From: Darrell128@aol.com
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 01:13:31 -0500 (EST)
Subject: NR 97019: RCA Classes Poised to Vote: Is Salvation Through Christ Alone?
NR #1997-019: Reformed Church in America Classes Poised to Vote on Church
Order Change: Should All RCA Ministers and Churches Annually Reaffirm that
Salvation is Through Christ Alone?
A controversial and potentially divisive amendment to the Reformed Church in
America's Book of Church Order is about to hit the denomination's 46 regional
classes. If passed by two-thirds of the classes and ratified at this summer's
General Synod, the Reformed Church in America will require each of its
ministers and churches to inform classis on whether "the doctrines of the
gospel [are] preached in your church in their purity in conformity with...
the truth that divine redemption from sin is only by grace through faith in
the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the only mediator between
God and humankind."
NR #1997-019: For Immediate Release
Reformed Church in America Classes Poised to Vote on Church Order Change:
Should All RCA Ministers and Churches Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is
Through Christ Alone?
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
(February 14, 1997) URNS -- A controversial and potentially divisive
amendment to the Reformed Church in America's Book of Church Order is about
to hit the denomination's 46 regional classes. If passed by two-thirds of the
classes and ratified at this summer's General Synod, the Reformed Church in
America will require each of its ministers and churches to inform classis on
whether "the doctrines of the gospel [are] preached in your church in their
purity in conformity with... the truth that divine redemption from sin is
only by grace through faith in the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ
alone, the only mediator between God and humankind."
If ratified, the new question would follow up on two "constitutional
inquiries" that each RCA classis is already required to ask each year to all
ministers and elder delegates to classis. Currently, each church must inform
classis on whether the doctrines of the gospel are preached in conformity
with "the Word of God" and "the Standards of the Reformed Church in America,"
namely, the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, and Canons of Dort.
Passage of the church order amendment is by no means assured. In RCA polity,
amendments to the church order are proposed by a simple majority of the
delegates at one General Synod and go into effect only if approved by a
two-thirds majority of the classes and a simple majority of the delegates at
the next General Synod. The proposal to explicitly require ministers and
churches to answer whether they preach that salvation is only through Christ
was adopted by a 148-112 majority at the 1996 General Synod. The required
ratification by two-thirds of the classes has previously stopped other highly
controversial church order amendments -- including women in office, which was
only allowed in the RCA after the General Synod refused to discipline
churches and classes which ordained women despite the failure of efforts to
get the necessary 2/3 majority of classes to ratify the church order changes
to explicitly allow women to be ordained.
RCA classes normally vote on church order amendments at their spring regular
meetings. While a few classes are scheduled to meet in February and others
will not meet until May, most RCA classes hold their spring regular meetings
during the month of March.
The church order amendment originated with an overture from the Classis of
Northern Michigan, which explicitly cited articles in the Grand Rapids Press
on Rev. Richard Rhem of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, as
grounds for its overture.
"Those in the RCA teaching heterodoxy (that there are other ways to
salvation besides Jesus Christ and that salvation is possible in Christ
without saving faith) are disrupting the unity of the RCA by bringing in
destructive heresies which cannot be tolerated if Christians are to be loyal
to the Lord Jesus Christ," stated the Northern Michigan overture. "It is the
duty of modern-day church elders to protect the church from false teaching."
Although passed by a slim majority, the church order amendment was followed
by a number of even stronger recommendations at the 1996 General Synod.
Acting on an overture from the Classis of California, the RCA adopted a
strongly worded statement "joyfully and gladly" reaffirming that "God's work
in Christ alone reveals the deepest truths about God, our life, and our
world. God's work in Christ alone saves all who believe. Indeed, there is
salvation in no one else, as the Old and New Testaments themselves teach."
A similar overture from the Regional Synod of Mid-America was considered
answered by the response to the California overture. Responding to a related
California overture, the RCA's General Synod also voted to "reaffirm the
historic position of the Reformed Church in America that the Bible is the
Word of God, our only rule of faith and practice, as articulated by the
Belgic Confession and interpreted by the 1963 General Synod adoption of a
'Revised Declaration on Holy Scripture.'"
"Part of this that's a little unusual is not that there's theological
debate, but that there would be a change in the questions a congregation is
asked to respond to each year," said RCA communications coordinator Rev.
Wayne Antworth. "Adding another question to that is a bit unusual."
Antworth noted that passage of the church order amendment wouldn't
necessarily mean that those who disagreed would be disciplined since each
classis would have to decide how it would process negative replies to the
constitutional inquiries. "It is the classis that is always responsible for
supervising a minister in his doctrine and life," said Antworth.
While the additional constitutional question could result in questioning the
credentials of many additional RCA ministers, at least two RCA ministers are
already in the disciplinary process. Rhem, the minister whose teachings
touched off the controversy, will next be dealt with at a February 21 hearing
before the Overtures and Judicial Business committee of the Regional Synod of
the Great Lakes which will determine how to proceed on an unrelated charge of
"gross sexual misconduct" that so far has not been substantiated by the
classis or the regional synod. The appeal of retired Kalamazoo minister Rev.
Don Van Hoeven, who was formally rebuked by the Classis of Southwest Michigan
for a Kalamazoo Gazette article expressing agreement with Rhem's theological
position, has already been advanced to the Regional Synod Assembly with a
recommendation that his appeal be dismissed.
Cross-References to Related Articles:
#1996-013: Special Meeting of RCA's Muskegon Classis Discusses Homosexuality,
Scripture, Salvation Apart from Christ
#1996-023: Muskegon RCA Classis: No Room for Pastor Questioning Salvation
Apart from Christ, Authority of Scripture
#1996-086: Muskegon Classis Rebukes Rhem for "Heretical" Views, Restarts
Negotiations "to Reach a Mutually Acceptable Separation Agreement" with
Christ Community Church
#1996-091: Rhem Conflict Leads to Homosexuality Debate in Muskegon
#1996-092: Back to the Drawing Board: Muskegon Classis Tables Proposed
Settlement with Pastor of RCA's Fourth-Largest Church
#1996-093: Dr. Jonathan Gerstner on Rhem: "Tragedy is the Only Word"
#1996-094: Second RCA Minister Faces Discipline for Theological Views
#1996-103: Classis Muskegon Averts Heresy Trial, Completes Separation
Agreement with Richard Rhem, Christ Community Church
#1996-110: Appeal Stalls Settlement Agreement on Rev. Richard Rhem; Protests
Greet Upcoming Rhem Keynote Speech for RCA Regional Synod of the
Mid-Atlantics on "The Church in Conflict... Can Non-Believers be Saved?"
#1996-118: Rhem to Reformed Church in America: "The Bible is a Wax Nose"
#1997-001: Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional
Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against
Richard Rhem
#1997-002: Rhem's Attorney Responds: "Classis... Has Engaged in
Conspiratorial Actions Which Were Maliciously Calculated to Damage Rev.
Richard Rhem and Christ Community Church"
#1997-007: Appeal of Charges Against Rhem Sent Back to Committee by RCA's
Regional Synod Executive Committee; Van Hoeven Appeal to Proceed with
Recommendation of Dismissal
Contact List:
Rev. E. Wayne Antworth, Director, RCA Stewardship & Communication Services
475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115
O: (212) 870-2954 * FAX: (212) 870-2499
Roger W. Boer, Esq., Partner, Rhoades, McKee, Boer, Goodrich & Titta,
Attorneys at Law
161 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 600, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2793
O: (616) 235-3500 * FAX: (616) 459-5102
Rev. Richard Rhem, Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church
225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456
O: (616) 842-1985 * H: (616) 846-7777 * F: (616) 842-3476
Rev. Donald Van Hoeven
1024 Westfall, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 * H: (616) 381-8586
Rev. Richard Veenstra, Classis Minister, Classis of Muskegon (RCA)
17432 North Shore Estates Rd., Spring Lake, MI 49456
O: (616) 788-2321 * H: (616) 842-0454
Rev. Sherwin Weener, Synod Minister, Regional Synod of the Great Lakes
4500 - 60th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
O: (616) 698-7071 * H: (616) 457-3572
Ron Zoet, Director of Operations, Christ Community Church
225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456
O: (616) 842-1985 * F: (616) 842-3476
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