaims.” The Belhar Confession’s theological confrontation of sin has made a contribution to the reconciliation effort among Reformed churches in Southern Africa and has aided the process of reconciliation within the nation of South Africa. It may do so elsewhere. In South Africa, the Belhar Confession has also been integrated into Christian music, worship, and personal and corporate confessions of guilt. It can be used in the same way by CRC congregations.
6. The CRC is part of the global Reformed fellowship of churches and, in the spirit of our own ecumenical charter and previous synodical decisions, we identify with the experiences of the Reformed churches worldwide. There is much to be said for embracing the confessional identity of the larger church family and standing in solidarity with them for the scriptural teaching about unity, reconciliation, and justice.
