In these days of ecumenical awareness and activity Reformed believers may not sit still. That theirs is a holy calling to work as well as pray that all Christ’s own may give a clearer expression to their unity in him whose they are and whom they serve has been recognized officially by the Christian Reformed Churches for many years.
An excellent guide, alas too much ignored by many in these churches, has been in the main adopted by the Synod of 1944. The first statements to which synod expressed agreement have been reproduced earlier (TORCH AND TRUMPET, Dec. 1964, p. 19). Here follow the next statements which indicate this church’s concern for greater unity among all Christians.
“4. An exception should be made, as was already intimated sub 2, for those churches that are separated by barriers of great geographical distances and differences of language: denominational separateness cannot be avoided in their case. But they can be associated, if not ecclesiastically consolidated, provided they are in agreement in respect to doctrine, polity, and liturgy. They should engage in so-called correspondence in the spirit of art. 48 of our Church Order.
5. The churches of Christ can be roughly divided into four groups. They are: a) the Oriental churches; b) the Roman Catholic church; c) the Reformed churches, including those called Presbyterian; d) the non-Reformed Protestant churches.
6. The Reformed churches, to which group the Christian Reformed Church belongs, can be classified agreeably to our present purpose as follows: a) Reformed churches that are Reformed in respect alike of doctrine (not necessarily in creedal formulation), polity (with non-essential differences) and liturgy (by and large), both officially and actually as is evident from their regular ecclesiastical practice; b) Reformed churches which are Reformed officially but not de facto.
7. As observed above (sub 3) there is no scriptural warrant for the ecclesiastical diversification noted under 6 above. Pluriformity in the current sense of the term is contraband. Hence our Church cannot properly acquiesce in it but must in deference to the dictates of Scripture put forth every effort of which it is capable to nullify it as much as possible, though, of course, under no circumstances at the expense of the truth. If the Christian Reformed Church is the nearest historical approach to the ecclesiastical ideal of Scripture, as it modestly but confidently affirms, then it cannot consistently assume such an attitude toward the other churches in the face of their doctrinal, canonical, and liturgical delinquencies as is expressed in the notorious question: Am I my brother’s keeper? Nor can it forget the pronouncement of the Holy Spirit in Ps. 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity,” as it thinks of its fellow Reformed churches, or even more particularly of those Reformed churches which are truly Reformed both in word and deed.”
(to be continued )
– Acts of 1944. p. 358–359
