Timothy Monsma is serving this year as Administrative Dean of Mid-America Reformed Seminary at Orange City, Iowa.

When the Christian Reformed Church was young she had an open door policy in regard to the seminary training of her ministers. Her original ministers were trained in the Netherlands or in the home of another minister.

Later several congregations ofGerman background joined the Christian Reformed Church. In the closing decades of the nineteenth century they desired German speaking pastors. At that time Calvin Seminary was giv ing all her instruction in Dutch. She could not supply this need. In 1883 therefore the CRC Synod advised these German congregations to seek out graduates from the Theological School of the Old Reformed Church at Veldhausen, Graafschap, Bentheim in Germany. Three years later Synod even recommended offerings for this school at Veldhausen.¹

In 1896 the Synod was still following an open door policy regarding the training of her future pastors. That year she said:

“Synod is requested to rule on the matter how students, who have finished their Theological studies at a different Seminary may be declared eligible for call in our church.

“Decided: Any Classis has the right to receive a candidate of any orthodox Seminary, but, in doubtful cases such a person shall be assigned to the Curatorium of our church.” (Acts, 1896, p. 49, Art. 92)²

In 1900 Classis Illinois asked Synod to modify her open door policy. Synod agreed with this request but still held the door open to potential candidates from other Reformed seminaries. The relevant passage reads as follows:

“Classis Illinois desires that Synod decide that no Class is has the right to examine students who have not completed their Theological studies at our own or at another Reformed institution, and have not had their preparatoir examination according to II K of the general rules, Art. 4, II a.

“In connection with the above, your committee advises: In view of the fact that eligibility for call has, as a rule , been assigned to the Curatorium, all others who desire to serve our church should follow this path to office. Students who have not studied at a definitely Reformed institution, must follow the courses in Theology at our own institution for at least one year.” (Acts, 1900, pp. 31, 32, Art. 39)

By “a definitely Reformed institution” Synod may have had in mind the Reformed seminaries of the Netherlands and Germany, Princeton Seminary, or possibly Western Seminary at Holland, Michigan. The important point to remember is that in 1900 such seminaries did exist, and Synod considered study at such schools a suitable substitute for study at Calvin, so much so that it was not necessary for one who studied at these schools to spend even one year on the Calvin campus. As late as 1918 the Rev. John Masse link graduated from Grundy Seminary in Grundy Center, Iowa, and began his ministry at Ridott/German Valley, Illinois, without attending Calvin Seminary.

When, however, we leave the early history of the CRC and enter twentieth century developments, we find the open door swinging closed. The year was 1922, the year that Dr. Janssen was dismissed from teaching duties at Calvin Seminary because of his approach to Scripture. The fear of heterodoxy infiltrating the Church from the American environment was in the air. The Synod of 1922 changed the ruling of 1900 to read that not just any year, but the last year of study must be done at Calvin. The full minute reads as follows:

“Students from elsewhere who wish to become candidates in our churches. The Curatorium desires that the decision of Synod 1900 (Acts Art. 39, IX) which reads: ‘Students who have studied Theology in other schools should follow the courses in Theology at our school for at least one year, be changed to read: ‘Students who have studied at non-Reformed institutions, must follow the course of study at our Theological School the last year of their training before they are to be declared eligible for candidacy.’(Grounds)

“a-Because the extent of the Reformed character of many schools in our country is difficult to assess.

b-Because in the above named Synodical decision it is left indefinite which of the three years must be spent at our school, while the last year should be designated so that the Faculty and Curatorium may know the student when he desires to become eligible for call.” (Acts, 1922, pp. 11, 12, Art. 11)

Synod of 1924—the same Synod that struggled with the common grace issue—went a step further (although the delegates were told that they were simply repeating a decision of the previous Synod). Synod of 1924 said:

“Students having studied theology at other seminaries, shall at least take the senior year at our seminary before they shall be declared eligible for call in our churches.” (Acts, 1924 , p. 38, Art. 41)³

Here for the first time the possibility of study at other Reformed seminaries is not mentioned. One can only speculate on the reasons for this ·narrowing of the passage leading to Christian Reformed ministry. For one thing, these were theologically turbulent times. For another, Grundy College was still operating at Grundy Center, Iowa. The Synod had previously ordered the closing of the Grundy Seminary (which was considered a church seminary operated by Classis Ost Friesland). Did the Synod want to make sure that Grundy College would not grow into a seminary? But if that were the case why did Synod not say this already in 1922? Was the Synod afraid that students who left Calvin Seminary when Dr. Janssen did, would return to the CRC with heterodox teachings? One thing is sure: If the decision of 1924 is a repetition of the decision of 1922, as it claims to be, then we must even today face the fact that Synod’s biggest fear was not of other seminaries per se, but of other seminaries that are “non-Reformed institutions.”

In 1922 and 1924 Westminster Seminary, Reformed Seminary at Jackson, and Mid–America Reformed Seminary did not exist. There was at that time some justification for the careful approach taken by these synods. Since then synods have for many years taken a lenient attitude toward potential candidates who have studied at Reformed seminaries other than Calvin Seminary. Here is a sampling of men who during the fifties were excused from study at Calvin Seminary together with the year in which this excuse was given:

1952: Rev. Anthony De Jager, Rev. Eugene Calender, Rev. Robert Sutton (with but one semester at Calvin)

1953: Prof. Marten Woudstra, Dr. Edwin Palmer

1956: Rev. John Vriend, Dr. Sidney Cooper (with but one semester at Calvin)

It is evident from this sampling that although the rule of 1924 has been upheld, exceptions have been made when the circumstances warranted such exceptions. Martin Monsma appears to endorse the idea of making such exceptions when he writes in the Church Order Commentary: “Notwithstanding all this, we allow for certain justifiable exceptions. The more so whereas there are, happily, some theological schools which are true to the Reformed faith, on our own continent and elsewhere in the world” (1967, pp. 44, 45).

What then must one say about the ruling of 1924 regarding a final year of study at Calvin seminary? Inasmuch as this rule was made before certain Reformed seminaries came into existence, it is now outdated. Synod would do well to return to the open door policy of 1900 which says, “Students who have not studied at a definitely Reformed institution, must follow the courses in Theology at our own institution for at least one year.” (Acts, 1900, pp. 31, 32, Art. 39)

There was a time when the CRC had one liberal arts college. Now she has five. Certain adjustments have been made to accommodate the newer colleges. We have “discovered” what other denominations already knew from experience: a variety of colleges can serve one denomination in a helpful way. The misgivings that many in Grand Rapids had when Dordt College (the first society run college to be established) was founded, have dissipated.

When Mid-America Reformed Seminary was founded, there were misgivings in various places. But Mid-America has a solid base of support in the denomination. She will not go away. Certain adjustments ought to be made. I have suggested the lines that these adjustments might follow. The home classis can be charged with much greater participation in the supervision of students and candidates. Denominational standards can be set in the way that the state standards are set for Christian schools. But within these standards every school must have the freedom to develop her own mystique. In the long run equal treatment for all schools, both denominational and society run, will do more than favoritism in the way of promoting denominational vitality and unity.

   

ENDNOTES

1Henry Zwaanstra, “Grundy College: 1916–1934” in Perspectives on the Christian Reformed Church edited by P. De Klerk and R .R. De Ridder (Baker Book House, 1983) p. 109.

2 This and the following quotations from the Acts of 1892, 1900, and 1922 were translated from the Dutch by Henry Vander Kam.

3 The translation ofMartin Monsma in the New Revised Church Order Commentary of 1967, p . 44. The full minute reads as follows: F. Studenten die aan andere Scholen hebben gestudeerd (Curatorium Rapport, V): The Board would present once more the following for adoption: “Studenten, die aan andere scholen Theologie hebben gestudeerd, moeten althans de lessen van het Jaatste jaar ann onze Theol. School heben gevolgd, om in onze kerken beroepbaar gesteld te kunnen worden.” (Zie Acta Synodi 1922.) Uwe Commissie adviseert om alzoo te besluiten. Aangenomen