NR #1995-012 For Immediate Release Classis Illiana Overtures CRC Synod to Disenfranchise Classis Grand Rapids East for Ecclesiastical Disobedience by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service MUNSTER, Ind. (January 17, 1995) RBPS - If the Christian Reformed churches of the southeast Chicago suburbs have their way, an entire classis of the Christian Reformed denomination will see its delegates banned from voting at synod due to its support for at least six congregations which have elected women elders despite continued synodical prohibition of the practice. "I had to listen last year at synod to the delegates from Classis Grand Rapids East talk ad nauseum on this issue," said Rev. Gerrit Stoutmeyer, pastor of Bethany Christian Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois. "They were poor losers, if we can talk about losing on a thing like this." Stoutmeyer, long regarded as a moderate conservative, came out swinging after Classis Grand Rapids East voted "in principle" on July 21 to adopt a resolution that "classis permit its individual churches the freedom to decide whether or not the word 'male' in article 3a of the church order is operative in their particular settings." Following that decision, Stoutmeyer's church successfully overtured Classis Illiana to send a letter to Classis Grand Rapids East urging them to revise their decision. Classis Illiana's letter was only one of a number of complaints by churches, classes, and individuals. Responding to a firestorm of criticism, on September 15 Classis Grand Rapids East revised its earlier decision and instead declared that "recognizing synod's legal right to insist on the retention of the word 'male' in Church Order Article 3a, [classis] nevertheless acknowledges its congregations' moral right of conscientious objection (with any attendant consequences) to that insistence with respect to the office of elder." This time, Stoutmeyer's church came to Classis Illiana with a blunt proposal. "In response to the letter from the Stated Clerk of Classis Grand Rapids East... addressed to Classis Illiana as a response to our letter of concern," Bethany South Holland "urged Classis Illiana in session January 17, 1995 to overture the synod of the CRC to convene June 13, 1995, to disenfranchise the delegates of Classis Grand Rapids East at this year's synod." In its grounds for the overture, Bethany South Holland cited both previous decisions of Classis Grand Rapids East, stating that the first decision "is contrary to the decisions of the Synod of 1994 and undercuts the authority of Synod" and the second "is again contrary to the settled and binding character of both our Church Order and the decisions of synod." Bethany South Holland closed with a strong warning. "This officially approved 'ecclesiastical disobedience' threatens our unity as a denomination and our communal life together as a church of Jesus Christ," the church stated. Calvin Seminary professor Dr. Henry De Moor came in for special criticism by Stoutmeyer as the chairman of the Classis Grand Rapids East study committee whose report was largely adopted by the September 15 classis. "We spent a lot of time today selecting synodial delegates, and I hope we can have 'the perfect synodical delegate,'" said Stoutmeyer, alluding to a recent article with that title written by De Moor in the Banner, the Christian Reformed denominational weekly. "I think the author of that article needs to write his next article on the perfect synodical advisor. That man is the professor of church polity at our seminary and he's the author of the rebellious character of the Grand Rapids East decision," said Stoutmeyer. "If we aren't going to do something, we might as well not send delegates to synod at all and just stay home here in Classis Illiana and do our own thing." Stoutmeyer emphasized that he was particularly offended by prominent advocates of denominational unity disobeying synod when one of its decisions went against their wishes. "This has nothing to do with women in office," said Stoutmeyer. "This has to do with church order and obedience to denominational decisions." No Classis Illiana delegates came to the defense of Classis Grand Rapids East's actions. The only concerns raised were whether Stoutmeyer's overture was premature. "I endorse the intent of applying discipline to those who are obviously not of a mind to respect the settled and binding decisions of synod," said Rev. Cal Bremer, pastor of Bethel CRC in Lansing, Illinois. "It seems to me that we maybe should exhort them to a different step before disenfranchising them. This allows them to repent and change their decision before disenfranchising them." When put to a vote, the overture passed and will be sent on to synod. De Moor was surprised to learn of the Classis Illiana decision, whose only precedent in Dutch Reformed history was a decision by the 1994 General Synod of the Reformed Church in America not to seat delegates from two classes which refused to force member churches to pay denominational quotas. "People are entitled to say what they want and classes are entitled to send overtures, and I'm not going to comment on fairly personal matters which were said about me at a classis where I was not present," said De Moor. However, De Moor expressed concern that Classis Illiana was acting on the basis of unfair criticism. "To say I am the author of the report is hardly fair; I am the chairman of the committee and there is a difference," said De Moor. "I don't apologize for being the chairman of the committee, I don't apologize for its report, and I don't apologize for the September 15 decision of classis. I think it was a good decision." According to De Moor, the September and July decisions are "radically different." "For some reason people are not willing to understand that Classis Grand Rapids East adopted something quite different in September than they adopted in July," said De Moor. "I don't believe the decision of Classis Grand Rapids East can be characterized as ecclesiastical disobedience." De Moor said churches should pay close attention to what happens at the next meeting of Classis Grand Rapids East. "It would be kind of people, if not required of them, if they are going to say things about other people, to await what they will say at the January meeting." Cross-References to Related RBPS Articles: #1994-38: Classis Grand Rapids East Votes "In Principle" to Permit Churches to Disobey CRC Synod's Ban on Women Elders #1994-41: Unprecedented Decision of Reformed Church in America Synod Removes Voting Rights from Two Regional Classes #1994-50: Classis Grand Rapids East "Refines" July Decision to Disobey Christian Reformed Synodical Ban on Women Elders Contact List: Dr. Cal Bremer, Pastor, Bethel Christian Reformed Church 3513 - 193rd St., Lansing, IL 60438 * O: (708) 474-9226 * H: (708) 474-4439 * FAX: (708) 474-9269 Dr. Henry De Moor, Professor of Church Polity, Calvin Theological Seminary. 3233 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 * H: (616) 940-0513 * O: (616) 957-7194 * FAX: (616) 957-8621 Dr. Philip R. Lucasse, Stated Clerk, Classis Grand Rapids East 3096 Old Kent Rd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 * O: (616) 957-6000 * H: (616) 942-1219 News Office, Reformed Church in America 4500 - 60th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 * O: (616) 698-4951 Rev. Gerrit Stoutmeyer, Pastor, Bethany Christian Reformed Church 319 E. 161st. Place, South Holland, IL 60473 * O: (708) 333-1377 * H: (708) 333-1012 Rev. Laryn Zoerhof, Stated Clerk, Classis Illiana 8910 Grace St., Highland, IN 46322 * O: (219) 838-6231 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-012.txt .