NR #1995-033: For Immediate Release Christian Reformed Interchurch Relations Committee Recommends Addition of German Reformed to NAPARC by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer Reformed Believers Press Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (April 24, 1995) RBPS - In an unexpected reversal, the Christian Reformed Interchurch Relations Committee is recommending the admission of the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) to membership in the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC). If the recommendation is adopted by synod, it will practically guarantee the admission of the RCUS to NAPARC membership. According to the CRC Interchurch Relations Committee report, the grounds for the change are that "the Reformed Church (US) earnestly desires to become a member denomination of NAPARC" and "the denomination and its application meet the formal requirements of the NAPARC constitution." For several years, NAPARC had postponed voting on the admission of the RCUS due to concerns expressed by the Presbyterian Church in America and the Christian Reformed denomination. Concerns expressed in 1992 centered on the small size of the 4204-member denomination; in 1993, concerns focused on perceived "abrasiveness" of its NAPARC observers. The repeated postponements led to a strongly-worded letter from the 1994 General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian denomination urging NAPARC to admit the RCUS based on the stated membership requirements in the NAPARC constitution. "An organization that willfully acts contrary to its constitution vitiates the very purpose of its existence and does gross injustice to its members," wrote the OPC General Assembly. "If such an action is again repeated at the 1994 NAPARC meeting the body should give serious consideration to dissolving itself." More concerns were raised by the CRC and PCA at the November 1994 NAPARC meeting over the RCUS practice of sending nonvoting observers to meetings of the Alliance of Reformed Churches, the major group of churches which have seceded from the CRC. However, delegates from the other four member denominations of NAPARC, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, the Korean-American Presbyterian Church, and the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, all agreed to admit the RCUS to membership. The NAPARC constitution requires approval by vote of two thirds of the general assemblies or synods of each current member denomination before a new denomination can be admitted, but if each denomination's assembly follows the lead of its NAPARC delegates the RCUS already has enough votes to be admitted even without a favorable vote by the Christian Reformed synod. "I think in the Interchurch Relations Committee, after discussing it, one of the concerns we had was their involvement with the Alliance churches, but we felt it was within the scope of the organization and it would be best not to stand in the way of them joining the organization," said CRC General Secretary Dr. David Engelhard. The RCUS observer to NAPARC, Rev. Norman Hoefflinger, said he was pleased with the recommendation that the RCUS be admitted to NAPARC. "I'm very pleased that they have taken that action," said Hoefflinger. "I'm glad they've been convinced that our motives are honest, Christian, and brotherly." Hoefflinger also emphasized that his denomination's decision to send observers to the Alliance of Reformed Churches should not be misunderstood. "Our attendance as observers at the Alliance really indicated our interest in ecumenical relations, but we are not taking an anti-Christian Reformed stand at this time," said Hoefflinger. Cross-References to Related RBPS Articles: #1994-017: Immigrant Korean Leader Criticizes Christian Reformed, Presbyterian Church in America Influence at NAPARC #1994-058: NAPARC Admits New Denomination; Thanks God for Christian Reformed Decision Against Ordaining Women; Rev. Myung Doh Kim Becomes First Korean Chairman of North American Prebyterian and Reformed Council; Reformed Church in the United States Admitted Amidst Strong Criticism of Alliance of Reformed Churches Contact List: Rev. Donald Duff, Stated Clerk, Orthodox Presbyterian Church 614 Roberts Ave., Glenside PA 19038-3711 * O: (215) 956-0123 * H: (215) 887-4901 * FAX: (215) 957-6286 Dr. David Engelhard, General Secretary, Christian Reformed Church in North America 2850 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49560 * O: (616) 246-0744 * H: (616) 243-2418 * FAX: (616) 246-0834 Dr. Paul Gilchrist, Stated Clerk * Presbyterian Church in America 4596 Canda Dr., Lilburn, GA 30247 * O: (404) 320-3366 Rev. Norm Hoefflinger, NAPARC Observer, Reformed Church in the United States 625 - Judy Blvd., Harvey, ND 58341 * H/O: (701) 324-4923 Rev. Jerome Julien, Stated Clerk, Alliance of Reformed Churches 34 Azores Crescent, Cambridge, ON N1R 7Z4 * (519) 622-1033 Rev. Myung Doh Kim, Chairman, North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council 1901 W. 166th St., Gardena, CA 90247 * H: (310) 532-0328 * FAX: (310) 515-2747 Rev. K. Eric (Ric) Perrin, Chairman, PCA Interchurch Relations Committee 703 Woodcreek Ct., Columbia, SC 29212 * O: (803) 772-1000 * H: (803) 781-7520 * FAX: (803) 772-1003 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr95-033.txt .