In receiving reports from Calvin Theological Seminary, Synod 2025 recognized several positive milestones, commended the school for training pastors and church leaders who uphold the Word of God and who support and defend the creeds and confessions of the CRCNA, and requested that the Board of Trustees of Calvin Theological Seminary provide information to Synod 2026 about how all instructional personnel, not just permanent faculty, adhere to the CRC’s teachings.
“We appreciate the commitment of regularly appointed teaching faculty to teach,
preach, counsel, and write within the covenant bounds of the Christian Reformed Church
in North America,” synod said, referencing the seminary’s report in the agenda, “and desire to learn more about how this also extends to the category of those serving in other teaching roles at CTS.”
Jul Medenblik, president of Calvin Theological Seminary, said the process of writing policies down is still ongoing as over the school’s 150 years a lot was just ‘understood’ from the beginning. “Our board recently adopted statements related to church membership,” he said.
Aleah Marsden, Classis Central California, said requiring more from the board is “unnecessary work” after it has shown its alignment. “We can extend trust to them,” she said.
While synod made this request, president Stephen Terpstra said he wanted to be sure to celebrate the seminary’s work over the years and their faculty and students that have been flourishing in equipping people to remain faithful to God's Word, including people from 30 nations in this year’s student body.
Synod noted the school’s 150th anniversary being celebrated next year and congratulated CTS for their work in equipping pastors and church leaders, and for the faithful service of retiring professor Mary Vanden Berg, who will be conferred the title “emeritus” in July.
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.
About the Author
Isabelle Brown is a writer from Brampton, Ontario and a student at Redeemer University, where she is a reporter for The Crown. Her non-writing interests include painting and sketching.