The State of the Church

The State of the Church
by Arie C. Leder

We’ve come a long way since 1857. One hundred and fifty years of faithful worship, theological debate, and change. The Three Forms of Unity are still on our masthead; but we’ve added a Contemporary Testimony. Our hymnal provides psalms for congregational singing; but the Genevan tunes and their whole notes seldom inform our praise and lament. Many of our churches now also use the “green” hymnal. By the way, was it ever approved for singing by Synod? The church continues to shape our denominational covenant; but it is now accompanied by thick volumes of the policy manuals that govern a flock of agencies.

From one century to another
And, of course, we’ve entered a third century. The 1800's were a time of settling. By the time the 1900's were firmly entrenched we were debating our identity and slowly, but surely, becoming a more North American denomination. Dutch disappeared, but we practiced our confessional identity in English, and slowly in Navajo, Spanish, even Hmong. Classes Red Mesa and Pacific Hanmi were organized in 1982 and 1996.We also became leaner as groups left: the Bultema group, the Protestant Reformed, the Christian Reformation Church, those who now call themselves Orthodox Christian Reformed, United Reformed, or who remain independently Reformed (surely an oxymoron). Our confessional identity, still on the books, slowly became less obviously important to individual members, churches, and agencies. By the year 2000 we were barely 300,000, never mind 400,000.

At the beginning of our third century, the debate about women in office continues–about classical and synodical representation–and the corporate nature, size, and growth of the CRC feeds concerns. The denominational Board of Trustees makes more decisions than ever before. Theological debates are emerging that promise more change: dedication or infant baptism, or both; children at the Lord’s Supper; the “emerging churches” and their generous orthodoxy. Some among the “Returning Churches” in southwest Michigan want to make an argument for organizing classes–up to now organized and joined on a geographical basis–on theological grounds. The Contemporary Testimony is being revised. The latest Banner has an article on being Black and Reformed.

The 2007 CRC Yearbook informs us that in this 150th year we have 269,856 members, a net growth of 4,387. We received 4447 members from other denominations; infant baptisms occurred 3683 times. We keep no records for infant dedications. Through evangelism 3287 became members; 4275 professing and non-professing members left the CRCNA. Where did these go? Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Presbyterian, United Reformed, evangelical mega-church? Who attracts? What attracts? We’ve 93 years left to impress the 21st century. Or not.

Kinder, gentler, more generous?
Classis Alberta North will soon be discussing an overture that may go to Synod: “to study how churches can pastorally respond to those Christians among them who cannot in good conscience subscribe to infant baptism, and who seek recourse in infant dedication, since many of these believing parents wish to dedicate themselves to Christian parenting, and seek God’s blessings on their children in the context of the covenant community.” Spurred on by the consistory of the Neerlandia CRC, this overture, if it makes it to Synod will give the church as a whole the opportunity to reflect on the impact of “generous orthodoxy,” characteristic of the emergent church movement, rather than, by neglect, letting individual churches go their own way outside of the denominational covenant. That discussion may help us determine if we are still a denomination or a community of Congregationalist churches with certain Reformed proclivities, here and there. And then possibly more culturally than confessionally Reformed.

Speaking of confessions: The Revision of the Contemporary Testimony is well on its way. The proposed revision is available on crcna.org. The revising committee, not really representative of the various minds in the CRC, has asked for responses. Many have, individually and corporately.

The Contemporary Testimony represents the CRCNA’s commitment to state its faith in relevant ways. The proposed revision is a kinder, gentler, version of what was already a softer, and quite “green,” version of our confessional commitment. A few comments. The proposed revision tends to diminish the royal imagery so distinct in Scripture. It doesn’t remove them completely, but opposition to this dominant metaphor of Scripture is clear. Notions of rebellion against the King, are softened, and phrases that have God bending our wills to his (article 13) are weakened. The new article 52 is an almost exhaustive list of social, even political, responsibilities. Well, you take a look at the proposed revision. What do you think of it? And add your comments below.

Oh, one more thing. The report on the Third Wave is also on crcna.org. It contains a minority and majority report.

What do you think of state of the CRC?