CRC Pursues Closer Relationship with Alliance of Reformed Churches

Synod 2025 agreed to pursue a church in communion relationship with the Alliance of Reformed Churches. It’s the closest ecumenical category of relationships the Christian Reformed Church has.

The Alliance is made of congregations that have left the Reformed Church in America because of disagreement with the RCA’s decisions regarding human sexuality and same-sex relationships. The RCA is currently a church in communion with the CRC. Its relationship is also part of the Synod 2025 agenda.

Zachary King, CRC general secretary, explained to delegates, “The Alliance is a denominational body, but it functions very differently from us. It has networks and annual gatherings, not classes and synod.”

There are currently several Christian Reformed pastors serving in Alliance churches. Synod 2025 agreed that those pastors can continue to serve in those positions even though the congregations are no longer part of the RCA. Pastors in the CRC and in the RCA are able to be called to churches in the other denomination, according to Church Order Article 8-b.

The CRC’s Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee has already had extensive interactions with the Alliance regarding confessional convictions, organization, credentialing, and possible shared ministry. Shirley Roels, a member of the EIRC, said that the recommendation to pursue a closer relationship did not come until the Alliance could clarify its standards and calling of pastors and means for accountability for pastors.

“They subsequently told us much more about standards and accountability, and we’re much more convinced that they have a plan,” she said. “They are a young, new denomination. We have to be patient.”

The status of church in communion with the Alliance awaits a positive response from that organization to the invitation.

Synod 2025, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, is meeting June 13-19 on the campus of Redeemer University in Ancaster, Ont. Find daily coverage from The Banner at TheBanner.org/synod. Visit crcna.org/synod for the agenda, advisory reports, recordings of plenary sessions, and to subscribe to the daily Synod News email.