From: Darrell128@aol.com
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 00:00:30 -0500 (EST)
Subject: NR 97025: CRC's Classis Muskegon to Vote March 6 on Admitting Church with
Woman
NR #1997-025: Christian Reformed Church's Classis Muskegon to Vote March 6 on
Admitting Church with Woman Minister
Christian Reformed conservatives convinced Synod 1996 to allow churches to
cite reasons other than geography for transferring from one classis to
another -- a compromise intended to allow conservative churches to leave
classes that allowed women's ordination and give them an alternative to
secession. Now the compromise drafted in response to conservative opponents
of women's ordination may be used to allow the ordination of a woman pastor
who once agreed with those opponents.Since 1994, Mary-Lee Bouma has served as
the unordained pastor of Trinity Christian Reformed Church on the campus of
Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant. Although Bouma followed Rev.
Ruth Hofman of First CRC in Toronto as the second woman to serve as the
full-time pastor of a CRC congregation, her classis, mostly composed of rural
farm churches, has twice voted to refuse to allow women's ordination. After
the second refusal last fall, one of Bouma's supporters in the classis
persuaded the delegates to vote in favor of a motion to grant the classis'
blessing should her church desire to transfer to a classis which would allow
her ordination. If Bouma's church is successful, it will persuade Classis
Muskegon to admit them at its March 6 meeting at 9 am at Fellowship CRC in
Big Rapids.
NR #1997-025: For Immediate Release
Christian Reformed Church's Classis Muskegon to Vote March 6 on Admitting
Church With Woman Minister
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
(February 28, 1996) URNS -- Christian Reformed conservatives convinced Synod
1996 to allow churches to cite reasons other than geography for transferring
from one classis to another -- a compromise intended to allow conservative
churches to leave classes that allowed women's ordination and give them an
alternative to secession. Now the compromise drafted in response to
conservative opponents of women's ordination may be used to allow the
ordination of a woman pastor who once agreed with those opponents.
Since 1994, Mary-Lee Bouma has served as the unordained pastor of Trinity
Christian Reformed Church on the campus of Central Michigan University in Mt.
Pleasant. Although Bouma followed Rev. Ruth Hofman of First CRC in Toronto as
the second woman to serve as the full-time pastor of a CRC congregation, her
classis, mostly composed of rural farm churches, has twice voted to refuse to
allow women's ordination. After the second refusal last fall, one of Bouma's
supporters in the classis persuaded the delegates to vote in favor of a
motion to grant the classis' blessing should her church desire to transfer to
a classis which would allow her ordination. If Bouma's church is successful,
it will persuade Classis Muskegon to admit them at its March 6 meeting at 9
am at Fellowship CRC in Big Rapids.
According to Bouma, her church actively investigated joining Classis
Muskegon and Classis Lake Erie -- two Michigan-area classes with a long
history of support for the ordination of women -- and finally decided to join
Muskegon rather than Lake Erie due to the closer distance. Although the
closest CRC congregation to Mt. Pleasant is the Saginaw CRC one hour away in
Classis Lake Erie, most of the Lake Erie churches are much farther away in
the metro Detroit area and scattered through Ohio. By contrast, Muskegon is
two hours from Mt. Pleasant -- a shorter distance than Bouma now drives to
some meetings of Classis Northern Michigan.
"It was really a good geographical choice," said Bouma. "Both Lake Erie and
Muskegon were kind and gracious and we really made our decision based on
geography. Both classes were on record as having been for women's ordination,
both classes are interested in the full ministry of deacons and elders which
appealed to us. We liked the ministry spirit in both classes."
Even though Classis Muskegon meetings will be closer than some Classis
Northern Michigan meetings, Bouma said her church had no desire to leave its
current classis and still hoped for reconciliation.
"We asked them for pastoral advice and they advised us to join another
classis. We feel we were pushed out, although we understand that the person
who pushed this wanted to allow freedom for us," said Bouma. "Even at this
point we would be glad if Northern Michigan would change their mind and let
us stay."
Rev. Leonard Troast, chairman of the Classis Muskegon interim committee,
said he didn't want to predict the classis vote but didn't anticipate
difficulty with the Trinity Mt. Pleasant request. "Classis will be open to
Mt. Pleasant joining, is my personal guess," said Troast. "Classis will not
have a problem with it because we don't have a problem with women in all of
the offices."
"We have an number of churches that have women deacons and we also have a
number of churches that have women elders," said Troast. "Having women serve
in those positions makes us more well-rounded."
Bouma -- who was opposed to women's ordination when she first entered
seminary and used to tell her female friends who wanted to be ordained that
they were sinning against God -- said she didn't see herself as a crusader
for women's issues or a role model for future women pastors.
"I don't tend to militate for women going into the ministry," said Bouma. "I
think it's great when women go into the ministry, I think it's great when men
go into the ministry. I just think it's great when people use the gifts God
has given them. I just want us, as a local congregation, not to be hindered."
Bouma -- whose positions on other theological issues are still conservative
by Christian Reformed standards, said she didn't have a problem with saying
Scripture is inerrant and that it has a clear position on women in office.
Unlike those opposing women's ordination, however, Bouma says Scripture
clearly favors women's ordination.
"I think the New Testament is very clear that we, men and women, will be
ruling with Christ someday," said Bouma. "I'm a Reformed person who believes
that Scripture teaches a creation, fall, and redemption, and I believe in the
created order in Genesis 1-3 we see God telling men and women to take care of
his world and in the fall in Genesis 3 when men and women are faced with the
consequences of sin, those results, except for the curse of the ground and
the curse of the snake, fall on both."
How does Bouma reconcile her views with her belief in the inerrancy of
Genesis 3's declaration that Eve's husband "will rule over" her and and I
Timothy 2's declaration, citing the fall of Adam and Eve as proof, that "I do
not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be
silent"?
"When that passage in Genesis says men should rule over women it is a
description of the consequences of sin, not prescriptions for the way things
should be," said Bouma.
"The first recorded sermon in the New Testament after Christ's resurrection
is Peter quoting the prophesy of Joel about how men and women will all be
filled with the Holy Spirit and will speak," said Bouma. "The Holy Spirit now
comes on every Christian believer and comes to live and dwell in power."
Bouma's arguments didn't convince Classis Northern Michigan that it should
allow the ordination of a woman pastor who affirms both inerrancy and women
in office. On March 6, however, she hopes her church will have an easier time
with Classis Muskegon.
Cross-References to Related Articles:
#1994-043: Second Woman Pastor to Serve Christian Reformed Church; Mary-Lee
Bouma to "teach, expound the Word of God, and provide pastoral care" as an
unordained solo pastor of Trinity CRC, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
#1996-026: Northern Michigan: No Ordination for Mary-Lee Bouma
#1996-076: CRC Synod Rejects 25 Overtures and Communications Calling for End
to Classical Option on Ordination of Women
#1996-077: Churches Allowed to Switch Classes for Theological Reasons
#1996-101: Northern Michigan Nixes Ordination for Mary-Lee Bouma
Contact List:
Miss Mary-Lee Bouma, Expounder, Trinity Christian Reformed Church
211 W. Broomfield, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
O: (517) 772-0664 * H: (517) 772-1029
Rev. Merlin Buwalda, Pastor, Lake City Christian Reformed Church
403 John St., Box 659, Lake City, MI 49651
O: (616) 839-4978 * H: (616) 839-4424 * FAX: (616) 839-3099
Rev. Andrew Cammenga, Pastor, Escondido Christian Reformed Church
1850 N. Broadway, Escondido, CA 92026
H/O/FAX: (619) 745-2324 * E-Mail: ACAMMENGA@aol.com
Rev. Kenneth Nydam, Jr., Pastor, Cadillac Christian Reformed Church
509 E. Garfield, Cadillac, MI 49601
O: (616) 775-5291 * H: (616) 775-5914
Rev. Leonard Troast, Interim Committee Chairman, Classis Muskegon
679 Brook Ridge Dr., Muskegon, MI 49441
O: (616) 737-5207 * H: (616) 798-0155
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
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