June 15, 2006, Grand Rapids, Mich. - Synod 2006 proposed making all ordained offices in the Christian Reformed Church available to women by removing the word "male" from the qualifications listed in the Church Order.
If adopted by Synod 2007, this change would open the way for women to be ordained as ministers, elders or ministry associates. Currently, under a system of local option established by Synod 1995, a classis may allow women to serve in those offices by declaring the word "male" to be inoperative.
In approving the recommendation of its advisory committee, synod also agreed to a provision that women ministers and elders not be allowed to serve as delegates to synod or as synodical deputies. However, it defeated the committee's recommendation that the prohibition should be placed in the Church Order, voting instead to place it in the Supplement. Changes to the Church Order require the concurrence of two synods, while the Supplement can be revised more easily.
At the close of almost four hours of deliberation, synod also encouraged the church to "undertake a Sabbath rest of seven years following the adoption of these changes ... before revisiting this action in the assemblies."
Delegates on both sides of the women-in-office issue said this is a reasonable compromise that will enable the church to remain united, despite deeply-felt differences of opinion.
In other matters, synod decided to retain Question and Answer 80 of the Heidelberg Catechism, but to place brackets around the part that denounces the Roman Catholic mass as a "condemnable idolatry" and to explain that these paragraphs do not reflect the official teaching or practice of today's Roman Catholic church and are not confessionally binding on members of the CRC.
Synod also approved a plan to support a healthy churches initiative. This plan has two parts. The first is to create a Sustaining Congregational Excellence project through which smaller congregations can obtain funding for projects to foster health and growth. The $10 supplementary ministry share approved by last year's synod will be used to finance these grants.
The second part calls for the executive director of the CRC to recommend a more effective way to structure the denomination's ministries in order to implement the priority of creating and sustaining healthy churches.
For more information visit www.crcna.org ot call Henry Hess, Synod News Officer, at 616-526-8654.