Synodical Reports Now Available

Christian Reformed Church in North America officials   announced this week that three significant synodical reports have been finished and posted on the denominational website for consideration and commentary by CRC pastors, church councils, and others.

The reports of the Faith Formation Committee, Form of Subscription Revision Committee II, and Committee to Propose a Combined CRC/Reformed Church in America Translation of the Three Reformed Standards (which the denominations share) all address significant matters—“a reflection of the times in which we now live and worship together,” writes Rev. Gerard L. Dykstra, executive director of the CRCNA, in a memo sent out to pastors and church councils.

“These reports, as well as three previously adopted versions of the standards, are available for download,” writes Dykstra.

All of the documents are in PDF form and are available on the Synodical Resources Page. They can be found under the “Reports” heading here. But they are also included as links to the individual reports mentioned below.

Churches unable to download documents for study can request a free, printed copy of each report by calling Faith Alive Christian Resources at 1-800-333-8300. Church officials ask that free reports be limited to one per church.

The reports will also be included in the printed Agenda for Synod 2011 and considered by the delegates to synod next June, writes Dykstra.

Here is a brief look at what some of the documents contain.

The Faith Formation Committee (PDF download ) recommendsthat there be changes added to the Church Order to guide how to best  address the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Among the word changes that could be added include:

• “Baptized members shall be encouraged to make a public profession of faith with the use of a prescribed form in a public worship service.”
• “All baptized members who come with age- and ability-appropriate faith in Jesus Christ are welcome to the Lord’s Supper and called to obey the scriptural commands about participation in an age- and ability-appropriate way under the supervision of the elders.”
• “Each congregation shall determine the appropriate age at which a confessing member shall receive such privileges and responsibilities.”

After several years of work, a synodical committee has proposed a revised version of the Form of Subscription for Officebearers,” the document that officebearers in the church are asked to sign. The first paragraph of the revised form reads:

·        “We, the undersigned, believe the inspired Word of God as received in the Old and New Testaments of Holy Scripture, which proclaims the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ and the reconciliation of all things in him. Acknowledging the authority of God’s Word, we submit to it in all matters of life and faith.”

The third document deals with a joint CRC/Reformed Church in America revision of the Reformed Standards—the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and Canons of Dort. For the report:  ( PDF download ).

The need to do this arose out of the planning for a bi-denominational hymnal, during which it was noted that the RCA and CRC have differing versions of the confessions. Here are the translations from which the committee worked: ( PDF download ).

“The committee decided that it would not undertake a totally new translation but work from the present translations in the two denominations. However, where there were discrepancies, the committee consulted the original languages to resolve textual differences,” says the report.

In addition, there were some places in which it was judged that the translation needed improvement, and this, again, was done by looking back to the original-language documents. These proposed changes are available in the document that can be obtained via the web or through Faith Alive, the report says.

After careful review and study of the three reports, church councils wishing to respond to the reports and have their responses considered by Synod 2011may do so by way of overture or communication to synod . An overture or communication will first need to be processed through the church council and then the local classis, after which it should be submitted to the synodical services office no later than March 15, 2011, to be included in the printed agenda for synod, writes Diane Recker, director of Synodical Services.

“Overtures dealing with other matters found in the printed synodical agenda can be received as late as May 15, 2011,” writes Recker. “However, such late overtures will then only be printed in the supplementary agenda and distributed at synod.”

“We trust that the Lord’s blessing will rest on our deliberations as we consider these matters,” writes Dykstra.