04 Aug GS 1992 art 50

Posted at 14:54h in CanRC, GS 1992 by

GS 1992 ARTICLE 50 – Relations with Churches Abroad re Rules for Ecclesiastical Fellowship

Committee I presents: Agenda item VIII G1a,b

I. MATERIAL

  • A. Report from Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad of the Canadian Reformed Churches (CRCA) re Rules for Ecclesiastical Fellowship.
  • B. Letter from the church at Attercliffe, ON.
  • C. Letter from the church at Burlington South, ON.

II. OBSERVATIONS

  • A. The mandate of the Committee as given by Synod 1989 (Acts 1989, Art. 102, E,2,3,4,b,c,d) includes:
    • 1. to continue to address the sister churches on the matter of church relations, setting forth the decisions and concerns of the Canadian Reformed Churches, as outlined by the General Synods of Smithville (Acts, Art. 154, D,1,2) and Cloverdale (Acts, Art. 110, D,1).
    • 2. to evaluate the reaction of the sister churches in these matters with respect to a possible common approach.
    • 3. to report to the next General Synod with suitable recommendations.
  • B. Regarding the first mandate mentioned above, many letters have been exchanged by the sister churches about “rules for ecclesiastical fellowship.” The members of the CRCA who visited the Netherlands and Scotland in 1990 dealt with it in both places.
  • C. Regarding the second mandate mentioned above, the sister churches in the Netherlands and Australia inform the CRCA about their respective rules for ecclesiastical fellowship. In the CRCA Report the committee evaluates these responses (see Appendix II, and Supplementary Report I,2,f).
  • D. Regarding the third mandate mentioned above, the CRCA proposes that Synod adopt the following Rules for Ecclesiastical Fellowship:
    • 1. The churches shall as much as possible assist each other in the maintenance, defence and promotion of the Reformed faith in doctrine, church polity, discipline, and liturgy.
    • 2. The churches shall inform each other of the decisions taken by their broadest assemblies, if possible by sending each other their Acts or Minutes and otherwise, at least by sending the decisions relevant to the respective churches (if possible, in translation).
    • 3. The churches shall inform each other when entering into relations with third parties.
    • 4. The churches shall accept one another’s attestations or certificates of good standing, which also means admitting members of the respective churches to the sacraments upon presentation of that attestation or certificate.
    • 5. The churches shall in principle open their pulpits for each other’s ministers in agreement with the rules adopted in the respective churches.
  • In exercising these relations, the churches shall strive to implement also the following:
    • 6. When major changes or additions are being considered to the confessions, church government or liturgy, the churches shall be informed in order that as much consultation can take place as possible before a final decision is taken.
    • 7. The churches shall receive each other’s delegates at their broadest assemblies and invite them to participate as much as local regulations permit.
  • E. In comments on Rule # 3 the CRCA states “that when either our churches in the past, or our sister churches have entered into a relationship with a third party, it was never a matter of giving account, but rather a matter of mutual consultation” (p.25 CRCA Report).
  • F. The CRCA maintains that these proposed Rules for Ecclesiastical Fellowship “remain basically an adaptation of the Dutch rules,” and “that no radical overhaul is being proposed” (p.21 CRCA Report).
  • G. The Committee notes that the negative character of Rule # 1 has been criticised as being too one-sided. The Deputies of the Free Church of Scotland agreed with this criticism and informed the Committee that “the order of rules – the priority given to watching out for aberrations – suggests an inquisitorial and judgmental attitude. This may not be intended but it is, unfortunately, quite patent.”
  • H. The church at Attercliffe, ON states that the proposed Rule # 1 weakens the existing Rule # 1 significantly. The expression “not deviate from” should be maintained in Rule # 1.
  • I. The church at Burlington South, ON,
    • 1. observes that the proposed Rule # 1 conveys the appearance of good intention but not solid commitment.
    • 2. suggests the phrase “in principle open…” in Rule # 5 is somewhat vague.

III. CONSIDERATIONS

  • A. The approach to churches abroad should be balanced and avoid the impression of “an inquisitorial and judgmental attitude.”
  • B. The assistance sister churches give each other should include the duty to watchfulness against deviation.
  • C. In light of the comments by the CRCA about Rule # 3 it is better to speak of “consulting each other” rather than “informing each other.”
  • D. To delete the phrase “in principle” in the proposed Rule # 5 would cause confusion. By a Synod decision the pulpits are “in principle” opened; the actual opening is a matter of an invitation by a local church.

IV. RECOMMENDATIONS

Synod decide:

  • A. to thank the CRCA for the work it has done and the report submitted.
  • B. to amend Rules # 1 and # 3 of the CRCA proposed rules and adopt the following Rules for Ecclesiastical Fellowship:
    • 1. The churches shall assist each other in the maintenance, defence and promotion of the Reformed faith in doctrine, church polity, discipline, and liturgy, and be watchful for deviations.
    • 2. The churches shall inform each other of the decisions taken by their broadest assemblies, if possible by sending each other their Acts or Minutes and otherwise, at least by sending the decisions relevant to the respective churches (if possible, in translation).
    • 3. The churches shall consult each other when entering into relations with third parties.
    • 4. The churches shall accept one another’s attestations or certificates of good standing, which also means admitting members of the respective churches to the sacraments upon presentation of that attestation or certificate.
    • 5. The churches shall in principle open their pulpits for each other’s ministers in agreement with the rules adopted in the respective churches.
  • In exercising these relations, the churches shall strive to implement also the following:
    • 6. When major changes or additions are being considered to the confessions, church government or liturgy, the churches shall be informed in order that as much consultation can take place as possible before a final decision is taken.
    • 7. The churches shall receive each other’s delegates at their broadest assemblies and invite them to participate as much as local regulations permit.

ADOPTED

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