Christian Reformed Church

Description

The Christian Reformed Church has its origins in the Dutch Reformed Church. Although its members are still predominantly of Dutch birth or descent, the Church broke from its mother church over insurmountable differences of doctrine.

Although the Netherlands, as part of the Spanish Empire, had remained within the religious sphere of the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation became popular with the Dutch people themselves. By the 17th century, after the Netherlands had been freed from Spanish control, the Dutch Reformed Church was the established state religion. However, the blend of politics and church caused it to become more liberal and to participate in the Enlightenment, a philosophical movement that encouraged human reason and intellect to take precedence over faith in the Bible. As the state Church, it was the church of the political, mercantile, intellectual and aristocratic establishment, a pragmatic and adaptable group. Eventually, groups of poor and less-educated members of the Church began to emphasize a more traditional faith based on Calvinist doctrine. Called conventicles, these groups were persecuted by the Dutch Reformed Church and eventually separated from it.

To escape persecution in the Netherlands, Albertus Van Raalte, a pastor, fled to North America with 40 others in 1848 and settled in Holland, Michigan. Here, the group could practise their religion, based on strict Calvinist doctrine, more freely. New Dutch immigrants increased the new Church’s membership.

Eventually, Van Raalte was forced to seek help, so he turned to the Dutch Reformed Church, which had by then been established in North America for 100 years. The communication between the two Churches eventually led to a merger of four churches, with 130 families. As reasons for the organization of this small group, they opined that American Dutch pastors accommodated American culture too easily and did not teach sound doctrine. As well, they objected to the singing of hymns, since the Reformed Church tradition permitted only the singing of psalms. American pastors tended to allow all who were believers to participate in the Lord’s Supper, rather than permitting only those who confessed the Reformed Church faith. This group of Dutch dissenters was the nucleus of the Christian Reformed Church. The Church’s move into Canada was gradual, developing as American Dutch people immigrated to Canada, bringing their religion with them. The process of expansion accelerated after World War II with a large expansion of Dutch immigration to Canada.

In the 1960s, the Church passed through a period of difficult debate over the ordination of women. The decision of the church to allow congregations to ordain women as elders and to allow “classis” (geographical subdivisions of the church) to ordain women as ministers of the Word caused some 40,000 members and many congregations to leave the Christian Reformed Church in the United States and Canada.

The Christian Reformed Church believes in the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as represented by its symbol of a cross in a triangle. The Church confesses the Apostles’ Creed and follows Calvinist doctrine. It pursues a program of evangelism to bring other members of society into the Church. The Church practises evangelism through a radio and television ministry called the Back to God Hour, which is broadcast in several countries.

Religious Elements

Scriptural and Doctrinal Sources

• Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

• Apostles’ Creed.

• Nicene Creed.

• Athanasian Creed.

• Belgic Confession.

• Canons of Dordt.

• Heidelberg Catechism.

• Our World Belongs to God (contemporary doctrine).

Sacraments

• The Lord’s Supper.

• Baptism.

Moral Code

• Members should obey the Ten Commandments.

• Members should live in accordance with their faith in God and the Bible.

• Members should spread the Word of God to their community.

• The marriage covenant should be upheld, and in cases of marital dispute, mediation and forgiveness are encouraged.

Houses of Worship

• Houses of worship vary in architectural style from early Canadian wood structures to modern buildings of stone and brick. The interior layout is similar to that of other Protestant churches and consists of a narthex (vestibule); a nave (large space for the congregation); and a chancel, or sanctuary (space around the Communion table for clergy). The size of the building, generally small, reflects the size of the congregation. Churches commonly have a bell tower or a steeple bearing a cross.

Devotional Practices and Services

• Worship includes prayer, confession of sin, songs and reading of Scripture. Communion is offered on a regular basis.

Clergy, Organization and Government

There are two bodies of government within the Church: one for ecclesiastical purposes, such as doctrine and ethical issues; and one for governance of the ministries undertaken by the Church’s congregations.

• Ecclesiastical Structure

• Council: The local church assembly includes church elders, deacons and ministers of a local congregation. This council concerns itself with church-related administration.

• The classis: The regional church assembly includes several churches in a geographical area and has decision-making authority in issues related to the churches. Delegates include a minister and an elder from each church.

• The Regional Synod of Canada: This body represents all the churches of each classis and meets annually. Synod deals with doctrinal issues and issues positional statements of the Church. It also adopts principles of worship and liturgical forms.

• Ministerial government

• Synod: This body oversees the church’s seven ministries — the Back to God Hour, the Calvin Theological Seminary, Home Missions, World Relief, Calvin College, CRC Publications and World Missions.

• Ministry boards: Each ministry has its own board of governance, created by Synod.

• Board of Trustees: This board directly oversees the seven ministry boards of governance and reports directly to Synod on a yearly basis.

Propagation of the Faith

• The Church believes it is mandated to expose those in its surrounding communities to the Word of God. Outreach programs, church planting, and the radio and television ministry are the primary evangelical methods.

Major Celebrations and Observances

Dates on which events are celebrated may vary from year to year according to variations in the liturgical calendar.

Days of Regular Observance

• Regular Sunday worship.

• Advent (preparation for Christmas).

• Christmas Day: 25 December.

• Epiphany (manifestation of Jesus; visit by the Magi).

• Ash Wednesday (beginning of Lent).

• Lent (period of fasting).

• Palm Sunday (Jesus enters Jerusalem).

• Easter, including Good Friday and Easter Sunday (Jesus’ death and resurrection).

• Ascension Day (Jesus’ ascension).

• Pentecost (birth of the Christian Church).

Dress Requirements

• None.

Dietary Requirements

• Avoidance of alcohol is encouraged but is not mandatory.

• Drunkenness must be avoided.

Medical and Health Requirements

• Abortion is only permitted when the life of the mother is threatened.

• Birth control is not accepted.

Death and Burial

• Standard Christian funeral and burial practices, officiated at by ministers.

Sources of Additional Information

http://www.crcna.org — official website of the Christian Reformed Church.

The Christian Reformed Church in North America
Canadian Office
PO Box 5070, Stn LCD 1
3475 Mainway
Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8
Phone: (905) 336-2920