Position
The church is called to testify to what it already is-spiritually one in
Christ-and to what it should become-visibly one in Christ. Therefore, church
unity is both
a gift and a goal. The local church and the worldwide church are to be one body
and are to strive for the unity that still eludes them. The church carries out
its ecumenical task because the fragmentation of the body of Christ is contrary
to his will. But uniformity is not essential for church unity. Various local,
regional, and national churches will differ widely in history, tradition, custom,
language, way of life, and mode of thinking. The unity of the church allows
for diversity in worship, confessional formulas, and church order.
On the way to achieving unity, major differences
in the perception of biblical truth must be overcome. God must be trusted
to teach all of us as we engage in ecumenical dialogue and thereby to unite
us through
a more common understanding of his truth. In the search for unity the biblical
message must not be compromised, but the presumption of possessing the truth
in all of its fullness must also be guarded against. Churches must seek to
heal past wounds by overcoming differences with those who are closest to
them. The
Christian Reformed Church in North America gives high priority to relations
with other Reformed churches and after that to churches of other traditions
such as
non-Reformed Protestant churches, the Roman Catholic Church, and Orthodox
churches.
History
In 1944 the CRC synod adopted twelve propositions on ecumenicity. Forty
years later the Interchurch Relations Committee (IRC) addressed
the need for
a new ecumenical charter through an ad hoc committee that reported
to Synod 1985. After the proposed ecumenical charter was sent to
the churches
for response, Synod 1987 amended and adopted it. This ecumenical
charter contains in detail the principles that are summarized in
the position
stated above. In 1996 the IRC reported that it was again reviewing
the ecumenical charter. In 1997 an overture from Classis Grand Rapids
East
asking for a new strategy for ecumenical work was referred by synod
to the IRC. Synod 2000 adopted a new ecumenical charter, which will
help
chart the future.
References
Acts of Synod 1944, pp. 83-85, 330-67
Acts of Synod 1985, pp. 201, 237-41, 728-29
Agenda for Synod 1986, p. 194
Acts of Synod 1986, p. 613
Agenda for Synod 1987, pp. 156-57, 170-75, 451-52
Acts of Synod 1987, pp. 587-90
Acts of Synod 1996, pp. 387
Agenda for Synod 1997, pp. 232, 479-80
Acts of Synod 1997, p. 637
Agenda for Synod 1998, p. 181
Acts of Synod 1998, p. 377
Agenda for Synod 2000, pp. 202, 245-53
Acts of Synod 2000, pp. 670-71
