URCNA Synod-11, Doctrinal Commitment
Synod Schererville 2007 had appointed a study committee to explore the issue of doctrinal commitment necessary for membership and that committee reported to this year's Synod.
The six-member committee was evenly split into Position 1 (Membership Access with Stipulations) and Position 2 (Membership Access with Full Assent). The Advisory Committee presented a Majority and Minority reports. After some discussion, the motion was made and carried to recommit the matter to the study committee, members of which were present at Synod and expressed their hope that they could come to a more unified decision before presenting a revised report to the next Synod.
A motion to add a seventh member to the study committee was defeated.
For more on this and other synodical decisions, see the next issue of Christian Renewal.
The six-member committee was evenly split into Position 1 (Membership Access with Stipulations) and Position 2 (Membership Access with Full Assent). The Advisory Committee presented a Majority and Minority reports. After some discussion, the motion was made and carried to recommit the matter to the study committee, members of which were present at Synod and expressed their hope that they could come to a more unified decision before presenting a revised report to the next Synod.
A motion to add a seventh member to the study committee was defeated.
For more on this and other synodical decisions, see the next issue of Christian Renewal.
Labels: URCNA Synod
posted by Glenda | 9:04 PM
2 Comments:
I was very disappointed Synod could not resolve the doctrinal commitment issue. Years ago now, I argued about this with our Consistory, who eventually brought this issue before Classis, who then sent it on to Synod. Now two Synods have been unable to reach a conclusion.
Originally I believed that not to allow membership with some kind of stipulation, would not be pastoral and would violate the Belgic Confession. Since then the hard work of the committee to study this issue has brought a greater understanding of the complexity of the arguments.
I pray for this committee over the next three years to be able to resolve this issue. There are many who appreciate the URC, are solid Christians, but have been polluted by bad theology. These people need time to work through the doctrines, while being nurtured in the church.
Thanks for your blogging.
Dave (T?) -
Your view that some people need time to work through certain issues, while being nurtured in the church, was certainly expressed by the study committee report. Please take heart from the fact that the next Synod will meet in only TWO years, not THREE years, and that members of the study committee evidently came to a much greater sense of unity during deliberations within the pre-advice committee.
Thanks for reading.
Glenda
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