06 Jul GS 2019 art 85

Posted at 14:47h in CanRC, GS 2019 by

GS 2019 Article 85 – Overture – RSE & RSW on licensure (CO article 21)

1.   Material

  • 1.1    Overtures
    • 1.1.1 Overture Regional Synod East (8.4.3) re: Licensure proposal
    • 1.1.2 Overture Regional Synod West (8.4.4) re: Licensure proposal
  • 1.2    Letter from the following church: Barrhead (8.5.11)

2. Admissibility

  • 2.1    Both overtures have followed the ecclesiastical route (CO Art. 30), therefore both overtures are admissible.

3.   Observations

  • 3.1    RSE Nov. 2018 recommends the adoption of a proposal to permit seminary students to pursue licensure following two years of study in the M.Div. program.
  • 3.2    RSW 2018 recommends the adoption of a proposal to permit seminary students to pursue licensure following two years of study in the M.Div. program.
  • 3.3    Barrhead is in full agreement with the proposal of RSW 2018.
  • 3.4    Both regional synods have submitted similar proposals that originated from the same source. However RSE 2018 has made a number of amendments making the proposals slightly different from each other.
  • 3.5    RSE Nov. 2018 (Observation h) amended the proposal of Classis Ontario West May 2018 (COW 2018), from “CRTS rejoices to be of service to the URCNA,” to “CRTS enjoys being of service to the URCNA.”
  • 3.6    RSE Nov. 2018 (Recommendation b.iv) amended the proposal of COW May 2018, from “That in the summer immediately following classical permission or licensure—whether this be after either the student’s second or third year of studies” to “That in the summer immediately following classical permission or licensure—whether this be after the student’s second or third year of studies.”
  • 3.7    RSE Nov. 2018 (Recommendation b.iv) amended the proposal of COW May 2018, from “the student must follow a summer internship during which…” to “the student must complete a summer internship during which…” 
  • 3.8    RSE Nov. 2018 (Recommendation b.v) amended the proposal of COW May 2018, from regarding the student’s progress and his suitability for ministry,” to “regarding the student’s progress and suitability for ministry.”
  • 3.9    RSE Nov. 2018 (Recommendation b.vi) amended the proposal of COW May 2018, from “That the license to speak an edifying word be valid for 12 months, with the possibility of one or two 12-month renewals if a written request is made,” to “That the license to speak an edifying word be valid for 12 months, ordinarily renewable twice if a written request is made.”
  • 3.10  According to the Acts of RSW Nov 2018, the following amendments are listed under recommendations:
    • [3.3]  To request GS 2019 to consider the following amendments to the overture:
      • [3.3.1]    Re 3.1.2.3 above: As the internship may be a way for the student to ascertain whether or not he is suited to the work, this condition should be removed;
      • [3.3.2]    Re 3.1.2.8 above: to add “…, or by a minister recommended by the Senate and appointed by the Board of Governors.”

4.   Considerations

  • 4.1    All the above amendments made by RSE Nov. 2018 are of a cosmetic nature and do nothing to change the intent of the original proposal. There are no significant improvements that justify changing the original proposal.
  • 4.2    RSW 2018 recommends that the Recommendation 3.b.viii now read, “That all other regulations remain in place, such as that new practice sermons made outside of the internship periods and before a student graduates from CRTS be subject to approval by the Professor of Ministry and Mission at CRTS, or by a minister recommended by the Senate and appointed by the Board of Governors.” Since licensure after this decision can now take place after the second year of study, the number of sermons needing approval by the Professor of Ministry and Mission at CRTS will increase significantly.
  • 4.3    RSW 2018 recommends dropping the condition that a “student desire to enter gospel ministry, if called to such by the churches” (Recommendation 3.b.iii of the overtures)  in order to receive licensure to preach. It is possible for a student to not have a desire to enter gospel ministry when they begin seminary training. However, it is not correct to receive licensure if that desire is not present.

5.   Recommendations

That Synod decide:

  • 5.1    That as part of the “general ecclesiastical regulations” of article 21 of the Church Order, the churches grant their students for the ministry the opportunity to come before a classis after they have completed two years of study in the M.Div. degree, in order to seek permission to speak an edifying word;
    • 5.1.2    That this permission or licensure be granted under the following conditions:
      • 5.1.2.1   That the student present a letter to classis from the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary (CRTS) that he has successfully completed two years of studies in an approved M.Div. program;
      • 5.1.2.2   That the student sustain an appropriate ecclesiastical exam and supply whatever documents the classis may require;
      • 5.1.2.3   That the student desire to enter gospel ministry, if called to such by the churches;
      • 5.1.2.4   That in the summer immediately following classical permission or licensure—whether this be after either the student’s second or third year of studies—the student must follow a summer internship during which he will work under a particular minister or ministers who will serve as his mentor or mentors and will approve his practice sermons prior to delivery (i.e., the licensure is initially not to be regarded as a broad permission to access all pulpits or to provide pulpit supply to vacant churches, but first of all to undergo practical training);
      • 5.1.2.5   That the mentor write a report for the Professor of Ministry and Mission at CRTS regarding the student’s progress and his suitability for ministry, while the elders, as well as any minister or seminary professors present for the student’s practice preaching, submit evaluations of the student’s preaching and leading of the worship services to the Professor of Ministry and Mission at CRTS;
      • 5.1.2.6   That the license to speak an edifying word be valid for 12 months, with the possibility of one or two 12-month renewals, if a written request is made by the student to the same classis which granted him licensure, before the 12-month period elapses;
      • 5.1.2.7   That during the academic year that follows a summer internship, CRTS students who have received permission to speak an edifying word be expected to discuss with their mentors on the CRTS faculty whether and how much to honour requests from the churches to lead the worship services and speak an edifying word (so that their mentor at CRTS may assist them with advice towards maintaining school and family obligations);
      • 5.1.2.8   That all other regulations remain in place, such as that new practice sermons made outside of the internship periods and before a student graduates from CRTS be subject to approval by the Professor of Ministry and Mission at CRTS, or by a minister recommended by the Senate and appointed by the Board of Governors;
    • 5.1.3    That General Synod mandate the Committee for Pastoral Training Program Funding:
      • 5.1.3.1   To continue with its present mandate by funding one full-summer internship for each M.Div. student of CRTS who aspires to ministry in the CanRCs, whether the internship occurs after the second or third year of a student’s studies at CRTS.

ADOPTED

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