From: Darrell128@aol.com
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 19:24:10 -0500 (EST)
Subject: NR 124: CRC Board of Trustees Removes Homosexuality Study Committee Member
for Pro-Gay Views
NR #1996-124: Christian Reformed Board of Trustees Removes Homosexuality
Study Committee Member for Pro-Gay Views
Don Bergman and his wife Carmen hoped the experience of learning that their
son is gay would help him bring a sense of understanding and compassion to a
committee established by the 1996 Christian Reformed synod to study ministry
to persons who are homosexual. Instead, a year-old letter written by Bergman
supporting his son's desire to find a life partner has cost him his seat on
the study committee. Those views weren't acceptable to CRC general secretary
Dr. David Engelhard, who learned about Bergman's letter only after his
appointment by the CRC Board of Trustees had been announced in a letter sent
to all classical stated clerks for distribution to all CRC church councils.
"After the board met in September, I received a document [Bergman] sent to
the committee on homosexuality of Classis Grand Rapids East; in that document
he's fairly critical of the church's position against monogamous homosexual
relationships, he says quite bluntly in there that the church's stand is
wrong," said Engelhard. Engelhard said that to his knowledge the Christian
Reformed denomination had never before removed a member from one of its study
committees due to his theological views.
NR #1996-124: For Immediate Release
Christian Reformed Board of Trustees Removes Homosexuality Study Committee
Member for Pro-Gay Views
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (December 11, 1996) URNS -- Don Bergman and his wife Carmen
hoped the experience of learning that their son is gay would help him bring a
sense of understanding and compassion to a committee established by the 1996
Christian Reformed synod to study ministry to persons who are homosexual.
Instead, a year-old letter written by Bergman supporting his son's desire to
find a life partner has cost him his seat on the study committee.
"I encouraged my son to remain celibate and when he said 'I don't have the
gift to remain celibate,' the rules are the same," said Bergman, describing
the contents of the disputed letter. "The conclusion was to find one person
for a relationship, and that was the context, commitment first, then
passion."
Those views weren't acceptable to CRC general secretary Dr. David Engelhard,
who learned about Bergman's letter only after his appointment by the CRC
Board of Trustees had been announced in a letter sent to all classical stated
clerks for distribution to all CRC church councils.
"After the board met in September, I received a document [Bergman] sent to
the committee on homosexuality of Classis Grand Rapids East; in that document
he's fairly critical of the church's position against monogamous homosexual
relationships, he says quite bluntly in there that the church's stand is
wrong," said Engelhard. "There were a couple of other things in that document
that raised some questions in my mind about whether he could and should
continue to serve."
Engelhard contacted Bergman and verified that while he felt parts of his
letter were overly strong he still held substantially the same position on
the permissibility of committed homosexual relationships. Engelhard then
reported the matter to the executive committee of the denominational Board of
Trustees. "In a meeting of the executive committee of the Board of Trustees
when they appointed the additional members I raised that matter with them and
it was their judgment, as it was mine, that it would be better that he not
serve on a committee of this sort," said Engelhard.
Engelhard said the concern focussed on two points in Bergman's letter, one
being "his own encouragement that his son find somebody with whom he could
have a committed homosexual relationship."
"The other thing is in the document he says that general revelation had led
him to come in conflict with the teachings of the church on special
revelation regarding whether a person can undo or come out of a homosexual
orientation or alter his homosexuality," said Engelhard.
Engelhard said that to his knowledge the Christian Reformed denomination had
never before removed a member from one of its study committees due to his
theological views.
"This is very unusual," said Engelhard, noting that the committee was itself
formed by an unusual procedure after synod rejected a motion from the floor
to place celibate gay minister Rev. Jim Lucas on the committee, resulting in
questions being raised about the views of other committee members. Synod 1996
finally sent the matter of committee membership to the Board of Trustees, spec
ifying that the committee must do its work "in a manner consistent with the
decisions of Synod 1973." Synod 1973 encouraged ministry to homosexuals but
noted that Scripture clearly forbids explicit homosexual practice. The same
Board of Trustees report that announced Bergman's appointment also announced
a board recommendation that "delegates to synod will be given opportunity to
suggest nominees to the advisory committee, but no new nominees will be
accepted from the floor when a committee is recommended."
"The committees are normally adopted by synod where the advisory committee
of synod recommends, the officers of synod review, and the synod appoints,"
said Engelhard. "When this came to the floor of synod it ran into some
difficulty and consequently since we were coming to the end of synod it was
decided to refer the motion to the Board of Trustees."
Bergman, who has taught for over two decades at Kalamazoo Christian,
declined to confirm reports that he could face dismissal from the school if
he publicly contradicted the official Christian Reformed synodical position
that gay marriages are not permitted by Scripture, but did confirm that his
teaching contract had been revised as result of his views on homosexuality.
Bergman also noted that the disputed letter to the study committee of Classis
Grand Rapids East predated the addendum to his contract.
"The original contract has an addendum that no other teacher has," said
Bergman. "If [the principal] asks me to release the addendum, I will agree to
it, but I will not release it without his permission."
Kalamazoo Christian principal Larry Baker declined comment.
Others at Kalamazoo Christian were more willing to comment, but requested
that their names not be used. "In the beginning of the year he explained that
his son was gay, to clear it up," said one of Bergman's students, noting that
she did not know that Bergman's son was gay until he disclosed that
information to his classes this past August. "He didn't try to say it was
wrong or it was right, he just explained that his son was gay, and the
judgment was in God's eyes and it was not for us to judge."
Contacted for comment, students consistently confirmed that Bergman had
never contradicted the CRC's stance on homosexuality in classroom discussions
and expressed surprise that his views on homosexuality had led to his
dismissal from a synodical study committee.
The news also came as a surprise to Kalamazoo Christian parents. "You wonder
how the synod puts people on these committees," said one parent who has known
Bergman since his own days in high school. "You would think they would know
what they are doing and when they don't you've got to wonder."
News of Bergman's termination didn't sit will with Pastor George Vander
Weit, stated clerk of Classis Lake Erie which has submitted overtures asking
synod to respect denominational diversity in such areas as ethnicity, gender,
and theological orientation.
"I think it's the wrong decision but I already said that on the floor of
synod," said Vander Weit. "I said about Jim Lucas, quoting your news article,
'I think it's very valuable to have him on the committee if we're really
serious about being sensitive to the struggles of homosexual members.' My
position hasn't changed."
"We make wonderful claims about our desire to ascertain truth and then we
make sure that we exclude from our committees those who see things
differently than we do," said Vander Weit. "We like to say that we can
accomplish the very same thing by interviewing people, by calling them in for
an interview, and that was said on the floor of synod, and that is helpful,
but it's better to have a person like that in the committee itself for the
give-and-take of the committee and to correct or at least to voice his
opinion on things that are being said rather than hauling him in after the
committee has more or less made up its mind."
Nevertheless, Vander Weit said Bergman's termination may have been
inevitable. "Synod specifically indicated that it wanted people on that
committee who agreed with the 1973 decision," said Vander Weit. "If this guy
couldn't assent to Synod 1973 the Board of Trustees had no choice but to say
he couldn't serve. The Board of Trustees can only carry that decision out."
While disappointed that he will not be able to serve on the committee,
Bergman said his removal caused him no anger toward the denomination in which
he has been a lifelong member.
"I'm not upset or angry or resentful about their decision," said Bergman. "I
do hope I have some opportunity to spend some time before the committee."
According to committee chairman Dr. Melvin Hugen, professor of pastoral care
at Calvin Theological Seminary, the committee will be seeking input from
people with a variety of theological positions although it will continue to
work within the framework of the CRC's 23-year-old position opposing
homosexual practice. "We will attempt to give more specific guidance to
consistories, classes, and perhaps the denomination on how to structure and
implement ministries to persons who are homosexual and educating the church
in changing some of her attitudes toward persons who are homosexual," said
Hugen.
Among the attitudes Hugen said he hoped the church would change was "the
rejection of people simply on the basis of their homosexual orientation from
full participation in the life of the church."
In addition to Hugen, the committee membership will consist of Mrs. Rose
Alons, a Wisconsin mother whose son died of AIDS; Pastor Mary-Lee Bouma of
Trinity CRC in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan; Rev. Corky DeBoer of Orland Park (IL)
CRC; Dr. John Kreeft, a physician in London, Ontario, and chair of a
committee at First CRC in London studying homosexuality on the local level;
Rev. Yong-Ju Oh of Han-Bit Korean CRC in Rochester Hills, Michigan; Rev.
Herman Van Niejenhuis of Willowdale CRC in Toronto and member of a Classis
Toronto homosexuality study committee; Dr. Robert Van Noord, a clinical
psychiatrist in Grand Rapids; and Rev. Gerald Zandstra, chair of a Classis
Grand Rapids East homosexuality study committee.
Cross-References to Related Articles:
#1995-100: Grand Rapids East Attempts Compromise on Question of How to
Minister to Christian Reformed Gays
#1995-101: Text of Classis Grand Rapids East Study Committee Report on
Ministry with Persons who are Homosexual
#1995-113: Calvin Seminary Professors Urge Classis Grand Rapids East to
Affirm CRC Synod's Ruling that Homosexual Practice is Sin
#1995-114: Text of Calvin Seminary Faculty Letter on Homosexuality
#1996-010: Classis Grand Rapids East Follows Calvin Seminary Faculty Urgings;
Reaffirms 1973 CRC Position on Homosexuality
#1996-081: Tempers Flare as Christian Reformed Synod Appoints Committee to
Restudy Homosexuality
Contact List:
Mr. Larry Baker, Principal, Kalamazoo Christian High School
234 Stuart, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
O: (616) 381-2250
Mr. Don Bergman, Teacher, Kalamazoo Christian High School
2112 Stadium Dr., Kalamazoo, MI 49007
O: (616) 381-2250 * H: (616) 381-6975
Miss Mary-Lee Bouma, Expounder, Trinity Christian Reformed Church
211 W. Broomfield, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
O: (517) 772-0664
Rev. Corky De Boer, Pastor, Orland Park Christian Reformed Church
7536 W. Sycamore Dr., Orland Park, IL 60462
O: (708) 532-4900 * H: (708) 532-4954 * FAX: (708) 532-4971
Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North
America
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560
O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 * E-Mail:
engelhad@crcnet.mhs.compuserve.com
Dr. Melvin D. Hugen, Professor of Pastoral Care, Calvin Theological Seminary
3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4387
O: (616) 957-6025 * H: (616) 942-0001 * FAX: (616) 957-8621
Rev. Jim Lucas, Chaplain, As We ARE
PO Box 7824, Grand Rapids, MI 49510
O: (616) 456-6174 * E-Mail: JimLucas12@aol.com
Rev. Yong-Ju Oh, Pastor, Han-Bit Korean Christian Reformed Church
2642 Aspen Lane, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
O: (810) 642-6240 * H: (810) 335-3393
Pastor George Vander Weit, Stated Clerk, Classis Lake Erie
2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084
O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: northhills@juno.com
Rev. Herman Van Niejenhuis, Pastor, Willowdale Christian Reformed Church
76 Chelmsford Ave., Willowdale, ON M2R 2W4
O: (416) 221-7829 * H: (416) 221-9671
Rev. Gerald Zandstra, Pastor, Seymour Christian Reformed Church
1901 Pokogon Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
O: (616) 245-8726
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