June 12, 2007, Grand Rapids, Mich. - Synod today encouraged its churches to become familiar with the Belhar Confession, a declaration focusing on justice, unity and reconciliation.
Originally written in Afrikaans and adopted by the synod of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) in South Africa, the Belhar Confession is named after a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, where a general synod of the DRMC met in 1982.
The Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa has asked the CRC to consider the Belhar and respond to it. Synod 2006 had noted that the CRC lacks a strong confession on race relations.
"I like it, if we apply it to race relations," cautioned Rev. Ralph Veenstra, Classis Thornapple Valley, "but I'm concerned that if we approve it as written, someone will twist this thing around in favor of relations to homosexuals."
Synod encouraged the Interchurch Relations Committee to hold regional dialogues across the denomination to familiarize churches with the confession and its issues and stimulate discussion towards a recommendation for Synod 2009.
Synod opened its session this morning with worship in many languages, first listening to a solo rendition of "How Great Thou Art" in Korean, then singing the familiar refrain "God is So Good" in English, Spanish, Korean, Kiswahili, French and Dutch.
In keeping with the theme of diversity, synod also for the first time encouraged CRC congregations to celebrate World Communion Sunday on the first Sunday of October (Oct. 7, 2007) as part of All Nations Heritage Week.
"It is appropriate to not only celebrate all the nations that are part of the CRC," said Rev. Ryan Faber, Classis Pella, in presenting the motion, "but also to celebrate that the CRC is part of a church which spans all nations."
Contact: Henry Hess, Synod News Officer, 616-526-8654 (mailto:hessh@crcna.ca) www.crcna.org