Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1997 - Rparchives.org

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA 123
2. That the responsibilities of the Committee on a Declaration of the
Relationship Among RP Churches be assigned to the Interchurch Committee,
which is the appropriate agency.
3. That Aubrey Ayer, Robert Henning and Johannes Verlinde be nominated to
fill the class of 2000.
Respectfully submitted;
Robert Henning
G.J. Keddie (Chairman)
Andrew Schep
Bruce Stewart
John White
The following special resolution was received by more than a two-thirds
vote (RE: fraternal relations with the CRC):
Motion: That the 1997 Synod of the RPCNA break Fraternal Relations with the
Christian Reformed Church (CRC).
Grounds:
1) The CRC has continued to persist in theological trends and ethical deviations
which evidence a rejeaion of the authority of the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their repudiation of Inerrancy, capitulation to Evolutionism, unwillingness to
confront the sin of Homosexuality and the recent series of Synodical decisions
allowing for opening ofall ecclesiastical offices to women, together bear witness to
this sad reality.
2) Although it is painful to break ties with those whom we have regarded as
precious fathers and brothers in Jesus Christ, a church from whom we have learned
so much, and with whom we have enjoyed such long-term fellowship, we must
support those congregations, sessions, ministers, elders, deacons and members who
are now departing from the CRC due to its persistence in various anti-confessional
and unbiblical trends.
3.) Itis an obligation of consistent Reformed Christians to be in the process of
either aaive protest and dissent from the CRC, or to depart from the CRC at this
time in history. If we maintain full fraternal ties with the CRC, our churches will be
officially bound to favor and support the CRC over against those congregations and
members who are departing from this denomination for good and necessary
reasons.
4.) Our sister bodies in the PCA and the OPC have already broken their
fraternal ties with the CRC, and last year NAPARC decided to hold a vote on the
suspension of the CRC from that body at its fall, 1997, meetings.
The resolution was referred to the Interchurch Committee to be
brought to Synod in 1998.
Ray Morton reported on his visit to the National Association of
Evangelicals. The report was received.