More than seven hundred fifty people filled the sanctuary of the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center, Iowa, on Friday evening, September 14, 1984, for a meeting sponsored by the area chapter of the Reformed Fellowship. Featured as speaker was the Rev. Henry Vander Kam, professor-emeritus of Mid-America Reformed Seminary.

The subject of his address was: “Synod’s decision concerning women deacons, and what can be done about it.”

Rev. Vander Kam indicated that the issue was given birth among us through our involvement in the RES, rather than through the use of ecclesiastical channels, that is, by a case being brought from a consistory through a classis to a synod. The RES had been spurred by the Dutch Gereformeerde Kerken (synodical) to study the matter. Among the Christian Reformed, the framework for the fifteen-year-long discussion has been two study reports, Report 44 of the synod of 1972, and Report 44 of the synod of 1973. Vander Kam faulted the former for its vagueness and ambiguity, in view of the fact that “both sides” can find justification in the report for their opposing views on the nature of biblical authority. The Report 44 of 1973, Vander Kam contended, reduces ordination to mere appointment, and office to mere service.

The speaker gave a brief sketch of the discussion of women in ecclesiastical office within the CRC in terms of the mandates, reports and conclusions of the various study committees which have come to synods during the past fifteen years. He observed that while the reports themselves often contained sound exegesis, the committees just as often took “leaps” from their reports to their recommendations; their conclusions were not justified by the exegesis.

The decision of 1984 represents a new development in the discussion of women in office. In opening the office of deacon to women, the denomination has now officially employed the new hermeneutic. Moreover, using the conclusions also of 1973 concerning office (service) and ordination (appointment), this decision is a virtual declaration , by necessary inference, that “deacons have no authority.” This inference is reinforced by the qualification that women may be “deacons-whose-work-is-distinguished-from–that-of-elders.” Vander Kam insisted that the church up ‘til now has seen the diaconal office as possessing authority—a different kind of authority, to be sure, but one that is derived from Christ Himself. This authority must be exercised, for example, to prevent poverty (see Form for the Ordination of Elders and Deacons). Equally distressing is that the 1984 decision officially introduces congregationalism into the structure and government of the churches in the denomination.

But now the question: what can we do? Where do we go from here? Warning on the one hand against doing anything rash, and on the other hand against being fainthearted and doing nothing, Vander Kam outlined a course of action comprised of the following five steps:

1. Ask your consistory to make clear that no list of nominations for office will include the names of women, either this coming fall or in the futu re. 2. Ask your consistory to bring an overture to its classis and to the synod of 1985 , to rescind the decision of 1984 regarding women in the office of deacon. Although many may believe this to be a futile effort, we are yet duty bound to do it—once more. Until now, appeals and overtures have protested movements, trends, and recommendations; now we must protest an official action. 3. Do not pay quotas to support—that is—teach, defend or implement this decision of the 1984 synod. Involved here is a corporate responsibility in supporting wrongdoing; as a matter of conscience, we may not support it. Three denominational causes mentioned in this connection were Calvin College and Seminary, World Missions and Home Missions. Regarding the college and seminary, Vander Kam observed that the majority of the college religion professors and of the seminary faculty has openly defended this decision; moreover, the women students at Calvin Seminary who are studying for the Master of Divinity degree are not studying to be deacons. Concerning World Missions, Vander Kam reported that the area secretary to the Far East wondered aloud (in working with the study committee reporting in 1981) what all the fuss was about—“We’ve had women in office on the mission field for years.” A secret well–kept from the church, said Vander Kam. Further, several home mission churches, under the supervision of the Home Mission Board, have already had women serving in official capacities for some time. Vander Kam advised that these withheld funds not be put in escrow, but given instead to causes that have earned our trust by uncompromised allegiance to Scripture, and that need our support.

4. We must await the decision of the 1985 synod. If we are not satisfied with that decision, we may have to call a convention to continue the Christian Reformed Church. This matter of historical continuity is of great importance, to proclaim and hold before men that it is those who have gone against the teachings of Scripture who have departed from the Christian Reformed Church, not we who seek to uphold those teachings. The time for fence-straddling—always an uncomfortable position anyway—is past.

5 . We must be much in prayer. Because we are called by God to follow these steps for the sake of the church, we may not act rashly, nor be fainthearted in waiting to see potential outcomes of the decision in the life of the church.

The address of Rev. Vander Kam was followed by a question and answer period. Questions ranged from asking clarification about how quotas could be withheld, to seeking elaboration on how consistories can hold before prospective nominees the urgency of remaining on nomination for office. Several questions sought explanation of the arguments used by those favoring women in office; the biblical evidence and synodical justification. Vander Kam pointed out that a negative ground (“the biblical teaching is ambiguous, and does not forbid women in office”) is, like the argument from silence, always dangerous. Others pointed out that we now have two kinds of deacons, male deacons who are full members of the consistory, and female deacons who are restricted members of the consistory.

The third and final part of the meeting was an opportunity for the audience to express itself about the synodical decision. Listeners were invited to indicate their views by circling one, two, or all of the following resolutions:

“1. At a mass meeting of the Reformed Fellowship of Northwest Iowa held September 14 in Sioux Center, it was resolved that the Christian Reformed constituency should know that this section of the Reformed Fellowship is opposed to the decision of Synod to permit women to serve as deacons in the Christian Reformed Church.

2. At a mass meeting . . . it was resolved that we have conscientious objections to the decision of Synod to permit women to serve as deacons in our church. Therefore we cannot support financially such institutions as Calvin College and Seminary and other institutions that promote and carry out this decision of Synod.

3. Since Synod has violated the creeds—the Church Order, the Belgic Confession (Articles 29, 30, 32) and the Word of God (Acts 6)—in permitting women to serve as deacons, we therefore believe that this decision of Synod is not settled and binding for our church and its members. We wish to warn our denomination that this unscriptural decision will not only destroy the unity of the church but also hasten its apostacy.”

Approximately six hundred fifty ballots were distributed to the audience. The first resolution received the endorsement of four hundred thirty–three, the second was endorsed by three hundred ninety–three, and the third was favored by four hundred twenty-four.

A concluding observation: one heartening fact was the attendance of a considerable number of young people (college-age men and women) and young married couples.

A final, concluding observation: our public and hearty thanks to the Consistory of the Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center, Iowa, for their gracious willingness to host this meeting of the Reformed Fellowship.

Nelson D. Kloosterman is a professor at the Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Orange City, Iowa.

Rev. H. Vander Kam will speak at a similar evening meeting on this general theme at the North Street church of Zeeland on Nov. 8 and at the East Cutlerville church on Nov. 9.