21 Jun GS 1998 art 108

Posted at 14:56h in CanRC, GS 1998 by

GS 1998 Article 108 – Grand Rapids Appeal re Presbyterian Church of Korea

Committee III presents agenda item III W.

I. MATERIAL

An appeal from the Church at Grand Rapids re: Presbyterian Church of Korea

II. ADMISSIBILITY

Synod decides that the submission of the church at Grand Rapids is admissible since it is an appeal of Acts 1995 Article 106 VI H.

III. OBSERVATIONS

  • A. The church at Grand Rapids requests Synod 1998 to judge
    • 1. that the decision to establish Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the PCK be rescinded
    • 2. that an explanation and apology be sent to the PCK…
    • 3. that we reaffirm to the PCK our desire to continue contact with them with a view to resolving all impediments remaining which prevent full Ecclesiastical Fellowship,
    • 4. that the CRCA be instructed to investigate the two issues of supervision of the Lord’s table and confessional membership and report to another General Synod.
  • B. A similar appeal was made to Synod Abbotsford 1995. Synod 1995 denied the appeal of the Church at Grand Rapids based on the following considerations:
    • 1. “The requests to rescind the decision to have Ecclesiastical Fellowship or to declare that Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the FCS and PCK was premature is based on the assumption that these two federations have the same position as the OPC which to date has prevented Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the OPC. This assumption has been addressed under Consideration A.1.b” (Synod 1995, Article 106, Consideration D.2).
    • 2. “It must be admitted that with respect to the PCK Synod is not able to evaluate the situation with the information available to us” (Synod 1995, Article 106, Consideration A.2).
  • C. The church at Grand Rapids considers that “Synod 1995 gave no reason for denial” of their appeal to rescind the decision of Synod 1992 regarding the PCK.

IV. CONSIDERATIONS

  • A. The church at Grand Rapids appeals the decision of Synod Lincoln 1992 with respect to the PCK on the grounds that the OPC has charged our churches with having a double standard on the issues of confessional membership and the admission to the Lord’s Supper. The OPC’s CEIR stated “both the PCK and the FCS have essentially the same position as the OPC in matters of confessional membership and the supervision of the Lord’s Table”(Synod 1995, Appendix V.II.B.1). The Committee for Contact with the OPC asked for more evidence that this is indeed true (Acts Synod 1995, Appendix V.II.B.4). To date such evidence has not been provided by the OPC.
  • B. The church at Grand Rapids also does not provide Synod with any new information which would justify severing ties with the PCK.
  • C. Grand Rapids is correct that these two issues should have been resolved prior to a relationship. There is, however, no justification for reversing the decision to have Ecclesiastical Fellowship with the PCK simply on the basis of third party information. Synod 1995 should, however, have made these concerns part of the mandate of the CRCA.

V. RECOMMENDATIONS

Synod decide:

  • A. To deny points 1, 2, and 3 of the appeal of the Church at Grand Rapids
  • B. To include in the mandate of the CRCA a further investigation of the practices regarding the fencing of the Lord’s Supper and confessional membership in the PCK and report to the next Synod.

ADOPTED

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