Date: Mon, 9 Jun 1997 08:31:13 -0400 (EDT) From: Darrell128@aol.com Subject: NR 97059: Classis California South Adopts South Holland Affirmations NR #1997-059: Classis California South Adopts South Holland Affirmations Acting with a majority of only a single vote after many of the delegates had already left, Classis California South made a decision that could split the classis and denomination -- or preserve denominational unity by providing a safe haven for conservative churches and setting a precedent for other classes in like situations. The May 14 meeting adopted a series of affirmations that originated with the November 1996 Interclassical Conference in South Holland, Illinois, setting forth a number of statements concerning the authority of Scripture, salvation through Christ alone, worship, women in office, homosexuality, feminine language for God, abortion, and theistic evolution. After extended discussion, the Interclassical Conference adopted a seven-page statement of consisting of affirmations, rejections, and commitments for future action on each topic. By a 10 to 9 vote, those affirmations of faith are now the official position of the classis that originally called the first Interclassical Conference in 1995. Supporters and opponents of the action both concurred that the vote would likely lead to churches both joining and leaving classis based on their agreement or disagreement with the affirmations of faith. NR #1997-059: For Immediate Release Classis California South Adopts South Holland Affirmations by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (May 30, 1997) URNS -- Acting with a majority of only a single vote after many of the delegates had already left, Classis California South made a decision that could split the classis and denomination -- or preserve denominational unity by providing a safe haven for conservative churches and setting a precedent for other classes in like situations. The May 14 meeting adopted a series of affirmations that originated with the November 1996 Interclassical Conference in South Holland, Illinois, setting forth a number of statements concerning the authority of Scripture, salvation through Christ alone, worship, women in office, homosexuality, feminine language for God, abortion, and theistic evolution. After extended discussion, the Interclassical Conference adopted a seven-page statement of consisting of affirmations, rejections, and commitments for future action on each topic. By a 10 to 9 vote, those affirmations of faith are now the official position of the classis that originally called the first Interclassical Conference in 1995. One of the nine delegates who voted against the adoption of the affirmations of faith warned that the affirmations of faith were "exclusivistic" and could lead to "tragic" consequences. "It made one delegate indicate that he would not be able to return to the classis; it has created some great discomfort among some church councils where they are aware that the views of the council or of some on the council are officially rejected by the classis of which they are a part," said Rev. Roger Bultman of Redlands CRC. "Classis California South by doing this has de facto identified itself by some theological distinctives and there will now be an open door to other congregations which want to join California South." That door could open both ways, said Bultman. "I would say that it is likely that certain congregations will now feel their views or the views of a number of their members are rejected," said Bultman. "They are going to feel they are on the outside of the circle looking in and they will seek a place where their views would be affirmed." The idea of some churches leaving Classis California South to join Classis Greater Los Angeles or some other classis suits Interclassical Conference chairman Rev. Andrew Cammenga just fine. Cammenga noted that Greater Los Angeles was part of California South until 1989, and that a number of Christian Reformed classes are just as inhospitable to conservatives as some find California South. "In some ways this makes us a theological classis, but we don't kick out anyone if they don't agree, we've just make this commitment," said Cammenga. "The other consequence of it is there may be some other churches that may be more eager to Greater Los Angeles." While Cammenga said he could understand that some churches might want to join a different classis, he couldn't understand why the Christian Reformed synod would have a problem with the affirmations of faith. "There's nothing in those affirmations that is different from the creeds and the decisions of synod," said Cammenga. According to Cammenga, adoption of the affirmations of faith simply created a brief summary of the official positions of the CRC on the controversial matters -- including the 1994 synodical decision against women's ordination, which remains on the books even though Synod 1995 allowed churches to declare the church order's ban on women in office "inoperative." "The Christian Reformed Church has received a lot of bad press, some legitimate and some illegitimate, so we need to answer that regarding abortion, the homosexual issue, and the matter of Scriptural infallibility and so on," said Cammenga. "We have to answer that and it's very difficult to direct people to an old decision of synod. This is a wonderfully brief, clear synopsis of our creeds and official decisions of synod and what we stand for." That explanation didn't satisfy Bultman or other opponents of the classis action, who questioned the legality of the overture and whether it had been legally adopted. Part of the problem, acknowledged by both sides, is that twelve of the classis' 27 churches are ethnic minority congregations, mostly Korean but also some Hispanic and other churches, which often don't send their elder delegates, miss the meeting entirely, or leave early. "It is assumed that all the churches will be represented by two delegates and there are no rules at least in our classis of what majority of delegates present is necessary," said Bultman. "I would say that it is not uncommon for many, many of the delegates to have gone home at some point in the day and the business of classis to proceed according to the agenda and for classis to proceed on some controversial issue." "It's the only classis I've ever been in where this takes place; by and large classical delegates, with rare exceptions, remain until the end of the day," said Bultman. "Classis California South is one of those rare exceptions." Cammenga concurred that delegates leaving before the end of the day was a problem, but said that the ethnic minority churches which tended to leave earl y usually voted with the more conservative elements of the classis when they were still around by the time of controversial votes. Regardless of the legality of the vote, Bultman said an appeal to synod against adoption of the affirmations was unlikely. "Classis California South has carved out a niche for itself over against the decisions of synod," said Bultman. "The churches that were really against this affirmation of faith may leave, and if they leave other churches may come in." Cross-References to Related Articles: #1995-082: California South Calls Conference of Christian Reformed Classes, Councils, to Address Women in Office Decision #1995-093: California South Announces Date and Location for Interclassical Conference of Christian Reformed Conservatives #1995-106C: Interclassical Conference Urges Christian Reformed Synod to Lead Denomination in Repentance; Calls for Formation of "Covenant Union" of CRC Conservatives #1996-076: CRC Synod Rejects 25 Overtures and Communications Calling for End to Classical Option on Ordination of Women #1996-088: Interclassical Conference of Christian Reformed Conservatives to be Asked to Create Nongeographical Classes; Minority Urges Immediate Secession from Christian Reformed Denomination #1996-095: Vander Weit Takes on Interclassical Conference #1996-117A: Interclassical Conference of Christian Reformed Conservatives to Consider Separation from Christian Reformed Denomination #1996-117B: Separation Without Secession: Interclassical Conference Urges Christian Reformed Synod to Create New Conservative Classes #1997-010: Classis Holland Acquiesces in Pine Creek Request to Transfer to Classis Zeeland Due to Opposition to Women in Office #1997-011: Classis California South Endorses Classes Grouped by Theological Affinity Instead of Geography; Organizers Hope a Tenth of CRC May Join New Conservative Classes Contact List: Rev. Roger Bultman, Pastor, Redlands Christian Reformed Church 1246 Via Florence, Redlands, CA 92374 O: (909) 798-2221 * H: (909) 794-1690 * E-Mail: rbultman@juno.com Rev. Andrew Cammenga, Pastor, Escondido Christian Reformed Church 1850 N. Broadway, Escondido, CA 92026 H/O/FAX: (619) 745-2324 * E-Mail: ACAMMENGA@aol.com 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 * E-Mail: engelhad@crcnet.mhs.compuserve.com Elder Keith Vander Pol, Vice President for Development, Westminster Theological Seminary 1725 Bear Valley Parkway, Escondido, CA 92027 O: (619) 480-8474 * FAX: (619) 480-0252 ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive97: nr97-059.txt .