Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 23:37:30 -0500
From: Darrell Todd Maurina <Darrell128@aol.com>
Organization: Christian Renewal/United Reformed News Service
Subject: NR 99025: Classis Chicago South Criticizes Hope CRC's
Homosexuality Conference
NR #1999-025: Classis Chicago South Criticizes Hope Church's
Homosexuality Conference but Won't Require Pastors to Explain Views
After a Chicago-area Christian Reformed church touched off
nearly a year of controversy by sponsoring a conference on
homosexuality, Classis Chicago South has voted to declare that "the
conference did not provide for the proclamation of the Christian
Reformed position on homosexual acts." However, the classis rejected a
request to require two ordained ministers involved in the conference "to
explain to classis their belief and teaching on chastity and to state
clearly whether or not they believe and teach that all homosexual erotic
acts are unchaste." The "Conference of Hope," held in April 1998 and
sponsored by Hope CRC of Oak Forest, Illinois, led to a number of
complaints by Chicago churches, informal meetings between pastors and
church councils, and a formal call to rebuke the sponsoring church,
pastor, and organizers of the conference. Among the protesters is Rev.
David Feddes, who as the broadcast minister for the English language
radio and television ministry of the 275,000-member denomination, is one
of the most-recognized names on the CRC's ministerial roll. Feddes'
church, Faith CRC of Tinley Park, submitted a strongly-worded overture
to Classis Chicago South's fall meeting which was tabled until an
advisory committee could evaluate the overture and submit
recommendations for classis' March 4 meeting.
NR #1999-025: For Immediate Release:
Classis Chicago South Criticizes Hope Church's Homosexuality Conference
but Won't Require Pastors to Explain Views
* Classis: Homosexuality conference "failed to adequately reflect the
biblical and confessional standards of the Christian Reformed Church;
furthermore, some comments contradicted sound teaching and godly
conduct."
by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer
United Reformed News Service
OAK LAWN, ILL. (March 4, 1999) URNS - After a Chicago-area Christian
Reformed church touched off nearly a year of controversy by sponsoring a
conference on homosexuality, Classis Chicago South has voted to declare
that "the conference did not provide for the proclamation of the
Christian Reformed position on homosexual acts." However, the classis
rejected a request to require two ordained ministers involved in the
conference "to explain to classis their belief and teaching on chastity
and to state clearly whether or not they believe and teach that all
homosexual erotic acts are unchaste."
The "Conference of Hope," held in April 1998 and sponsored by
Hope CRC of Oak Forest, Illinois, led to a number of complaints by
Chicago churches, informal meetings between pastors and church councils,
and a formal call to rebuke the sponsoring church, pastor, and
organizers of the conference. Among the protesters is Rev. David Feddes,
who as the broadcast minister for the English language radio and
television ministry of the 275,000-member denomination, is one of the
most-recognized names on the CRC's ministerial roll. Feddes' church,
Faith CRC of Tinley Park, submitted a strongly-worded overture to
Classis Chicago South's fall meeting which was tabled until an advisory
committee could evaluate the overture and submit recommendations for
classis' March 4 meeting.
While the decision adopted by classis was a compromise, Feddes
said he wasn't opposed to the final vote. "Overall, I'm not entirely
displeased, the attempt to weaken it failed, the attempt to strengthen
it succeeded," said Feddes.
Classical Actions Criticize Hope Church, Reaffirm Christian Reformed
Stance on Homosexuality
The motion finally adopted by classis declared that the
homosexuality conference "failed to adequately reflect the biblical and
confessional standards of the Christian Reformed Church" and further
declared that "some comments contradicted sound teaching and godly
conduct." As grounds, classis noted that "conference speakers allowed or
to some degree promoted the full inclusion and participation in the
church by sexually active homosexual couples" and noted that "while the
conference did promote several pastoral guidelines adopted by Synod
1973, the conference failed to adequately reflect the biblical and
confessional standards of the Christian Reformed Church; furthermore,
some comments contradicted sound teaching and godly conduct."
Classis also adopted language from its advisory committee report
reaffirming the CRC's official position - in place since 1973 - that
homosexual acts are wrong, voted to "encourage all congregations, when
discussing homosexuality, to express the full spectrum of pastoral
guidelines articulated by that same synod," and notes that the Hope CRC
conference "did not provide for the proclamation of the Christian
Reformed position regarding homosexual orientation or homosexualism"
although it did promote "several pastoral guidelines adopted by Synod
1973."
That's not the way the motion started. Classis dealt with two
attempts to amend the motion: a failed attempt to delete the statement
that Hope CRC's conference didn't "promote sound teaching and godly
conduct" and a successful attempt to strengthen the motion by
specifically declaring that the conference not only didn't "promote" but
also actually "contradicted" sound teaching and godly conduct.
However, classis also cited procedural grounds in following the
advice of its advisory committee to reject a number of strongly worded
statements that the conference "repeatedly contradicted the Christian
Reformed Church's biblical teaching that all homosexual acts are sinful
and under divine judgment (Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9),"
"undermined the admonition and discipline of other congregations and
church councils," "damaged the unity of the church," and "wronged
homosexual persons by portraying as a healthy, holy way of life a road
which in fact leads to destruction."
The Tinley Park church had also asked classis to require Rev.
William Lenters and Dr. Marvin Hoogland, two ordained Christian Reformed
ministers whose membership is held by Hope CRC and who spoke at the
conference, "to explain to classis their belief and teaching on chastity
and to state clearly whether or not they believe and teach that all
homosexual erotic acts are unchaste," citing as grounds that Lenters and
Hoogland "have made statements which raise concern that they endorse
homosexual coupling and thus contradict the biblical and confessional
standard of chastity." Two related sections asked classis "to admonish
the Hope CRC council to reaffirm that all homosexual erotic acts are
sinful and to acknowledge to classis the conference's errors," and "to
urge the council of Hope CRC to require clarification and accountability
from individual members and officebearers from Hope who organized and/or
spoke at the conference in ways that seemed to be at odds with the
biblical and denominational position."
According to the advisory committee, such additional inquiries
are unnecessary because the Hope CRC council gave written notice that
"our pastor and the associate pastors of Hope Church affirm the [CRC
homosexuality synodical] decision of 1973, particularly the pastoral
implications" and has reviewed the statements "by individual members and
officebearers from Hope who organized and/or spoke at the conference in
ways that seem to be at odds with the biblical and denominational
position." The advisory committee also objected that "following Jesus'
principle for reconciliation found in Matthew 18:15, we believe that the
Faith council should seek to enter personal conversation about their
concerns with both Rev. Lenters and Rev. Hoogland before bringing the
issue to the floor of classis in the form of an overture."
Classical Debate Strengthens Compromise Language
Hope CRC didn't like the section of the classical advisory
committee report stating that the church's conference "did not promote
sound teaching or godly conduct," and Rev. Corky De Boer of Orland Park
CRC moved to strike that phrase from the advisory committee's report.
"If you leave that phrase in there, the implication is we were
at that conference promoting unsound teaching and ungodly conduct, and I
don't think that's fair," said Rev. William Lenters, pastor of Hope CRC
at the time of the conference.
"I want to speak to the intent of the conference," said Dr.
Michael De Vries, consistory chairman of Hope CRC. "Our intent was not
to focus on the doctrinal standards of the Christian Reformed Church,
our intent was to respond pastorally to homosexuals, so I'm not sure it
follows that we failed to promote sound teaching or godly conduct."
Rev. Sam Hamstra, Jr., chairman of the advisory committee, said
the intent of the committee was a bit different from how it had been
interpreted. "We did not make any judgment on the conference itself, we
stayed with the overture and evaluated it from a church order
perspective," said Hamstra. "The amendment of this phrase is really at
the heart of the overture, and I'm glad for this discussion."
Both Feddes and classical stated clerk Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel
argued that a statement declaring that Hope CRC's conference "did not
promote sound teaching or godly conduct" is essential to the overture.
"[Deletion] takes the heart out of the first recommendation," said
Vanden Heuvel. "The intent of the committee was to say this not only did
not reflect the Bible and the confessional standards, but also did not
promote sound teaching or godly conduct."
Feddes went further in his objections, citing statements made at
the conference by former Hope CRC pastor Rev. William Lenters, Hope CRC
consistory chairman Dr. Michael De Vries, and former Washington (DC) CRC
pastor Rev. Jack Reiffer.
"It concerns me somewhat when the committee says it made no
effort to evaluate the conference but only the overture; it does need to
be said that the conference did more than listen," said Feddes. "Dr. De
Vries was not just listening. He said at one point, 'I hope that Jack
Reiffer's optimistic predictions about the future come true and that
maybe I'm wrong.' The only predictions I heard Rev. Reiffer make were
that 'There will be a day when there are gay people - I mean, openly gay
people - serving as officebearers in our denomination, and some of them
will be couples who are in committed relationships. I know that's going
to happen.' Rev. Reiffer also said that 'my prediction is that we will
come to realize that for many gay people there are more options than
simply trying to change or get fixed or cured or healed and to live
sexually abstinent lives, that one of the legitimate possibilities is to
enter into committed relationships, and we will find the way to explain
that."
"Perhaps Dr. De Vries could explain that comment, that he was
trying to do more than listen, he was trying to evaluate," said Feddes,
who also noted that De Vries criticized the Exodus network of ex-gay
ministries which seek to bring homosexuals to repentance, said that he
is "troubled by the fact that [Dr. Melvin Hugen], a seminary professor
in the Christian Reformed Church, would make a public statement
supporting conversion therapy," and denied that it was possible for most
homosexuals to change their orientation.
Feddes also noted that Lenters said his brother-in-law "is
living in California with an ex-priest, and his marriage is going well,
and I thank God for blessing him."
"I don't think believe we can thank God for living in and doing
what the Bible calls detestable practices," said Feddes.
Neither of Hope CRC's delegates to classis appreciated Feddes'
statements.
"I have a tough time saying that God is not blessing people; if
we think all of God's blessing is going to people who we think are
fitting the mold, we've missed the boat," said Elder Jim Hofman. "God's
blessing goes far beyond what our small Christian Reformed denomination
can hold. Are we going to make moral judgments on people who don't see
things precisely the way we do?"
De Vries took up Feddes' invitation to explain his views, noting
that he is trained as a clinical psychologist, teaches at Trinity
Christian College and practices at the Chicago Christian Counseling
Center, and doesn't see a statistical basis for supporting the
proposition that conversion therapy helps most gays change their
orientation.
"Our intent was to listen and be educated, and to listen and be
educated means we need to listen to a variety of viewpoints," said De
Vries. "We are aware that not everyone who spoke at the conference
articulated the position of the Christian Reformed Church, but that was
to some extent our intention."
After the failure of the effort to delete the statement that the
Hope CRC conference "did not promote sound teaching or godly conduct,"
Rev. Neil Jasperse of Hessel Park CRC of Champaign, Illinois, moved to
amend the language by stating that "some comments contradicted sound
teaching and godly conduct."
"If I understand what the amendment is, I think I have no
difficulty supporting it," said De Vries. "I said very early in this
debate that we acknowledged that some of what was said did not agree
with the position of the Christian Reformed Church."
The advisory committee chairman expressed caution about the
statement. "I would be very uncomfortable saying 'some comments,' since
any conference has some comments that do not reflect the position of
those who sponsor it," said Hamstra.
"Would Sam [Hamstra] be happier with 'most speakers' or 'most
comments?'" asked Feddes, leading to laughter in the audience. "This is
not just 'some speakers,' fourteen out of fifteen speakers contradicted
the Christian Reformed position."
Jasperse's amendment passed in a slightly modified form.
Classis then moved on to the other recommendations of the
advisory committee, which rejected each of the Faith CRC's other points.
The rejection of Faith CRC's proposal to require Dr. Marvin
Hoogland and Rev. Bill Lenters to further explain their views attracted
the most criticism - mostly because of the ground stating that
"following Jesus' principle for reconciliation found in Matthew 18:15,
we believe that the Faith council should seek to enter personal
conversation about their concerns with both Rev. Lenters and Rev.
Hoogland before bringing the issue to the floor of classis in the form
of an overture."
"We take offense at the second ground," said Faith CRC pastor
Rev. John Ouwinga. "This was a public event to which the churches of
classis were invited, and classis has already acknowledged that at its
last meeting.
Classical stated clerk Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel concurred, and
moved to delete the ground.
"When you write a public letter for 33,000 Banner readers, you
owe it to those readers to explain; when you host a conference and
invite people to it, you can no longer say it is an in-house meeting,"
emphasized Feddes. "The intention of Matthew 18 is to discuss personally
with a brother a matter perceived to be in error before bringing it to a
higher level. I did not feel free to cite private letters and
correspondence with Rev. Lenters; if there is no objection I would be
ready to cite those items, but we have spoken at great length with these
men privately, and these conversations were very far from allaying our
concerns."
Hoogland argued that Feddes hadn't completed the necessary first
steps and that the Faith CRC overture to require him to further explain
his views had to be rejected on those grounds alone. "I have offered
repeatedly to meet with David Feddes; he did not take me up on those
offers," said Hoogland. "That is his privilege; I'm not trying to force
anything on David Feddes, but if he is going to pursue this matter he
needs to do that first."
After other advisory committee members noted that deleting the
second ground would still retain the first ground stating that the Hope
Council has affirmed that "our pastor and the associate pastors of Hope
Church affirm the decision of 1973, particularly the pastoral
implications," classis voted to pass the advisory committee
recommendation that neither Hoogland nor Lenters be required to further
explain their views, but did so without the Matthew 18 ground.
Response to the Classical Vote
Feddes said he wasn't entirely unhappy with the classical vote,
but didn't know whether or not he or his council would follow through
privately with Hoogland or Lenters to require them to further explain
their views on homosexuality.
"Where we go from here, I do not want to say a lot about," said
Feddes. "I do plan to have further conversations, both to deal with any
personal issues of wounded feelings and any misunderstandings that may
exist. They are fellow professing Christians, they have said a few times
that they feel misunderstood, and I will try to understand them."
However, Feddes said he was seriously concerned about
misunderstanding of his own position. "I don't want to encourage a
revulsion and nastiness toward people with a homosexual orientation, but
to minister in the spirit of Christ and according to the standards of
the Bible," said Feddes. "I think classis wanted to say, 'We want to
stand where the Bible stands, and we want to recognize that homosexuals
struggle somewhat with what we understand that the Bible says, but we
want to give Hope Church the benefit of the doubt.'"
Later in the day, Ouwinga proposed additional action for the
classis on the homosexuality matter, moving "that the interim committee
plan specific events, conferences, and seminars to help the churches of
the classis address these matters of homosexuality." Ouwinga's motion
passed by unanimous voice vote.
Hope CRC delegates said they also were not unhappy with the
classical decision.
"I appreciate the motion by Ouwinga at the end desiring to move
forward in ministry rather than conflict or confrontation," said De
Vries. "Hope Church wants to be involved in ministry to homosexuals, I
think it was a good process, we will work together on building ministry
where we are agreed."
Cross-References to Related Articles:
#1998-032: Gay Minister Loses Ordination; Classis Grand Rapids East
Releases Rev. Jim Lucas from Christian Reformed Ministry
#1998-102: Homosexuality Study Committee to Call Christian Reformed
Synod to Repent of Lack of Ministry to Homosexuals
#1999-024: Homosexuality Conference at Christian Reformed Church
Leads to Calls for Discipline in Classis Chicago South
Contact List:
Dr. Michael De Vries, Chairman of Elders, Hope Christian Reformed Church
5825 West 151st St., Oak Forest, IL 50452
O (church): (708) 687-2095 * O (business): (708) 597-3000 * FAX:
(708) 687-9917 * E-mail: hopecrc-sec@juno.com
Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in
North America
2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560
O: (616) 224-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 224-5895 *
E-mail: engelhad@crcna.org
Rev. David Feddes, Minister of English Broadcasting and Listener
Contact, The Back to God Hour
6555 West College Dr., Palos Heights, IL 60463
O: (708) 371-8700 * H: (708) 614-7276 * FAX: (708) 371-1415 *
E-mail: DFeddes@aol.com
Rev. Sam Hamstra, Pastor, Palos Heights Christian Reformed Church
7059 West 127th St., Palos Heights, IL 60463
O: (708) 448-0186 * H: (708) 448-6329 * FAX: (708) 448-4389 *
E-mail: hamstra@web2market.com
Dr. Melvin D. Hugen, Chairman, CRC Homosexuality Study Committee
2105 Raybrook SE #5034, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
H: (616) 942-0001 * E-mail: mhugen@calvin.edu
Dr. Marvin Hoogland, Council Vice-President, Hope Christian Reformed
Church
14801 Sunset Ave., Oak Forest, IL 60452
O: (708) 361-1935 * H: (708) 687-4769
Rev. Neil Jasperse, Pastor, Hessel Park Christian Reformed Church
700 West Kirby, Champaign, IL 61820
O: (217) 356-3177 * E-mail: jasperse@staff.uici.edu
Rev. Bill Lenters, Former Pastor, Hope Christian Reformed Church
6609 Courtney Dr., Oak Forest, IL 60452
O: (708) 687-2095 * H: (708) 687-2530 * FAX: (708) 687-9917 *
E-mail: hopecrc_past@juno.com
Rev. John Ouwinga, Pastor, Faith Christian Reformed Church
8383 West 171st St., Tinley Park, IL 60477
O: (708) 532-8300 * (708) 532-1669 * FAX: (708) 532-8937 *
E-mail: faithchr@aol.com
Rev. Jack Reiffer, Former Pastor, Washington (DC) Christian Reformed
Church
2401 - 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009
O: (202) 328-8842 x 228 * FAX: (202) 328-8757 * jreiffer@aol.com
Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel, Stated Clerk, Classis Chicago South
9401 S. 54th Ave., Oak Lawn, IL 60453
H/O/FAX: (708) 422-1428
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