GS 1977 art 108 – Office Bearers

GS 1977 ARTICLE 108 – Correspondence Churches Abroad – Presbyterian Church – Korea

Committee I presents

Material

– Agenda 8, B, 1 – Report Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad. (See Appendix V, p. 80.)
B, 1 (Addition) – Additional Report to Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad on the discussions held with representatives of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koryu-Pa) and others by Rev. D. DeJong, dated October 21, 1977.

Observations

1. According to Synod Toronto 1974 the Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad was charged to continue contact with the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koryu-Pa).
2. The Presbyterian Church in Korea in a letter of January 1976, sent by the Fraternal Relations Committee, expressed again the desire to have correspondence with The Canadian Reformed Churches.
3. A letter, dated September 3, 1977, was received containing an answer to our Committee’s request for information about the changes proposed and/or adopted in the Westminster Confession and in the Form of Government.
4. The letter of September 3, 1977, informed the Committee about the changes in the Westminster Confession. The changes made did not meet with any objections by the Committee.
5. No information was given regarding definite proposals to change the Form of Government. “While many proposals have been made nothing concrete has emerged from the discussions” (letter September 1977).
6. Reasons for the delay in giving an answer to our query were “The internal difficulties in Korea.” These difficulties were not explained but appear to have been solved.
7. The Committee could not finish its examination and evaluation since
- a. Pertinent information was not available;
- b. Report Rev. D. DeJong had not been received.
8. The Committee recommends therefore:
- a. to refrain at the present time from entering into correspondence with the Presbyterian Church in Korea;
- b. that in accordance with the decision of General Synod Toronto 1974, Acts, Article 140, D, no financial assistance by the Committee on Correspondence on behalf of the Churches be considered before official ecclesiastical correspondence with the Presbyterian Church in Korea has been established;
- c. to state that adoption of these recommendations does not imply that local or regional Committees cannot financially support worthy causes within the Presbyterian Church in Korea;
- d. to charge the new Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad to continue the contact with the Presbyterian Church in Korea and submit a report to the next General Synod.
9. Rev. D. DeJong of Edmonton was authorized by the Committee to gather some in formation and, if possible, to contact the Fraternal Relations Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Korea.
10. Rev. D. DeJong reports to our Committee the following:
- A. Regarding proposed changes in the Form of Government
  - 1. Examinations of Theological students to be done by Seminary rather than by the General Assembly as is done today;
  - 2. A study Committee has been appointed to attempt to combine the two categories of Pastors;
  - At the present time a Pulpit Supply Pastor is a one year appointment, a regular pastor is appointed for life.
  - 3. The Koryu-Pa has elders for life. The question whether the congregation should have the opportunity to reconfirm their appointments once every three years is being discussed.
  - 4. A decision regarding deaconesses has been made, although the change of wording in the Form of Government has not yet been accepted.
  - At the present time there is a one year term for deaconesses. The intent of the change is to appoint the deaconesses for life. Deaconesses are not ruling but serving in work of mercy.
- B. The Koryu-Pa has fraternal relations with the Hap-Dong Churches. The missionaries of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church are members of the Hap-Dong Church. They lecture, however, at the Busan (previously Pusan) Seminary of the Koryu-Pa. In the opinion of all those members of the Koryu-Pa, Hap-Dong and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, with whom the Rev. D. DeJong spoke, there are no doctrinal differences between the Koryu-Pa and the Hap-Dong.
11. The meager response of the Korean Church (Koryu-Pa) is ascribed to the language barrier and to the internal difficulties which existed in the Korean Presbyterian Church ( Koryu-Pa).

Considerations

1. The Committee has fulfilled its mandate extended to them by Synod Toronto 1974. However, due to insufficient response the Committee was unable to finish the examination and evaluation of the obstacles to ecclesiastical correspondence as it was charged to do by Synod New Westminster 1971.
2. Since Rev. DeJong’s trip to Korea was made only a few weeks before Synod convened, the Committee was unable to evaluate his report.
3. The report of Rev. DeJong gives helpful information about the proposed changes in the Form of Government. It also raises questions in regard to the church relations of the Koryu-Pa.
4. Information regarding the changes in the Westminster Confession has been obtained. The changes are considered to be an improvement.
5. The nature of the changes in the Form of Government as reported by Rev. De Jong seem to be an improvement. No official confirmation of the proposed changes has been received by the Committee.
6. The question posed by the Committee whether official ecclesiastical correspondence will be beneficial at this time is to be understood in the light of the meager result due to language barrier and internal difficulties in Korea.
7. With regard to the remark of the Committee whether official ecclesiastical correspondence will be beneficial at this time, it can be stated that, although the response from the Korean Church has been slow for the past six years, the Commit tee could report on the changes made in the Westminster Confession and did receive information about the proposed changes in the Form of Government.
8. Since the Committee reports that the internal difficulties of the Korean Church have been solved. it may be expected that further investigation will have more fruitful results.

Recommendations

Synod decide

1. to refrain at the present time from entering into correspondence with the Presbyterian Church in Korea;
2. that in accordance with the decision of General Synod Toronto 1974, Acts, Article 140, D, no financial assistance by the Committee on Correspondence on behalf of the Churches be considered before official ecclesiastical correspondence with the Presbyterian Church in Korea has been established;
3. to state that adoption of these recommendations does not imply that local or regional Committees should not financially support worthy causes within the Presbyterian Church in Korea;
4. to charge the new Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad to continue and to try to intensify the contact with the Presbyterian Church in Korea and submit a report to the next General Synod.

ADOPTED

Final Recommendations

1. Synod express its gratitude for the work done by the Committee on Correspondence with the Churches Abroad.
2. Synod decide to continue the Committee with the following mandate:
- a to maintain correspondence in accordance with the Rules for Correspondence and to do so with:
  - De Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland:
  - Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika:
  - The Free Reformed Churches in Australia;
- b. to continue and to try to intensify the contact with the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koryu-Pa) and to submit a report on this contact to the next General Synod;
- c. to send an invitation to sister Churches Abroad at least one year prior to the date the next General Synod is to convene;
- d. to have our Churches represented by a delegate to General Synods of sister Churches Abroad, if invited, and when desirable and feasible;
- e. to inform the Churches from time to time about that which is of interest in their correspondence with Churches Abroad.