Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 06:52:12 -0500 (EST) From: Darrell128@aol.com Subject: NR 97034: RCA Rejects Annual Declaration that Salvation is Through Christ Alone NR #1997-034: Reformed Church in America Rejects Annual Declaration that Salvation is Through Christ Alone By a margin of 23 to 22 with one classis left to vote, the Reformed Church in America has rejected a church order amendment that would have required all ministers and churches in the 313,000-member denomination to annually reaffirm that salvation is through Christ alone. "This indicates a real split on a very fundamental issue," said Rev. Patrick Shetler of First Reformed Church in Grant, who drafted the amendment in response to the conflict over Rev. Richard Rhem, pastor of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, and his view that faith in Christ is not necessary for salvation. RCA church order amendments are approved by a three-step process: adoption by a simple majority of delegates at one General Synod, by a two-thirds majority of the RCA's 46 regional groups of churches, known as classes (singular: classis), and by a simple majority of delegates at the next year's General Synod. Since 31 "yes" votes were required to pass the amendment, the margin represents a decisive defeat for its advocates. NR #1997-034: For Immediate Release Reformed Church in America Rejects Annual Affirmation of Salvation Through Christ Alone * 23-22 vote represents decisive failure of vote that required 2/3 majority by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (March 28, 1997) URNS -- By a margin of 23 to 22 with one classis left to vote, the Reformed Church in America has rejected a church order amendment that would have required all ministers and churches in the 313,000-member denomination to annually reaffirm that salvation is through Christ alone. "This indicates a real split on a very fundamental issue," said Rev. Patrick Shetler of First Reformed Church in Grant, who drafted the amendment in response to the conflict over Rev. Richard Rhem, pastor of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, and his view that faith in Christ is not necessary for salvation. After the Rhem debate began, a second RCA pastor was drawn into the conflict when retired campus minister Rev. Don Van Hoeven of Kalamazoo was formally rebuked by his classis for writing articles in the Kala mazoo Gazette supporting Rhem's views. Rhem and his church seceded from the RCA on July 4, 1996, in an action that has not been recognized by the denomination pending resolution of an unrelated charge of "gross sexual misconduct" against Rhem, dismissed by the RCA's Muskegon Classis on grounds of insufficient evidence and currently on appeal to the Regional Synod of the Great Lakes. Van Hoeven has chosen to remain and fight -- his appeal to the regional synod will be processed on May 5. RCA church order amendments are approved by a three-step process: adoption by a simple majority of delegates at one General Synod, by a two-thirds majority of the RCA's 46 regional groups of churches, known as classes (singular: classis), and by a simple majority of delegates at the next year's General Synod. Since 31 "yes" votes were required to pass the amendment, the margin represents a decisive defeat for its advocates. The one classis left to vote, Dakota Classis, rescheduled its vote from March 25 to April 8 but its decision will not affect the final result. The hotly-disputed amendment would have required each of the RCA's 46 classis presidents to ask each church and minister in their classis whether "the doctrines of the gospel [are] preached in your church in their purity in conformity with... the truth that divine redemption from sin is only by grace through faith in the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, the only mediator between God and humankind." Each RCA classis president must already ask each year whether ministers and churches preach in conformity with the Word of God and the RCA doctrinal standards. "A lot of delegates at the 1996 General Synod thought this would just fly through; I had my doubts all along," said Shetler. "I guess this just shows the Reformed Church in America is a lot more liberal in its theology than we probably have a reputation for being." One who thought the amendment would pass was the 1996 General Synod president, Dr. I. John Hesselink of Western Theological Seminary in Holland. "I am surprised; I thought it would have passed," said Hesselink, who currently serves as moderator of the RCA General Synod Council. "I was sympathetic with the purpose of this addition because in the church there is some fuzzy thinking and some tendency toward universalism, not only Dick Rhem but also others who share his general outlook. To nail this down it is imperative that we emphasize that Jesus Christ is the only way." Others in the RCA were both surprised and pleased to learn of the defeat of the amendment. "The constitutional question, I felt, was not only redundant but a misdirection of the emphasis in our confessions," said Van Hoeven. "For those of us who are asking the church to open up the envelope and allow for all of us to be honest to the fulness of Scripture and the confessions, this is good news." "I have said publicly that I affirm the 1988 prayer of the church which speaks of acknowledging other paths to God. I trust that position has come from both Scripture and the confessions, and it is that which I affirm and call for being acknowledged within the life of the church," said Van Hoeven. "It is the moderate inclusive voices of the church which shall prevail within our denomination." That won't happen if Shetler and others have their way, however. Shetler noted that most of the "no" votes came from the RCA's east coast classes, many of which have small churches with declining memberships. In the RCA each classis has a single vote on church order amendments regardless of its size, but classes range from over twenty thousand members to less than a thousand. "I would like to see some restructuring of RCA classes so there are some minimum memberships established," said Shetler. "A classis should have a minimum of 3000 communicant members, otherwise we have this fantastic disparity." Hesselink worried that the decisive defeat of the amendment could lead to confusion about the RCA's doctrinal position. "Some people may interpret this as indicating that the Reformed Church is ambivalent about this issue," said Hesselink. "The General Synod decisions of the church in recent years have generally been in a more conservative direction." "This should not be taken to say we are waffling or uncertain about the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the fact of salvation in Christ alone," said Hesselink, noting that a number of those who opposed the amendment did so not because they disagreed with its content but because they felt it was redundant or feared it could lead to adding more questions requiring agreement on such issues as homosexuality and assisted suicide. Reformed Church in America Classis Votes on Salvation Apart from Christ Amendment TOTAL: 23 N, 22 Y, 1 postponed Regional Synod of Albany Albany NO Columbia-Greene NO Montgomery NO Rochester YES Schenectady NO Scoharie NO Regional Synod of Canada British Columbia YES Canadian Prairies YES Ontario YES Regional Synod of Far West California NO Cascades YES Central California YES Rocky Mountain YES Southwest NO Regional Synod of Great Lakes Holland NO Lake Erie NO Muskegon YES Northern Michigan YES North Grand Rapids YES South Grand Rapids YES Southwest Michigan YES Zeeland YES Regional Synod of Heartland Central Iowa YES Central Plains YES Dakota rescheduled 4/8 East Sioux YES Minnesota NO Pleasant Prairie NO Red River NO West Sioux YES Regional Synod of Mid-America Chicago YES Florida NO *** Illiana YES Illinois YES Wisconsin YES Regional Synod of Mid-Atlantics Delaware/Raritan NO Greater Palisades YES New Brunswick NO Passaic Valley NO Regional Synod of New York Brooklyn NO Mid-Hudson NO Nassau/Suffolk NO New York NO Orange NO Queens NO Rockland/Westchester NO NOTES: *** Florida Classis voted on the amendment at a fall meeting when numerous delegates were absent because the amendment was not anticipated being placed on the floor; an attempt to reconsider the vote on 3/18 required a 2/3 vote and failed by a single vote. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1996-013: Special Meeting of RCA's Muskegon Classis Discusses Homosexuality, Scripture, Salvation Apart from Christ #1996-023: Muskegon RCA Classis: No Room for Pastor Questioning Salvation Apart from Christ, Authority of Scripture #1996-086: Muskegon Classis Rebukes Rhem for "Heretical" Views, Restarts Negotiations "to Reach a Mutually Acceptable Separation Agreement" with Christ Community Church #1996-091: Rhem Conflict Leads to Homosexuality Debate in Muskegon #1996-092: Back to the Drawing Board: Muskegon Classis Tables Proposed Settlement with Pastor of RCA's Fourth-Largest Church #1996-093: Dr. Jonathan Gerstner on Rhem: "Tragedy is the Only Word" #1996-094: Second RCA Minister Faces Discipline for Theological Views #1996-103: Classis Muskegon Averts Heresy Trial, Completes Separation Agreement with Richard Rhem, Christ Community Church #1996-110: Appeal Stalls Settlement Agreement on Rev. Richard Rhem; Protests Greet Upcoming Rhem Keynote Speech for RCA Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics on "The Church in Conflict... Can Non-Believers be Saved?" #1996-118: Rhem to Reformed Church in America: "The Bible is a Wax Nose" #1997-001: Muskegon Classis Suspends Separation Agreement Until Regional Synod Adjudicates Appeal on "Gross Sexual Misconduct" Allegations Against Richard Rhem #1997-002: Rhem's Attorney Responds: "Classis... Has Engaged in Conspiratorial Actions Which Were Maliciously Calculated to Damage Rev. Richard Rhem and Christ Community Church" #1997-007: Appeal of Charges Against Rhem Sent Back to Committee by RCA's Regional Synod Executive Committee; Van Hoeven Appeal to Proceed with Recommendation of Dismissal #1997-019: Reformed Church in America Classes Poised to Vote on Church Order Change: Should All RCA Ministers and Churches Annually Reaffirm that Salvation is Through Christ Alone? #1997-026: SW Michigan Becomes First RCA Michigan Classis to Ratify Church Order Amendment on Salvation Through Christ Alone #1997-027: "Kindred Spirits Gathering" of RCA Progressives Meet in Holland to Discuss Direction of Reformed Church in America #1997-028: Rhem Case on Hold; Muskegon Classis Affirms Salvation Through Christ Alone #1997-031: Reformed Church in America's Second and Third Largest Classes Vote to Affirm Salvation Only Through Christ #1997-033: Holland Classis Rejects Church Order Amendment to Require Annual Declaration that Salvation is Through Christ Alone Contact List: Rev. E. Wayne Antworth, Director, RCA Stewardship & Communication Services 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115 O: (212) 870-2954 * FAX: (212) 870-2499 Dr. I. John Hesselink, President, RCA General Synod 1996 c/o Western Theological Seminary, 101 E. 13th St., Holland, MI 49423 O: (616) 392-8555 * H: (616) 396-2942 Rev. Richard Rhem, Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church 225 East Exchange St., Spring Lake, MI 49456 O: (616) 842-1985 * H: (616) 846-7777 * F: (616) 842-3476 * E-Mail: christcommunity@novagate.com Rev. Patrick Shetler, Pastor, First Reformed Church 271 E. State Rd., PO Box 365, Grant, MI 49327 O: (616) 834-8668 * H: (616) 834-7246 * E-Mail: grantreformedchurch@worldnet.att.net Rev. Donald Van Hoeven 1024 Westfall, Kalamazoo, MI 49006 H: (616) 381-8586 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-034.txt .