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110-876: The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) split from the Reformed Church in America (then known as the Dutch Reformed Church ) in an 1857 secession. This was rooted in part as a result of a theological dispute that originated in the Netherlands in which Hendrik De Cock was deposed for his Calvinist convictions, leading there to the Secession of 1834–35 . For the CRC founders in America, the RCA then appeared to contain problems similar to those that they had seen in

220-523: A "complex society" of competing evils there "could be exceptions". However, abortion should never be chosen as a matter of "individual convenience". The church personnel should promote "Christian alternatives to abortion", and church members are asked to "support efforts for constitutional changes" to protect the unborn. Since 1978 the General Synod has made a number of statements on homosexuality. Homosexual acts are considered sinful and "contrary to

330-547: A Dutch translation) in 1861. Two years later, True Dutch Reformed Church ( Ware Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk ) was approved, which was changed to Holland Christian Reformed Church ( Hollandsche Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk ) in 1880. In 1894 congregations also could use Christian Reformed Church ( Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk ) as well. The full adoption of Christian Reformed Church came in 1904, which became Christian Reformed Church in North America in 1974. In 1875,

440-463: A body of elders chosen out of the congregation. The PRC holds that God has given the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:18, which is understood as granting authority for the preaching the gospel, and the exercise of church discipline) to the instituted church, not the denomination. Thus in the PRC only an instituted church can place an individual or a church officer under discipline. The PRC denies that

550-421: A cessation of that trust... Suffering calls upon people to trust God even in the valley of the shadow of death. It calls on people to let God, and not suffering, determine the agenda of their life and their death./ A third conviction is that in the community of God's people, caring for those who are dying is a burden Christians are willing to share. Both living and dying should occur within a caring community, and in

660-474: A classis in the RCA ordained the first openly gay and married pastor who had declared himself as such when he began the ordination process. In 2021, the RCA's General Synod voted in favor of a plan to allow congregations to leave the denomination, with their properties, and to allow remaining RCA congregations to choose their policy on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex marriages with some supporting same-sex marriages and some opposing. The RCA first admitted women to

770-441: A concern for the health and well-being of society... As a society, there is no common understanding that gives any universal meaning to 'detrimental'. In humility, Christians can simply acknowledge this, and proceed...to share our own unique perspectives, inviting others to consider them and the faith that gives them meaning." The Reformed Church also condemns the death penalty . The General Synod in 2000 expressed seven reasons why

880-580: A congregation's deacons , elders , and ministerial staff), the classis (regional assembly, of which there are 48: 37 in the United States and 12 in Canada, with one straddling the international border), and the synod (bi-national assembly.) The church's Synod meets annually in June, with 192 delegates: a minister, an elder and a deacon from each classis, plus one other officebearer. Central offices of

990-703: A controversy regarding common grace in the Christian Reformed Church . At that time the Christian Reformed Church had adopted three doctrinal points on the subject of common grace. Reverends Herman Hoeksema , George Ophoff, and Henry Danhof rejected these three points and maintained them to be contrary to the Reformed confessions of faith. Soon thereafter, when these men said they could not abide by these three points, they were disciplined through suspension, or deposition, from

1100-709: A document known as A Formula of Agreement , the RCA has full communion with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) , the United Church of Christ , and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . The relationship between the United Church of Christ and the RCA has been the subject of controversy within the RCA, particularly a resolution by the UCC General Synod in 2005 regarding homosexuality . The ELCA's affirmation of

1210-502: A local congregation, not the regional classis or presbytery. Another key difference is that church polity in the CRC does not have confessional status and, therefore, the Church Order does not have the same authority as the creeds. The Church Order is subordinate to the creeds and confessions, which are subordinate to Scripture. The Christian Reformed Church has three levels of assembly: the church council (local assembly, composed of

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1320-524: A loss of 78,164 members (or 26% of its membership) in the last 25 years. The Christian Reformed Church is not a worldwide organization but has similar, independent church bodies in other lands. Reformed Church in America The Reformed Church in America ( RCA ) is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 84,957 members. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it

1430-455: A meeting of Classis or Synod has the authority to do this, though they may advise a congregation to do so. At the same time the PRC maintains the binding authority of the decisions of the broader assemblies. Individuals and congregations must submit to these decisions if they are going to remain in the denomination, and if an individual congregation refuses to do so, the broader assembly has the authority to declare that congregation to be outside

1540-668: A new denomination, taking the name of Protesting Christian Reformed Churches. The denomination later renamed itself the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. Rev Hoeksema become the pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan . The Protestant Reformed Churches grew rapidly in the following years, but in the 1950s the denomination struggled because of internal, doctrinal controversies in defense of

1650-473: A number of social issues. Summaries of those positions and references to full reports with exact statements can be found at crcna.org. The CRC is opposed to abortion except in cases when the "life of the mother is genuinely threatened" by her pregnancy. The church "affirms the unique value of all human life" from the "moment of conception". Believers are called upon to show "compassion" to those experiencing unwanted pregnancies, even while they speak out against

1760-483: A process for studying a way "to address the questions of human sexuality". Also in 2015, Hope College in Michigan, affiliated with the RCA, officially provided benefits to employees' same-sex spouses though the school continues to maintain a statement on sexuality that espouses a traditional definition of marriage. Additionally, a number of congregations and classes have voted to publicly affirm LGBT members, including

1870-477: A service of a same-sex marriage. The following year, however, the General Synod essentially rescinded this statement and rebuked the 2012 delegates for demonstrating "a lack of decorum and civility," and usurping constitutional authority. In 2014, the General Synod recommended that the Commission on Church Order begin the process of defining marriage as heterosexual. However, in 2015, the General Synod approved

1980-726: A significant number of these have ended up in the PCA, OPC, or URC. In 2008, the OCRC dissolved and member churches joined the URC. The CRC was a charter member of the Reformed Ecumenical Council , which organized at Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1946. The CRC joined the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in 2002 after many years of hesitation due to what was seen as the more liberal membership and agenda of that body. In 2010,

2090-656: A special obligation, as the first answer of the Heidelberg Catechism invites people to confess: 'I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ ' (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 1)... A decision to take one's own life thus appears to be a denial that one belongs to God./ A second conviction is that God does not abandon people in times of suffering... Christians express their faith in God's love by trusting in God's care for them. A decision to end one's life would appear to be

2200-585: A stronger governmental and private sector response to care for God's creation – including climate change, refugee protection and resettlement, and standing in solidarity with those who are persecuted for their faith. The CRC has mission efforts and ministries in Nigeria , South America, Southeast Asia, and the Navajo reservation . Among the most prominent reservation churches are the Zuni and Rehoboth missions. Rehoboth

2310-475: A taste for revivalism and an American identity. Some members owned slaves, the most famous of the slaves being Sojourner Truth , and the church did not support abolitionism . In rural areas, ministers preached in Dutch until about 1830–1850, then switched to English, at the same time finally dropping the use of many traditional Dutch clothing and customs. Although some ministers favored revivals, generally

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2420-420: Is accepted, macro evolution is seen as contrary to biblical teachings. They believe that God created the world to be mature, so that the stars were created to be millions of light years away, and the light to be already hitting the earth. Since the flood, micro evolution has occurred bringing about differences between animals in a population. The denomination holds to the presbyterian form of church government and

2530-452: Is in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , Presbyterian Church (USA) , and United Church of Christ and is a denominational partner of the Christian Reformed Church in North America . The Reformed Church in America is sometimes colloquially referred to as the Dutch Reformed Church in America , or simply as the Dutch Reformed Church when an American context has already been provided. In 1819, it incorporated as

2640-682: Is meant to give a hymn-like expression of CRC beliefs within the heritage of the Reformed confessions, especially addressing issues that confront the church today. The Contemporary Testimony was reviewed and updated in 2008. The second Contemporary Testimony held by the CRCNA is the Belhar Confession , a testimony written in Afrikaans in 1982 from Reformed churches in South Africa. The Christian Reformed Church has stated its position on

2750-404: Is organized in two classes, Classis East and Classis West (the eastern border of Illinois is the boundary between the two), which meet two or three times a year and in an annual Synod. As reflected in the denominations use of the plural "Churches" in its name, the PRC maintains that a denomination is not a church but a federation of churches, and that each of these churches is self-governing by

2860-709: The Affordable Care Act , and plan to hold back-to-back General Synods at Central College in Pella, Iowa , in 2014. 24 Becoming an Ordained Minister in the RCA Protestant Reformed Churches in America The Protestant Reformed Churches in America ( PRC or PRCA ) is a Protestant denomination of 33 churches and over 8,000 members. The PRC was founded in 1924 as a result of

2970-604: The Alliance of Reformed Churches (the denomination now has roughly 200 churches), Twelve churches formed the Reformation Canada Network, and 5 formed the Kingdom Network (which currently has 24 churches). The RCA confesses several statements of doctrine and faith. These include the historic Apostles' Creed , Nicene Creed , and Athanasian Creed ; the traditional Reformed Belgic Confession ,

3080-414: The Belhar Confession , the removal of the conscience clauses related to the ordination of women , and place of LGBTQ people in the church, a number of congregations have left the RCA to join the Presbyterian Church in America , which is more conservative on these issues. For largely the same reasons, about 100 churches separated (with 65 making the matter public originally) from the denomination and formed

3190-432: The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC), and other churches followed. In 1882 another group of congregations left for the CRC, mirroring developments in the church in the Netherlands. After 1945, the RCA expanded into Canada, which was the destination of a large group of Dutch emigrants. Between 1949 and 1958, the RCA opened 120 churches among non-Dutch suburban communities, appealing to mainline Protestants. It

3300-413: The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC). In 2005 the RCA and CRC voted to allow for the exchange of ministers. Faith Alive Christian Resources, the CRC's publishing arm, is also used by the RCA and in 2013 published a joint hymnal for use in both denominations. The two denominations have also collaborated on various other ministry ventures, voted to merge pension plans in 2013 in conformity with

3410-537: The Evangelical Presbyterian Church and ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians . The Christian Reformed Church is Calvinist , confessional and evangelical in its theology. It places high value on theological study and the application of theology to current issues, emphasizes the importance of careful Biblical hermeneutics , and has traditionally respected the personal conscience of individual members who feel they are led by

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3520-536: The Heidelberg Catechism (with its compendium), the Canons of Dort , and the Belhar Confession . The RCA opposes euthanasia . The report of the Commission on Christian Action, issued in 1994, states, "What Christians say about issues of morality ought to be and usually is a reflection of their fundamental faith convictions. There are at least three of these convictions that appear especially relevant to

3630-560: The Heidelberg Catechism , the Belgic Confession , and the Canons of Dordt . While the PRC approves of most of the Westminster Confession of Faith , it does not endorse it. This is partly due to a different understanding of marriage and divorce and the covenant of works . The PRC believes that marriage is a lifelong bond and that, although an individual may divorce his or her spouse for continued infidelity,

3740-653: The Holy Spirit . The Church promotes the belief that Christians do not earn their salvation, but that it is a wholly unmerited gift from God, and that good works are the Christian response to that gift. Reformed theology as practiced in the CRC is founded in Calvinism. A more recent theologian of great influence on this denomination was Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920). Kuyper, who served as the Prime Minister of

3850-577: The Hudson Valley , and parts of New Jersey while maintaining a significant presence in southeastern Pennsylvania, southwestern Connecticut, and Long Island. In the early 18th century nearly 3,000 Palatine German refugees came to New York. Most worked first in English camps along the Hudson River to pay off their passage, paid by Queen Anne 's government, before they were allowed land in

3960-741: The Orthodox Protestant Reformed Church , which joined the CRC in 1961. In 1975 the CRC joined the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES) and the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) in forming the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC). In the last decades of

4070-467: The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) in the Netherlands, and he believed that this could be an opportunity to grow the church. Hoeksema saw this as heresy and insisted that salvation is only for the elect, including the baptized children of believers, and that those who were not elect could not receive salvation. DeWolf and his supporters were suspended in 1953. That year 60% of

4180-641: The Reformed Protestant Dutch Church . The current name was chosen in 1867. The early settlers in the Dutch colony of New Netherland first held informal meetings for worship. In 1628, Jonas Michaelius organized the first Dutch Reformed congregation in New Amsterdam , now New York City , called the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, now The Collegiate Churches of New York. During Dutch rule,

4290-480: The Schoharie and Mohawk Valleys . They created numerous German-speaking Lutheran and Reformed churches, such as those at Fort Herkimer and German Flatts . Thousands more immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 18th century. They used German as the language in their churches and schools for nearly 100 years, and recruited some of their ministers from Germany. By the early 20th century, most of their churches had joined

4400-487: The Three Forms of Unity : the Belgic Confession , the Heidelberg Catechism , and the Canons of Dort . In 1986, the CRC formulated a statement of faith titled "Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony" which addresses issues such as secularism, individualism, and relativism. These issues were seen as "unique challenges of faith presented by the times in which we live". While not having confessional status, it

4510-432: The death penalty : "The CRC has declared that modern states are not obligated by Scripture, creed, or principle to institute and practice capital punishment. It does, however, recognize that Scripture acknowledges the right of modern states to institute and practice capital punishment if it is exercised with utmost restraint." The stance of the CRC is that homosexuality is "a condition of disordered sexuality that reflects

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4620-460: The "Reformed Free Publishing Association." Shortly before the schism, several members left and joined a rival publishing house called "Reformed Believers Publishing." The PRC has continued to grow since the schism of 1953. In 1994 the membership passed the 6,053 members it had at the time of the schism. The turmoil within the CRCNA resulted in a number of former CRC members joining local Protestant Reformed Churches. No CRC congregations affiliated with

4730-524: The "atrocity" of abortion. In 2010, the Synod adopted a recommendation "to instruct the Office of Social Justice and Hunger Action (OSJ) to boldly advocate for the church's position against abortion, and to help equip churches to promote the sanctity of human life" (Acts of Synod 2010, p. 883)." Unlike many other Christian denominations, the CRC does not have an official stance on euthanasia . Their Acts of

4840-415: The 1972 Synod, however, can be interpreted as also a condemnation of euthanasia, since it opposes "the wanton or arbitrary destruction of any human being at any stage of its development from the point of conception to the point of death". (Acts of Synod 1972, p. 64) The CRC already expressed its official opposition to legal euthanasia both in Canada and the United States. The CRC has a moderate stance on

4950-596: The 20th century, the Synod enacted innovations that were rejected by some of its more conservative members and one-time sister denominations. Out of concern about the state of affairs in the CRC, a group of ministers formed the Mid-America Reformed Seminary in 1981, and around the same time a federation of churches known as the Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches (OCRC), comprising some former CRC congregations,

5060-531: The CRC. During the 20th century a number of congregations from the disbanding German Reformed Churches also joined the CRC. By 1920, the denomination had grown to 350 congregations. At that time an estimated 350,000 Dutch immigrants had come to the United States, some of whom were in the Dutch Reformed tradition that since the 1880s was influenced by Abraham Kuyper , a Dutch Neo-Calvinist theologian, journalist, and statesman (he served as Prime Minister of

5170-587: The CRCNA congregations are located in the US, while the remaining 25% are in Canada. The church has grown more ethnically diverse with some congregations predominantly Native American , Korean , Chinese , Vietnamese , African-American and Hispanic . All together, Christian Reformed Churches speak around 20 languages and over 170 congregations speak a language other than English or Dutch. Many churches, particularly in more urban areas, are becoming much more integrated. Emerging from its role as primarily an immigrant church,

5280-611: The CRCNA denomination-Hope CRC in Hull, Iowa , Alamo Ave CRC in Kalamazoo, MI , Bethel CRC in Redlands, CA and Faith CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2021–2022, a number of pastors and elders, along with hundreds of members of the PRC left to establish a new denomination named the "Reformed Protestant Church." The impacted congregations included Byron Center, Michigan, Dyer, Indiana, Hull, Iowa, and Edmonton, Canada. Sister churches of

5390-463: The Centre for Public Dialogue (CPD) in Canada. Major issues on which the CRC has clear, biblically rooted positions and an active advocacy effort include: Reducing or ending abortion, comprehensive reform of the U.S. immigration system, ending global poverty and hunger, fighting systemic racism in both Canada and the U.S., achieving more justice for aboriginal groups in the U.S. and Canada, organizing for

5500-593: The Church opposes it: The General Synod resolution expressed its will "to urge members of the Reformed Church in America to contact their elected officials, urging them to advocate for the abolition of capital punishment and to call for an immediate moratorium on executions." The RCA is generally opposed to abortion . The position of the General Synod, stated in 1973 and later affirmed, has been that "in principle" abortion "should not be practiced at all", but in

5610-544: The Classis of New Brunswick and the Classis of Schenectady. Several of those congregations, including congregations dually affiliated with the RCA and United Church of Christ , perform same-sex marriages. "Some RCA churches have gay pastors, but their ordination is from other denominations". On 5 May 2017, the United Church of Christ and Reformed Church in America congregations that support LGBT inclusion announced

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5720-912: The General Synod. A General Secretary oversees day-to-day operations. The Rev. Eddy Alemán, D. Min., was installed as the General Secretary at the 2018 General Synod. The Constitution of the RCA consists of three parts: the Liturgy , the Government, and the Doctrinal Standards. The Government, along with the Formularies and the By-laws of the General Synod , are published annually in a volume known as The Book of Church Order . Officially Related Seminary Through

5830-622: The Netherlands from 1901 to 1905, promoted a belief in social responsibility and called on Christians to engage actively in improving all aspects of life and society. Kuyper is regarded as a founding father of Christian Democracy political ideology. Current scholars with wider reputations, such as philosophers Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff , as well as Lewis B. Smedes , have associations with this denomination and with Calvin University . Philip Yancey has stated, "I also admire

5940-651: The Netherlands, 1901-1905). He founded the Gereformeerde Kerken , a newspaper, the Free University of Amsterdam , and the Anti-Revolutionary Political Party. During the early 1920s, the CRC adopted three doctrinal points regarding common grace. Three ministers, Herman Hoeksema , George Ophoff, and Henry Danhof were deposed for rejecting three points as being contrary to the Reformed confessions. The dispute led to

6050-546: The Noordeloos church of the Classis of Holland, Michigan , left the Reformed Church in America. On March 19, some members of Second Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan , organized a church that became First CRC, Grand Rapids, Michigan. On April 8, churches in Graafschap and Polkton also left the Classis of Holland. Two ministers, Koene van den Bosch and Hendrik Klijn, joined the separatists, although Klijn returned to

6160-603: The PRC changed denomination, but one pastor, Rev. Audred Spriensma and a number of CRC families from Alamosa, Colorado joined the Protestant Reformed Church in 1993. In 2004 a former Orthodox Christian Reformed congregation in Listowel, Ontario became part of the Protestant Reformed Churches and, as of 2004, is known as Wingham PRC. According to the Yearbook 2017 of the Protestant Reformed Churches

6270-418: The PRC in the Philippines and Singapore were also effected, which led to a number of people leaving to form two distinct church works in those countries. One of the seceding pastors, Rev. Andrew Lanning stated that "the doctrinal issue itself is the ABC’s of the gospel and the 123’s of the covenant: Fellowship with God is by grace and is unconditional." A split also occurred in the PRC's unofficial publishing arm

6380-411: The PRC sing the Psalms with organ accompaniment. In contrast to exclusive psalmody , it does permit the singing of certain hymns, but not in worship services. The PRC believes that preaching is the most important part of a worship service. Article 69 of the church order adopted by the Synod of Dordt states that: "In the churches only the 150 Psalms of David, the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer,

6490-429: The PRC uses the King James Version of the Bible, although they do not endorse the King James Only movement and members are free to use other Bible versions. The PRC holds to the truth of six literal day creation. They take the first chapter of Genesis to be a factual account of the creation, taking the words "the morning and the evening of the first day" to show a normal, twenty-four-hour day. Although micro evolution

6600-424: The Protestant Reformed Seminary writes that "Even though home-schooling of their children might be possible for a few, specially gifted parents whose circumstances provide the time that is needed, home-schooling is still not an option". The denomination supports the Protestant Reformed Theological School in Grandville, Michigan . Also closely tied with the denomination, is the Reformed Free Publishing Association,

6710-474: The RCA was the established church of the colony and was under the authority of the classis of Amsterdam . The Brookville Reformed Church remains one of the oldest churches in America. Even after the English captured the colony in 1664, all Dutch Reformed ministers were still trained in the Netherlands. Services in the RCA remained in Dutch until 1764. In 1747, the church in the Netherlands had given permission to form an assembly in North America; in 1754,

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6820-458: The RCA's 2013 General Synod. The RCA has a presbyterian polity where authority is divided among representative bodies: consistories , classes , regional synods , and the General Synod . The General Synod meets annually and is the representative body of the entire denomination, establishing its policies, programs, and agenda. Measures passed at General Synod are executed and overseen by the General Synod Council. Council members are appointed by

6930-403: The RCA. During the American Revolution , a bitter internal struggle broke out in the Dutch Reformed church, with lines of division following ecclesiastical battles that had gone on for twenty years between the "coetus" and "conferentie" factions. One source indicates that defections may have occurred as early as 1737. "Desolation pervaded many of the churches, whereas prior to 1737 good order

7040-418: The Reformed Church six months later. The new denomination that formed from this secession was led by elders and ministers from the churches in the northern Netherlands, especially from the province of Groningen , that had organized after the 1834 secession in the Netherlands, although members of the new denomination came from all parts of the Netherlands. The reasons given for leaving the Reformed Church were

7150-432: The Reformed Ecumenical Council and World Alliance of Reformed Churches merged to form the World Communion of Reformed Churches at a joint meeting hosted by the CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The CRC also belongs to the Canadian Council of Churches , the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada , the World Reformed Fellowship , and the National Association of Evangelicals . The CRC participates in Christian Churches Together in

7260-415: The State Church in the old country. Gijsbert Haan (January 3, 1801 – July 27, 1874) was the leader in the 1857 Secession of Dutch-Americans from the Reformed Church in America and the creator of the Christian Reformed Church in the United States and Canada. In 1857, four churches with about 130 families (about 10 percent of the Dutch immigrant church members in West Michigan at the time) seceded. In March,

7370-449: The Synod condemned the humiliation and degradation of homosexuals and confessed that many members had not listened to the "heartfelt cries" of homosexual persons struggling for "self-acceptance and dignity." While calling for compassion, patience, and loving support toward those who struggle with same-sex desires, the 2012 General Synod determined that it is a "disciplinable offense" to advocate for homosexual behavior or provide leadership for

7480-473: The Twelve Articles of Faith, the Songs of Mary, Zacharias, and Simeon, the Morning and Evening Hymns, and the Hymn of Prayer before the sermon shall be sung." It is a common practice within PRC services to open with the singing of the "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow" doxology and some end the service with the singing of the "May the Grace of Christ the Savior" doxology. Outside of the official church service, members are free to sing hymns and carols. Also,

7590-423: The United States and in the Global Christian Forum. As of 2016 the CRC has bilateral relationships with 39 denominations around the globe: 24 are in "ecclesiastical fellowship;" 10 are "in dialogue;" and five are in "corresponding fellowship." In North America, the CRC is denominational partners with the more mainline Reformed Church in America (from which it had split in 1857) and in ecclesiastical fellowship with

7700-451: The assembly declared itself independent of the classis of Amsterdam. This American classis secured a charter in 1766 for Queens College (now Rutgers University ) in New Jersey . In 1784 John Henry Livingston was appointed as professor of theology, marking the beginning of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary . The Dutch-speaking community, including farmers and traders, prospered in the former New Netherlands, dominating New York City ,

7810-453: The brokenness of our sinful world". Christian homosexuals should not pursue "homosexualism", defined as "explicit homosexual practice", which is "incompatible with obedience to the will of God as revealed in Scripture". Christian homosexuals should be given "loving support" within the church community, compassion, and support "towards healing and wholeness". Christian homosexuals, like all Christians, are called to discipleship, holy obedience, and

7920-786: The church are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan , and Burlington, Ontario . The CRC in North America has sent missionaries to many countries around the world where Christian Reformed churches have been established, but these have organized on their own and are independent from the North American denomination. Reformed teaching puts an emphasis on education. As such, many CRC members support Christian day schools as well as post-secondary education. The denomination owns and supports Calvin University as well as Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan , where

8030-727: The church did not support either the First or the Second Great Awakenings , which created much evangelical fervor. Dutch language use faded thereafter until the new wave of Dutch immigration in the mid-19th century. This revived use of the language among Dutch descendants and in some churches. Immigration from the Netherlands in the mid-19th century led to the expansion of the RCA into the Midwestern United States . In 1837, Pastor Abram D. Wilson and his wife Julia Evertson Wilson from New Jersey established

8140-502: The church has become more outward focused in recent years. After a time of steady growth during the period of 1963–1992, membership totals have declined, even though the number of churches has grown. In 1992, at the height of its membership, the Christian Reformed Churches had 316,415 members in 981 churches in the United States and Canada. In 2019 membership had dropped to 222,156 members in 1072 churches, marking

8250-593: The church sent members on an extensive foreign missions program in the early 19th century. In 1792, the classis adopted a formal constitution; and in 1794 the denomination held its first general synod . Following the American Civil War, in 1867 it formally adopted the name "Reformed Church in America". In the nineteenth century in New York and New Jersey , ethnic Dutch descendants struggled to preserve their European standards and traditions while developing

8360-534: The classis find that their consciences, as illuminated by Scripture, would not permit them to participate in the licensure, ordination or installation of women as ministers of the Word, they shall not be required to participate in decisions or actions contrary to their consciences, but may not obstruct the classis in fulfilling its responsibility to arrange for the care, ordination, and installation of women candidates and ministers by means mutually agreed on by such women and

8470-402: The classis" (Part II, Article 2, Section 7). In 2012, by a vote of 143 to 69, the General Synod of the RCA voted to remove the conscience clauses. However, the vote by the General Synod had to be approved by a majority of the classes (a classis serving the same function as a presbytery). Eventually, 31 classes voted in favor of removal, with 14 voting to retain them, and the vote was ratified at

8580-512: The communicant (4,982) and non-communicant (3,645) members; numbers 8,627. The PRCA has 2,118 family units and 33 churches in Classis East and Classis West combined. The denomination has four missionaries and four professors. The PRC believes that the Bible is the infallible and inerrantly inspired word of God and that the message therein is well summarized in the Three Forms of Unity :

8690-401: The congregation moved to a new building in 2005. Church polity refers to the form of governance and organization of a church. The CRC follows a Presbyterian form of church polity organized under governance by elders, as compared to Episcopal polities organized under governance by bishops (Roman Catholic, United Methodist, and Episcopal denominations) and Congregational polities organized under

8800-399: The context of death, Christian discipleship takes the form of caring for those who are dying./ This is an era when many people find legislating morality a questionable practice. Should Christians promote legislation which embodies their conclusions about the morality of physician-assisted suicide?... If Christians are to be involved in debating laws regulating assisted suicide, it will be out of

8910-456: The covenant or to stay in the covenant) though good works are needed to enjoy the covenant and repentance is required in order to be forgiven according to the Acts of Synod 2018. The PRC rejects Antinomianism , believing instead that God calls the people of the covenant to believe and obey and that he personally and entirely produces in them the required faith and works. In public worship services,

9020-589: The denomination membership, the so-called "DeWolf Group", formed the Orthodox Protestant Reformed Church (OPRC). Before the schism the denomination had 6,063 members (1953)—the PRC has passed this membership mark as of 1994. The remaining 40% continued as the Protestant Reformed Church with 2,353 members. DeWolf worked for the reunion of the CRCNA . The union took place in 1961 and as a result seven OPRC congregations were dissolved, with their members joining other Christian Reformed congregations, and four became part of

9130-734: The denomination opened a theological school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Preparatory Department of the school became Calvin College , while the Theological Department became Calvin Theological Seminary . By 1880 the denomination had grown to 42 congregations. Ten years later the number had grown to 100 located in 11 states. During the 1890s congregations from the True Protestant Dutch Reformed Church (located in New York and New Jersey) joined

9240-781: The denomination's U.S. offices are located. Historically most ministers ordained in the CRC were trained at Calvin Seminary . Other colleges associated with the denomination are Kuyper College (also located in Grand Rapids), Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois; Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa; Redeemer University College in Ancaster, Ontario; The King's University in Edmonton, Alberta, and

9350-917: The development of two churches in Singapore , the First Evangelical Reformed Church in Singapore (no longer in relationship with the PRC since 2007) and Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church. The PRC also has relationships with a small fellowship in New Zealand ; the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Australia) ; a sister church in Northern Ireland, the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church in Ballymena, and Limerick Reformed Fellowship

9460-455: The education of approximately 1500 children. Home schooling in the PRC is strongly discouraged when a Protestant Reformed school is available. The 2009 PRC Synod forbad office bearers from using home education for their children in most situations, stating that an office bearer is "expected to send his children to those (PRC) schools unless there are special circumstances judged by his consistory to be valid." David Engelsma, Professor Emeritus of

9570-513: The federation of churches. Only male members who have made a public confession of faith and are in good standing may vote for church officers or be ordained . The PRC has 33 member churches throughout the United States and in Canada. A majority of the churches in the United States are in western Michigan but there are also churches in the midwestern and western United States. The PRC has few formal relationships with most reformed denominations and organizations. The PRC contributed greatly to

9680-639: The first Dutch Reformed church west of the Allegheny Mountains in Fairview, Illinois . Hope College and Western Theological Seminary were founded in Holland, Michigan , Central College in Pella, Iowa , and Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa . In the 1857 Secession , a group of more conservative members in Michigan led by Gijsbert Haan separated from the RCA. They organized

9790-494: The formation of an association for dually-affiliated congregations. In April 2016, a working committee of the RCA developed a report on human sexuality. The report offers different options, for review by the General Synod, and includes the option to define marriage as between a man and woman or to define marriage as between two persons thus allowing same-gender marriages. Of these options, General Synod 2016 voted to define marriage as "man/woman". However, that vote needed to receive

9900-521: The governance of the local congregation (Congregational, Baptist, Disciples of Christ). Governance by elders is assumed throughout the Christian Reformed Church Order, but CRC polity is not exactly like that of Presbyterian denominations. Two particular differences include the fact that the CRC has limited tenure for officebearers (so elders and deacons serve terms , not forever ), and ministers are ordained and credentialed by

10010-451: The marriage bond is not dissolved apart from death. Hence, neither party is permitted to remarry while the other person is still living. Those who do divorce and remarry while their first spouse is still alive are considered adulterers, regardless of the circumstances of the divorce. The PRC holds that God's covenant is only with his elect and that it is unconditional (meaning that there are no conditions that people must fulfill to enter into

10120-477: The ministry by their respective classes . The CRC maintained that the position of these three men was inconsistent with the Bible's teachings. The men objected to this deposition also from a church political point of view, arguing that only the consistory has the right to depose their minister, not a classis. The CRC disagreed, and these ministers, as well as their followers, were deposed by the CRC and organized into

10230-501: The offices of deacon and elder in 1972 and first ordained women in 1979. By 1980 the General Synod of the RCA amended the Book of Church Order (BCO) to clarify their position on women's ordination, including amending the language of Part I, Article 1, Section 3 of the BCO from "persons" to "men and women". In 1980, the RCA added a conscience clause to the BCO stating, "If individual members of

10340-459: The ordination of homosexuals as clergy in 2009 prompted some RCA conservatives to call for a withdrawal from the Formula of Agreement . In 2012 RCA discussed its own position regarding homosexuality. The two denominations undertook a dialogue and in 1999 produced a document discussing their differences (PDF). Along with their Formula of Agreement partners, the RCA retains close fellowship with

10450-855: The post-graduate Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, Ontario. Elim Christian Services in Palos Heights, Illinois , offers a school devoted to the education of those with special needs. CRC churches are predominantly located in areas of Dutch immigrant settlement in North America , including Brookfield, Wisconsin , Western Michigan , Chicago , the city of Lynden in Washington State , British Columbia , Ontario , Nova Scotia , Prince Edward Island , New Brunswick , Alberta , Iowa , suburban southern California , Ripon, California , and northern New Jersey . About 75% of

10560-605: The question of whether it is acceptable for Christians to seek a physician's assistance in committing suicide in the midst of extreme suffering./ A fundamental conviction Christians have is that they do not belong to themselves. Life, despite its circumstances, is a gift from God , and each individual is its steward... Contemporary arguments for the 'right' to assistance to commit suicide are based on ideas of each individual's autonomy over his or her life. Christians cannot claim such autonomy; Christians acknowledge that they belong to God... Christians yield their personal autonomy and accept

10670-448: The support of 2/3 of the classes and be ratified again in 2017. In March 2017, the proposal to define marriage as "man/woman" did not receive the necessary votes from 2/3 of the classes, and, as a result, it did not pass. On 12 June 2017, the General Synod voted for a "recommendation [which] says, 'faithful adherence to the RCA's Standards, therefore, entails the affirmation that marriage is between one man and one woman.'" Also, in 2017,

10780-613: The three ministers and their followers leaving the CRC and forming what is now the Protestant Reformed Churches in America . After the Second World War, a new wave of Dutch Calvinist immigration occurred to Canada, most of which were Kuyperian. By 1960, half of the denomination's new congregations (138 of 288) were in Canada. In the early 1950s, a division within the Protestant Reformed Churches in America led to about three fifths of its members forming

10890-666: The tradition of the Christian Reformed Church, which advocates 'bringing every thought captive' under the mind of Christ; that tiny 'transforming' denomination has had an enormous influence on science, philosophy, and the arts." The CRC officially subscribes to the Ecumenical Creeds —the Apostles' Creed , the Nicene Creed , and the Athanasian Creed —as well as three Reformed Confessions, commonly referred as

11000-473: The unconditionality of the Covenant of Grace . Hubert DeWolf , who had become the pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids , was influenced by the theology of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) , this included conditional theology. DeWolf began to preach sermons which promoted conditional theology, because he saw the ever increasing number of immigrants that were part of

11110-498: The use of hymns (versus Exclusive psalmody ) during worship, allowing free access to communion, lax interpretation of grace , permitting membership in Freemasonry , and failure to provide catechetical instruction to young people. For the two years, the denomination had no corporate name. In 1859, Holland Reformed Church ( Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk ) was adopted, which was changed to Free Dutch Reformed Church (no record of

11220-487: The use of their gifts in the cause of the kingdom. Opportunities to serve within the offices and the life of the congregation should be afforded to them as to heterosexual Christians. The Christian Reformed Church in North America also opposes Freemasonry . The CRC educates its constituency and mobilizes member advocacy on a wide range of social justice issues in Canada and the United States. It does so primarily through its Office of Social Justice and Hunger Action (OSJ) and

11330-414: The will of God". But homosexuals are not to be blamed for their condition. The church must affirm civil rights for homosexuals while it condemns homosexual behavior (1978). The church must seek to lift the homosexual's "burden of guilt", recognizing that homosexuality is a "complex phenomenon" (1979). The church should encourage "love and sensitivity towards such persons as fellow human beings" (1990). In 1994

11440-601: Was a charter member of the Presbyterian Alliance, the Federal Council of Churches, and the World Council of Churches. Like most other mainline denominations, the RCA has had a declining membership during the last thirty years. In 2018, the total membership was less than 196,308, down from 220,000 in 2016, from 300,000 in 2000, and 360,000 in 1980. Due to differences related to the adoption of

11550-538: Was formed. The 1995 decision to ordain women led to the formation of the United Reformed Churches in North America (URC), and the severing of fraternal relationships between the CRC and the OPC and PCA in 1997. Because of the decision to ordain women, NAPARC suspended the CRC from membership in 1999 and expelled it in 2001. This gradual shift has spurred some of the more conservative congregations to leave;

11660-467: Was founded in 1903 and has grown significantly into a large church and has an independent school with over 500 students in grades K-12; Zuni has experienced the same in its community. The Rehoboth hospital moved to the neighboring town of Gallup in 1970. Rehoboth built a high-school in 1951, and a new high school, funded by the DeVos family, was built in 2018. The first Rehoboth church was built in 1908, though

11770-620: Was founded with the help of the PRC and; the Protestant Reformed Churches in Myanmar . The PRC has also developed contacts in India , Germany , Myanmar , Venezuela and in Singapore ; there is a sister Reformed Church in Singapore. Currently, the PRC is engaged in missions in a few locations in the United States, and they have recently organized a church in the Philippines and several mission churches were started. The Berean Reformed Church

11880-520: Was maintained in the churches, and peace and a good degree of prosperity were enjoyed. ...But in 1754, the Coetus of the previous year, having recommended the changing of the Coetus into a Classis with full powers, the opposition became violent, and the opponents were known as the Conferentie." A spirit of amnesty made possible the church's survival after the war. The divisiveness was also healed when

11990-919: Was organised in 2006, and the All of Grace Protestant Reformed Fellowship in Gabaldon, the Philippines, recently a new work is underway, the Provident Christian Church in Manila . The Georgetown PRC is involved in mission in India . In 2005, the Synod of the PRC closed the denomination's missionary field work in Ghana , due to a lack of membership. The PRC holds that "it is necessary for them to maintain good, Christian schools in which their children are educated". To this end, Protestant Reformed parents maintain twelve primary and three high schools for

12100-906: Was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church . The RCA is a founding member of the National Council of Churches , the World Council of Churches (WCC), Christian Churches Together , and the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC). Some parts of the denomination belong to the National Association of Evangelicals , the Canadian Council of Churches , and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada . The denomination

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