GS 1986 ARTICLE 91
Revision Belgic Confession, Art. 8, and Canons of Dort II, 3/4
Committee 1 presents:
A. MATERIAL
-Agenda VIII, D, E Letter of Dr. J. Faber re the revision of Belgic Confession, Article 8, and Canons of Dort, Ch. II, 3/4.
B. OBSERVATIONS
- 1. Belgic Confession, Article B.
- Dr. J. Faber requests Synod to return to the old reading “for they are all three co-eternal and co-essential” instead of the present revised reading, “For these three, in one and the same essence, are equal in eternity.”
- His reason is that the phrase “equal in eternity” is ambiguous and “obscures the grand truth of the qualitative co-eternity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
- 2. Canons of Dort, Ch. 11, Art. 3 and 4.
- Dr. J. Faber requests Synod to change the heading of Article 4 from “His death had infinite value” to “Why His death had infinite value.”
- The reason is that the two headings are now almost identical and that the present heading does not show the progress in the reasoning of the Canons.
C. CONSIDERATIONS
- 1. Although the expressions “co-eternal” and “co-essential” are somewhat archaic, they do excellently express the eternal unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- 2. The heading of Canons of Dort, Ch. 11, Article 4 should be changed to show progession of thought.
D. RECOMMENDATIONS
Synod decide:
To grant the requests of Dr. J. Faber and instruct the Standing Committee for the Book of Praise to include these changes in the next printing of the Book of Praise. A motion, duly seconded, reads:
- C.1. Since the expressions “co-eternal” and “co-essential” are somewhat archaic, and since “co-essential” can easily be misunderstood, it would be better to improve the language of Art. 8, B.C., to read, “For these three together, in one and the same essence, are equally eternal.”
- D.1. …to include the following change… to read in Art. B, B.C., (2nd last sentence), “For these three are together, of one and the same essence, and are co-eternal.”
The motion is DEFEATED.
The recommendation is ADOPTED.