The closure of the General Synod on 4 June last without the designation of a new calling church has raised many questions. One of the most fundamental questions is whether this means the Christian Reformed Churches still exist as a church body. Several voices in the churches suggest that this would no longer be the case.
As deputies for Church Order and Church Law, it is our task to promote compliance with the Church Order and to provide information and training in this respect. For this reason, we would like to inform you in this letter about the Church Order and Church Law situation of our Church.
In the note 'Church law lines around church affiliation' we have already stressed that the decision not to convene a new synod is serious and far-reaching, but does not in itself dissolve the denomination. It does, however, entail risks for cohesion and trust within the churches. This is precisely why it is of great importance for churches that wish to remain faithful to Scripture, confession and Church Order to retain the covenant and work to restore order and fellowship.
This week, a note was received by us on the legal situation of the Christian Reformed Churches, written by Mr H. de Hek and Prof W.A. Zondag at the request of the Executive Board of the Apeldoorn Theological University. Because of the importance of the subject for the church body, the Executive Board has agreed to make an adaptation of the memorandum available to the churches. This memorandum can be found as an attachment below. The memorandum is also uploaded on our website and can be found at www.cgk.nl/kerkrecht.
We hope this memorandum will help you to continue your local work in connection with the other churches in this particular and worrisome situation.
