12 May GS 2001 art 59

Posted at 16:16h in CanRC, GS 2001 by

GS 2001 Article 59 – Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS)

Committee 1 presented its proposal on the RCUS.

1.    Material

  • 1.1.          Report of the Committee for Contact with the Churches in the Americas Pages 24-31.
  • 1.2.          Letters from the Churches at: Burlington-Ebenezer, Coaldale, Cloverdale, London  (re: Sunday observance), London (Celebration Lord’s supper to shut-ins), London (Doctrine of the church), Langley, Owen Sound, and Houston.

2.    Admissibility

The letters from the churches are declared admissible since they interact with the report submitted.

3.    Observations

  • 3.1.          Synod observes that the subcommittee for contact with the RCUS has fulfilled the mandate given to it by Synod Fergus 1998 (See Report CCCA in the appendices).
  • 3.2.          The CCCA recommends:
    • In light of its research and contacts the committee believes that it has fulfilled its mandate and has determined:
      • A. That the matter of the Lord’s supper celebration has been resolved, since members and guests alike are admitted in accordance with Lord’s Day 30.
      • B. That the matter of Sunday observance has been sufficiently discussed and cannot be a bar to ecclesiastical fellowship.
      • C. That the doctrine of the church has been adequately discussed, and though there may be differing views in the RCUS, the statements of the Catechism and the Belgic Confession alone are binding. D. That the concept of erasure has been satisfactorily clarified. E. That the CRCNA has been suspended from NAPARC with agreement of the RCUS, and the RCUS’s membership in this body should not hinder our relationship with the RCUS at this time.
    • Therefore we acknowledge with thankfulness that the RCUS stands on the basis of Scripture and the Three Forms of Unity as a faithful church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    • We recommend that the Canadian Reformed Churches enter into ecclesiastical fellowship with the Reformed Church in the United States under the adopted rules.
  • 3.3.          Reactions from the churches.
    • 3.3.1.  The Church at Burlington-Ebenezer expresses concern re: Recommendation B. It desires to see the matter of Sunday observance addressed; it opines however, that the matter should not be an impediment to ecclesiastical fellowship but included in further discussion.
    • 3.3.2.  The Church at Coaldale endorses the report and expresses thankfulness that the committee could, in good faith and in a short time span, resolve the matters that were considered barriers to ecclesiastical fellowship.
    • 3.3.3.  The Church at Cloverdale concludes:
      • 1.    We believe, on the basis of the testimony and argument put forward herein, that the Reformed Church in the United States ought to be recognized as true churches of Jesus Christ. Our examination of the evidence reveals the “pure preaching of the gospel”, “the pure administration of the sacraments”, and the exercise of “church discipline for correcting and punishing sins” (Belgic Confession, Article 29).
      • 2.    We believe, on the basis of the testimony and argument put forward herein, that the Canadian Reformed Churches should offer full ecclesiastical fellowship to the Reformed Church in the United States (Acts, General Synod Fergus,1998 p.249).
      • 3.    On October 20, 1997, correspondence was received from the 251st Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States. This letter invited the Canadian Reformed Churches to enter into fraternal relationship [ecclesiastical fellowship] with the RCUS. We believe that Synod 2001 should accept this invitation without reservation.
    • 3.3.4.  The Church at London considers that “just as infant baptism is deduced from what God reveals concerning the Covenant, so two worship services is deduced from what God reveals about the fourth commandment, the need for our faith to be strengthened and the means by which that is done.” The Church at London also considers that a negative example might be set for our own members.
    • The Church at London requests that Synod include the matter of Sunday observance in the mandate of the CCRCUS. It recommends that Synod decide the following, “Although the matter of Sunday observance cannot be a bar to ecclesiastical fellowship, discussion and encouragement on this point be continued with the RCUS to the end that they might come to the historic practice in Reformed churches of holding two worship services on the Lord’s Day.”
    • 3.3.5.  The Church at London requests that the CCRCUS discuss with the brothers of the RCUS article 190 of the Constitution of the RCUS which states, “The Lord’s supper shall be administered to the sick and the infirm communicants, who are not able to come to the house of God and who express a desire to receive the sacrament.”
    • 3.3.6.  The Church at London requests that Synod give the RCUS time to do what they promised re: familiarizing themselves with the “plain language of the Belgic Confession” re: the doctrine of the church.
    • 3.3.7.  The Church at Langley wholeheartedly agrees with the recommendations of the CCRCUS and states, “let us be courageous and seize the opportunity to show Christian unity where the Lord has so clearly opened a door.”
    • 3.3.8.  The Church at Owen Sound expresses thankfulness for the faithfulness that can be witnessed in the RCUS, but considers it premature to enter into ecclesiastical fellowship since there is the concern that the issues of admission of guests to the Lord’s supper as well as Sunday observance need further discussion.
    • 3.3.9.  The Church at Houston considers it premature to enter into ecclesiastical fellowship since there is the concern that the issue of admission of guests to the Lord’s supper needs further discussion.

4.    Considerations

  • 4.1.          Synod thankfully considers that the CCCA has fulfilled the mandate given by Synod Fergus 1998. Synod agrees that the RCUS is to be acknowledged as a faithful church of our Lord Jesus Christ warranting the establishment of ecclesiastical fellowship.
  • 4.2.          Evidence indicates that the Lord’s Day is observed according to the norms of Scripture in that there is worship, classes for regular biblical and confessional instruction for all ages, and Bible studies held in the churches during afternoon or evening (page 28 of the report of the CCRCUS). Ongoing discussion about different practices will be mutually beneficial. The reasoning, which says that two worship services may be deduced from Scripture, as is infant baptism, is faulty. The introduction of a second formal worship service is considered desirable, but having one formal worship service does not preclude the RCUS churches from keeping the Lord’s Day holy. The report indicates that the Biblical principles of worship, teaching and fellowship are alive and well in the RCUS. It should be noted that the RCUS maintains a high view of the Sunday (Cf. HC Q&A 103, 115; RCUS Constitution IV, section 2, article 180; RCUS Constitution III, section 1,article 113).
  • 4.3.          The recommendation of the Church at Cloverdale to offer “full ecclesiastical fellowship” as a response to the request of the RCUS, dated October 20, 1997, to enter into ecclesiastical fellowship, is justified since this Church observes that the marks of the true church, as per Belgic Confession Article 29, are truly present in the RCUS. The Church at Langley agrees with this.
  • 4.4.          The issue of administration of the Lord’s supper to shut-ins is not a matter of disobedience to the Lord, but a point for further discussion, since Belgic Confession Article 35 says,“Finally, we receive this holy sacrament in the congregation of the people of God … as we together commemorate the death of Christ…”
  • 4.5.          Although there may be inconsistencies between the “Five Principles” (see position paper “Biblical Principles of Church Unity” [cf. p.49f. report CCRCUS]) and the confessional statements about the church, it must be remembered that the confessions in the RCUS are binding, while the “Biblical Principles of Church Unity” is only a position paper. Synod agrees that the RCUS would do well to bring its speaking about the church more in harmony with the language of the Three Forms of Unity; however, this inconsistency between the Position Paper and the Confessions should not be a bar to ecclesiastical fellowship but a topic for further discussion.
  • 4.6.          Although the practice of the admission of guests to the Lord’s supper table in the RCUS is not identical to our practice, the Report indicates that the table is faithfully fenced. The procedure of examining guests seeking admission to the table in the RCUS clearly shows that the RCUS does not have an open but a fenced table. The elders exercise the keys of the kingdom in a way consistent with the Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 30,Q&A 82.

5.    Recommendations

Synod decide:

  • 5.1.          To acknowledge with thankfulness to the Lord that the contacts with the RCUS have progressed in such a favourable way.
  • 5.2.          To thank the CCRCUS for its work done and the report presented.
  • 5.3.          That the matter of the Lord’s supper celebration has been resolved, since members and guests alike are admitted in accordance with Lord’s Day 30.
  • 5.4.          That the way Sunday observance is practiced in the RCUS has been discussed and cannot be a bar to ecclesiastical fellowship.
  • 5.5.          That the doctrine of the church has been adequately discussed, and though there may be differing views in the RCUS, the statements of the Three Forms of Unity alone are binding.
  • 5.6.          That the concept of erasure has been satisfactorily clarified.
  • 5.7.          Since the CRCNA has been suspended from NAPARC with agreement of the RCUS, the RCUS’ membership in this body should not hinder our relationship with the RCUS at this time.
  • 5.8.          To acknowledge with thankfulness that the RCUS stands on the basis of Scripture and the Three Forms of Unity as a faithful church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • 5.9.          That the Canadian Reformed Churches enter into ecclesiastical fellowship with the Reformed Church in the United States under the adopted rules, in response to the request of the RCUS.
  • 5.10.        To continue the contact with the RCUS by the CCCA with a mandate to continue the discussion on the issues noted in the Considerations 4.2;4.4;4.5.
  • 5.11.        To instruct the CCCA to communicate this decision and its implications to the RCUS.

An amendment was made and seconded to add to the end of 4.2: “Moreover, further discussion about matters such as shopping and going out for meals on Sunday would also be beneficial.”

The amendment was defeated. The proposal as presented was unanimously adopted.

The chairman noted that this was an historic moment and expressed gratitude that ecclesiastical fellowship could be established. The chairman requested that Hymn 36:2,5 be sung. Prayer of thanksgiving was offered. The delegate from the RCUS, Rev. G. Syms was asked to address Synod. Br. W. Gortemaker spoke in response. The written texts used for their addresses are found in the appendices.

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