11 Mar GS 1977 art 94

Posted at 15:02h in CanRC, GS 1977 by


GS 1977 ARTICLE 94 – Contact Other Churches

Committee I presents:

Material

  • Agenda 8. B, 2 – Appeal of the Church at Edmonton against deci­sions of General Synod Toronto 1974, Acts, Articles 20 and 64.

Observations

  • 1.  The Church at Edmonton is not satisfied with the decisions of General Synod Tor­ onto 1974. Acts, Articles 20 and 64. regarding contact with other churches. They object for the following reasons:
    • a. Synod placed a burden on a local church by insisting that a local church gather sufficient evidence to prove that a group of churches not only accept the Three Forms of Unity and the Church Order of Dort, but that they also maintain the same.
    • b. Synod lacked eagerness and desire to do what is in their province and power.
    • c. It is “too much” for a local church to ascertain whether a group of churches maintain the Three Forms of Unity and the Church Order.
    • d. Synod Hamilton 1962 judged incorrectly when it required so much evidence from a local church that by virtue of this evidence to seek contact would be superfluous; the required amount of evidence would be sufficient to seek to es­tablish correspondence (and not just contact).
  • 2. The Church at Edmonton proposes:
    • a. to add to the mandate of the Committee on Correspondence with the Churches Abroad the phrase “to seek contact with other churches abroad of which it can be supposed that there is a possibility for correspondence in order to investigate this possibility and to report about this to a following General Synod.”
    • b. to add to the mandate of this Committee or if desirable to another Committee the following:
      • “To take up contact with the Free Reformed Church of North-America as re­ quested by the Church at Lincoln and to take up contact with the Presbyterian Church in America as requested by the Church at Edmonton” (Acts, Synod 1974, Articles 20 and 64).

Considerations

  • 1. Synod 1974 decided that in the case of Lincoln no evidence was given to substanti­ate whether the churches in question maintain the Three Forms of Unity and the Church Order of Dort and that in the case of Edmonton sufficient information was lacking in order to take up contact with other churches (Acts, Synod 1974, Articles 20 and 64).
  • 2. It is not a lack of eagerness or desire if a Synod does not accede to a request to seek contact, if in their opinion insufficient evidence is provided.
  • 3. The object of all contact with other churches in the first and foremost place must be to establish ecclesiastical correspondence, so that the ecclesiastical unity can be experienced with those who confess the true faith and maintain the same.
  • 4. According to the decision of Synod 1962, (Acts, Article 82), Synod 1965, (Acts. Arti­cle 141 sub II) and Synod 1974, ( Acts, Articles 20 and 64), sufficient information, such as origin, history, statistical data. etc., should be provided.
  • 5. The Church at Edmonton has not proven that the approach taken by previous Syn­ods is against the Word of God or that Article 30, Church Order. prohibits or pre­ vents a minor assembly to make preparatory investigation in matters of contact with other churches.
  • 6. The Church at Edmonton has not proven that it is undesirable to have sufficient evidence supplied to Synods so that the road to full correspondence can be initi­ated.
  • 7. A Synod is, according to well established practices (Synod 1962, 1965, 1974), not an institution that can be called upon to investigate all potential church relations without being supplied with such a proof as to warrant the initiation of contact with other churches.
  • 8. The Church at Edmonton does not supply grounds for the proposal to give the Committee on Correspondence with Churches Abroad the mandate “To seek con­tact with other churches abroad of which it can be supposed that there is a possi­bility for correspondence in order to investigate this possibility and to report about this to the following Synod.” They only refer to Acts and decisions of sister Churches abroad.
  • 9. The Church at Edmonton did not advance new evidence to Synod in the matter of initiating contact with the Free Reformed Church of North-America or the Pres­byterian Church in America (formerly the National Presbyterian Church).

Recommendation

Synod decide

  • To reject the appeals of the Church at Edmonton and not to accede to its proposals.

     

ADOPTED

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