GS 1974 ARTICLE 141 – Textbook for Catechetical Instruction
Advisory Committee I presents:
MATERIAL:
- Agenda L 1 – Report Committee for a Textbook for Catechetical Instruction.
- L 2 – Overture Church at London re. Article 83 Acts General Synod New Westminster, 1971.
- N 4 – Proposal Church at Smithville re. Article 83 Acts General Synod New Westminster, 1971.
OBSERVATIONS:
- 1. General Synod New Westminster, 1971, on the ground of the following observations:
- 1. that in the past the Reformed Churches, via their General Synods have repeatedly busied themselves with this matter;
- 2. that in the last decades the Churches have not paid much attention to the improvement of material for catechism instruction;
- 3. that the compilation of comprehensive textbook material needs the cooperation of available talents, appointed a Committee with the following mandate (Acts Article 83):
- 1. to consider the set-up of a Textbook useful for catechism-instruction in the home, Church and school;
- 2. to seek the advice and cooperation of the Faculty of our Theological College in this matter;
- 3. to present the result of their considerations to the next General Synod;
- 4. to keep the Churches informed about the progress of their work.
- 2. The Church at London in its overture considers:
- “If and when Synod would approve such a textbook for catechetical instruction, as is proposed in Article 83, Synod 1971, this instruction book would receive a doctrinal and confessional character, in the cases where Bible passages would be selected, where these passages would be explained, and in cases where references to Church history etc. would be made. It would be outside the province of Synod to bind the Churches to such a textbook”.
- 3. The Church at Smithville in its proposal considers:
- a. that Synod 1971, Acts Article 83, gave three observations;
- b. that these observations were just statements which did not contain any proof that Synod had the right to busy itself with the set-up, and therefore was allowed to make a decision in this respect;
- c. that Synod 1971 thus acted contrary to the first rule of our confederation, namely that it should not lord it over the Churches.
The Church at Smithville also considers:
- a. that it is the duty of a Consistory to see to it that catechism instruction be given to the children of the Church;
- b. that it belongs to the office of the minister of the Word to instruct the children of the Church in the doctrine of salvation (Form for Ordination);
- c. that it is in the jurisdiction of a Consistory to select and prescribe catechism textbooks and/or other catechism material for catechism instruction;
- d. that the Churches are bound, according to Article 31, C.O. to use a textbook for catechetical instruction that is adopted by a General Synod;
- e. that the contents of such a textbook being adopted by a General Synod, receives a public, confessional, doctrinal character.
CONSIDERATIONS:
- 1. General Synod New Westminster, 1971 only mentioned three points as its observations. This Synod did not mention any grounds (Considerations) for its decision.
- 2. None of these three observations is a ground for making the preparation of a textbook for catechetical instruction the task of a General Synod.
- 3. It has not been proven by General Synod New Westminster, 1971 that the provision of a textbook for catechetical instruction is a matter according to Article 30 of the Church Order.
- 4. Consequently it is not necessary to further discuss and evaluate the other arguments brought forward by the Churches at London and Smithville mentioned under Observations 2 and 3.
RECOMMENDATION:
Synod decide, on the ground of Considerations 1, 2, and 3:
- 1. to rescind Article 83 of the Acts of General Synod New Westminister, 1971, as far as it deals with a Textbook for Catechetical Instruction.
- 2. to discharge the members of the Committee appointed by General Synod New Westminster, 1971, thanking them for the work they have done.
- 3. not to continue this Committee.