Presbyterian Church in America Breaks Fraternal Relationship With The Christian Reformed Church

-- Break comes after several years of review and discussion regarding the CRC’s position of ordaining women as elders and pastors --

COLORADO SPRINGS (June 11, 1997) -- After hearing criticism from the fraternal delegate of the Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRCNA), the 25th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America voted overwhelmingly "to terminate our recognition" of the CRCNA "as a church in ecclesiastical fellowship with the PCA immediately."

The relationship between the two denominations has been discussed at PCA General Assemblies for several years because of the CRCNA’s position allowing individual classes to ordain women as elders and pastors. The PCA does not ordain women to these offices because of what the PCA sees as clear teaching of the Bible that these offices are to be held by men.

While the CRCNA does not require ordination of women nor does it authorize the practice denomination-wide, it permits classes to decide on the issue themselves. However, women pastors and elders may not be sent as delegates to the Synod.

At the November 1996 meeting of the National Association of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches (NAPARC), the PCA introduced a motion that "NAPARC initiate the process to suspend the CRCNA from its membership." This was referred to NAPARC’s Interim Committee for consideration in November this year.

While the PCA and CRCNA will no longer have ecclesiastical fellowship, the highest level of relationship between Reformed denominations, the PCA General Assembly instructed its committee to open talks with the CRCNA to make a recommendation for continued relations at a lesser level.

The PCA was questioned at last year’s NAPARC meeting as to why it was moving toward suspension of the CRCNA while appearing to be favorable toward the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) which continues to have women in office.

Following this question, the General Assembly voted "to instruct the IRC not to propose or vote for admission of the EPC to NAPARC unless and until the EPC changes its official position on women in office."

In other matters during the opening day of the PCA’s national convention, Stated Clerk Paul Gilchrist reported on a 2.4 percent increase in membership this past year. Dr. Gilchrist urged each of the member churches to continue their efforts to reach the many people unchurched.

He was encouraged, he said, by increases in giving, which rose 9.2 percent with a 5.7 percent increase in giving for benevolence. Total giving was $337 million.

The PCA has 1,338 churches, an increase of 1.8 percent in a year, and 278,000 members.

General Assembly is the denomination’s annual business meeting, and is responsible to encourage and promote the fulfillment of the Great Commission by the various courts. It is conducted in accord with traditional Presbyterian and parliamentary procedures.

The Presbyterian Church in America, founded in December of 1973, is one of the fastest growing Christian denominations. The PCA has more than 1,300 churches and nearly 280,000 members. It operates as a distinctively reformed church in its doctrinal position, reflected by the emphasis on biblically-based teaching and preaching and significant emphasis in evangelism, church planting and missions.

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