30 Sep GS 1980 art 153

Posted at 17:57h in CanRC, GS 1980 by

GS 1980 ARTICLE 153 – Correspondence with Churches Abroad

Committee II presents

A. Material – 

  • Agenda VIII, H, 1 –  Report of the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad, August 27, 1980, with an enclosure (Historical Review: Presbyterian Church at Korea).
  • H, 2 – Additional Report from the Committee, Octo­ber 28, 1980.
  • H, 3 – Letter from the Deputies for Correspondence of the Reformed Churches in The Nether­lands.

B. Information

  • 1. The mandate given by Synod Coaldale 1977 reads as follows: “to main­ tain 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;”‘ (Acts 1977, Article 107).
  • 2. The mandate further included:
    • “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;
    • to send an invitation to sister-Churches Abroad at least one year prior to the date the next General Synod is to convene;
    • to have our Churches represented by a delegate to General Synods of sister-Churches Abroad, if invited, and when desirable and feasible;
    • to inform the Churches from time to time about that which is of interest in their correspondence with Churches Abroad” (Acts 1977, Article 108).
  • 3. The Committee has served Synod with an Enclosure re: Historical Review, Presbyterian Church Korea (see: section on Korean Presbyterian Churches).
  • 4. a) The Netherlands sister-churches have sent a communication to Synod re: the Historical Review, Presbyterian Church Korea, with the follow­ing criticism:
    • “1. Naar onze mening is het door uw ‘Committee’ aan u uitgebrachte rapport onvolledig, omdat het voor het grootste deel steunt op de meningen van zendelingen van de Orthodox Presbyterian Church, maar nalaat de men ing van de betrokkenen zelf weer te geven over die OPC-beoordeling.
    • Het komt ons voor dat uw synode, alvorens le besluiten relaties aan te gaan met de Hap Dong kerken op zijn minst de Korea Presbyterian Church (Kosin) in de gelegenheid zou moeten stellen zich te verdedigen tegen deze OPC-kritiek.
    • 2. Uit onze onderzoekingen van eertijds en onze contacten sinds­ dien hebben wij een ander beeld gekregen van onze zusterkerk in Korea en de Hap Dong kerk.
    • In de ‘restoration· van 1963 ging het ten diepste om het houden van de overeenkomst ten aanzien van he! seminary te Busan.(Vergelijk de belangrijke zaak van het al of niet houden van het ‘beding’ in de jaren na de vereniging in 1892 in de Gerefor­ meerde Kerken in Nederland.)
    • De betel<enis van het seminary te Busan ging ver uit boven het handhaven van een zelf gestichte opleidingsschool. Dit seminary was een symbool geworden en een belichaming van de compromis-loze tegenstand tegen de Shintoisme-dwang van de Japanse bezetters, en na de bevrijding van de blijvende afwijzing van enig compromis. Bij de bedoelde opheffing van dit Busan­ seminary stonden dan ook deze zaken op het spel.
    • Tekenend is, dat de Hap Dong kerk nu verdeeld is in 5 of 6 groepen. Er is dan ook we! een heel wat breder onderzoek nodig dan alleen een hislorisch onderzoek, wil men kunnen besluiten met de Hap Dong kerken relaties aan te gaan.
    • Wij meenden u deze kritiek te moeten schrijven, omdat een eventueel beslu ii van uw vergadering tot het aangaan van kerke­ lijke correspondentie met de Hap Dong kerken verregaande consequenties zou hebben.”
  • b) This letter also contains the following invitation:
    • Synod decides to invite through her deputies for correspondence with churches abroad the sister-churches abroad and the churches with whom preliminary ecclesiastical contact was established to send delegates to a constituent assembly for the convening of a Reformed International Conference. The agenda of this Constituent Assembly will contain at least the following:
    • 1. The unity of faith as gift and mandate and its significance for:
      • a. the diversity among the creeds of the churches;
      • b. the diversity among the forms of government of the churches;
      • c. the confession concerning the church;
      • d. the reflection on contacts and relations with other churches.
    • 2. Mutual help in the execution of the missionary mandate in the missionary situation of our time.
    • 3. Basis and name of the Reformed International Conference.
    • 4. Meaning and authority of the judgments and conclusions of the Reformed International Conference.
    • 5. By-laws concerning:
      • – method of delegation;
      • – frequency of meetings;
      • – drafting the agenda;
      • – method of dealing with the agenda.
    • The General Assemblies of the sister-churches in Australia, Canada, Korea, Sumba, South-Africa are being asked to authorize its Commit­ tees for Fraternal Relations, a. to appoint delegates; b. to help draft the agenda of the Constituent Assembly.

C. Observations

  • 1. The Committee was able to fulfill its mandate properly according to the rules for correspondence, e.g., issue declarations to ministers travelling aboard, sending appropriate congratulations, passing on the Acts of Synod Coaldale, etc. (see Appendix).
  • 2. The Free Reformed Churches of Australia:
    • The Committee reports:
      • a) “The correspondence with the Free Reformed Churches of Australia has been conducted according to the instructions the Committee received from General Synod Coaldale 1977.”
      • b) We received the report from the Australian Deputies for Correspon­dence with Overseas Sister-Churches to Synod 1978 of the Free Reformed Churches in Australia, held at Launceston in 1978.”
      • The Synod 1978 of the Free Reformed Churches in Australia met from June 3rd to June 12th, 1978.”
      • c) From the correspondence and the Acts we may gratefully conclude that the Free Reformed Churches in Australia desire to be faithful to God’s Word and the Church Order.
  • 3. De Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland:
    • The Committee reports:
    • a) The Committee was able to conduct correspondence in accordance with the adopted rules, and informed the Netherlands sister-churches about decisions of Synod Coaldale 1977.
    • b) The Committee received the provisional agenda of the General Synod Groningen-Zuid 1978. Best wishes were extended through our dele­gate.
      • c) General Synod Groningen-Zuid 1978 adopted a revised Church Order and revised Forms for the Baptism of Infants, the Baptism of Adults, Public Profession of Faith and a new Form of Discipline for those aduIts who have not professed their faith.
      • “Your Committee, in accordance with the Rules for Correspon­dence, has scrutinized the above Church Order and Forms, and de­clares that it considers them to be in accordance with the Holy Scrip­tures and in harmony with Reformed church polity.”
      • d) They send us a copy of the proposal that they will tender to the upcom­ing Synod Arnhem 1981 on the matter of the Reformed International Conference and they request us as Deputies to recommend to Synod Smithville 1980 that:
        • (i) delegates be appointed to attend this gathering;
        • (ii) that they be given the mandate to help set up an agenda for this Conference.
      • They explain that they come with this request prior to Synod Arnhem 1981 in order to save time. If they wait until after Synod Arnhem has agreed and then approach the sister-churches, this Conference could be delayed until 1983. They would like to con­vene it earlier.
      • e) From the correspondence and the Acts of General Synod Groningen­ Zuid 1978 the Committee may conclude with thankfulness that De Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland desire to be faithful to God’s Word and to abide by the Reformed Creeds and Church Order.
  • 4. Die Vrije Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika:
    • The Committee reports:
      • a) Shortly after the closing of General Synod 1977 a letter was sent to deputies for correspondence with churches abroad of Die Vrye Gere­formeerde Kerke in South Africa. In this letter the South African sister­ churches were informed about some of the decisions of General Synod Coaldale 1977.
      • b) Upon our request we received copies of the Acts of Synod Kaapstad 1978 with apologies for not sending them sooner. Deputies were of the understanding that they were to be mailed directly by the printer.
      • c) The official Acts of Synod Pretoria 1980 are not available to us yet at the time of preparation of this report.
      • d) From the correspondence and the Acts received, we may conclude with gratitude that the stabilization of church life in South Africa has continued and that Die Vrye Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika have shown that they desire to be faithful to God’s Word and to abide by the Reformed Creeds and Church Order.”
  • 5. The Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koryu-Pa)
    • a) Synod Coaldale 1977 charged the Committee to “continue and try to intensify the contact with the Presbyterian Church in Korea and sub­mit a report to the next General Synod” (Acts, Article 108, Recommen­dation 4).
    • b) The Committee received a copy of the Revised Form of Government of the Koryu-Pa, adopted in 1979, but this document being in Korean was inaccessible to the Committee. The Committee informs Synod:
      • “In the meantime, we are waiting for a reliable and complete transla­tion of the Form of Government. Once that has been received we hope to inform you of our conclusions and perhaps include certain final recommendations as well.”
    • c) The Committee gives the following further relevant information:
      • “All of this should, however, not give the impression that the only thing your Committee has done regarding Korea is write an occasional letter. On the contrary, we have been busy trying to obtain a better understanding of the ecclesiastical situation in Korea. We have also researched the whole matter of the Union of 1960 between the Koryu-pa and the Hap Dong, the subsequent disintegration of that Union in 1963, the differences between the Hap Dong and the Koryu-pa, and the relationship of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church to both. The enclosure attached to this report reveals our findings. They are as follows:

Conclusions

  • a) The Union of the Hap Dong and the Koryu-pa was hasty and ill­ conceived;
  • b) The Division of 1963 can not be blamed exclusively on either the one party or the other. The blame must be equally shared;
  • c) The reasons for the Division are exceedingly difficult to unearth in their entirety, although it is possible to center out the Seminary issue as a major cause and to list personal power struggles, regionalism and a host of others as lesser causes;
  • d) There are no basic differences between the Hap Dong and the Koryu-pa in either doctrine or church polity;
  • e) The O.P.C. maintains the same official relationship with both the Hap Dong and the Koryu-pa, namely fraternal relations. As indivi­duals, the O.P.C. missionaries are officially members of the Hap Dong.

Consequences

  • In light of the above, your Committee believes it to be only fair and honest that, should the General Synod 1980 decide to offer to establish an official relationship with the Koryu-pa, because they have requested this, we should be willing to consider the establishment of a similar relationship with the Hap Dong, if so requested by these churches.

D. Considerations

  • 1. The Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad has vigorously and dutifully conducted its work in accordance with the mandate received from Synod Coaldale, Acts, Articles 107, 108.
  • 2. It is evident from the Report that the Committee has not been able to evaluate the criticism from the Deputies for Correspondence of the Netherlands sister-churches (October 16, 1980) on the “Historical Review, Presbyterian Church Korea” (see Appendix).
  • 3. Seeing the preliminary character of the Reformed International Confer­ence, the Canadian Reformed Churches should proceed wi1h caution. It would be premature to send “delegates with a clear mandate” to such a Conference, yet delegates may be sent who shall report to Synod concerning this Conference in order that a warranted position be taken.
  • 4. Since the Report of the Committee is inconclusive with respect to the required information from the Korean Presbyterian Church and the man­ date in this respect has not yet been completed, Synod cannot proceed to make decisions regarding this Church.

E. Recommendations

Synod decide:

  • 1. To thank the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad for the conscientious manner in which the correspondence was conducted.
  • 2. Gratefully to continue the correspondence under the adopted rules with:
    • a) The Free Reformed Churches of Australia
    • b) De Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland
    • c) Die Vrije Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika.
  • 3. To refrain from entering at this time into correspondence with the Korean Presbyterian Church (Koryu-Pa).
  • 4. To charge the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad to continue the contacts with the Korean Presbyterian Church with the fol­lowing mandate:
    • a) to evaluate the Form of Government and to pass this evaluation on to the next General Synod;
    • b) to inform the Synod regarding the state of communication with these Churches and also evaluate the communication with the Korean Pres­ byterian Church (Koryu-pa) as to the question whether official ecclesi­ astical correspondence, even if it would be warranted in principle, can be responsibily maintained, due to distance and language;
    • c) to make recommendations to the Synod regarding a future relation­ ship with these Churches.
  • 5. To charge the Committee to evaluate the criticism of the Deputies of the Netherlands sister-Churches on the Historical Review, Korean Presby­terian Church, and to report on this to the next Synod.
  • 6. To charge the Committee to send an invitation to sister-churches abroad at least one year prior to the date the next General Synod is to convene and to have our Churches represented by a delegate to General Synods of such Churches abroad, if invited, and when desirable and feasible.
  • 7. With regard to the proposed Reformed International Conference:
    • a. That the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad be authorized to send two delegates to this Conference;
    • b. That a report on this Conference analyzing its basis, aim, powers, structure, members and agenda, along with a recommendation on how to proceed further in this matter, be sent to the next Synod of the Canadian Reformed Churches by the Committee for Correspondence with Churches Abroad;
    • c. That Synod Smithville 1980 refrain from any official endorsement of this Conference due to its preliminary character.
  • 8. To publish the Reports of the Committee and the Enclosure in the Acts of Synod as Appendices.
  • 9. To charge the Committee to inform the Churches from time to time about that which is of interest in the Correspondence with Churches abroad.

ADOPTED

The following motion. duly seconded, is discussed:

  • “To change Consideration 3 to read, ‘In order to be able to have our own input in the Reformed International Conference set-up, it is good to send dele­gates to it to help or guide this Conference and to establish its agenda.'”

DEFEATED

Print page