Reformed Church in America

This article is about the Reformed Church in America. For the Reformed Church in the United States, see Reformed Church in the United States.

Reformed Church in America
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Mainline/Calvinist
Polity	Presbyterian
Associations	National Council of Churches; World Council of Churches; Canadian Council of Churches; Christian Churches Together; World Alliance of Reformed Churches; Evangelical Fellowship of Canada; National Association of Evangelicals
Region	Canada, USA
Origin	1628 (First Dutch Reformed congregation organized in New Amsterdam); 1754 (American classis gains independence)
Separations	Christian Reformed Church in North America (separated 1857; further congregations join the CRC in 1882)
Congregations	910 (2011)
Members	241,580 (2011)

The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 250,000 members, with the total declining in recent decades. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1819, it incorporated as the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church. The current name was chosen in 1867.

The RCA is a founding member of the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, Christian Churches Together, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and some parts of the denomination belong to the National Association of Evangelicals, the Canadian Council of Churches and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

History

The RCA began in 1628. The early settlers in the Dutch colony of New Netherland held informal meetings for worship until Jonas Michaelius organized the first Dutch Reformed congregation in New Amsterdam, now New York City, in 1628 called the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, now the Marble Collegiate Church. During Dutch rule, the Reformed Church was the established church of the colony and was under the authority of the classis of Amsterdam.

Even after the British captured the colony in 1664, all Dutch Reformed ministers were still trained in the Netherlands, and services in the Reformed Church remained in the Dutch language until 1764. (Dutch language use faded thereafter until the new wave of Dutch immigration in the mid-19th century, which prompted a temporary revival of it.) In 1747, the church in the Netherlands gave permission to form an assembly in America which in 1754 declared itself independent of the classis of Amsterdam. This American classis secured a charter in 1766 for Queens College (now Rutgers University) in New Jersey. The appointment in 1784 of John Henry Livingston as professor of theology marked the beginning of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary.

The First Reformed Church in Albany started in 1642 to serve the patroonship of Rensselaerswyck. The current church was built in 1798.

The Dutch-speaking community prospered in the former New Netherland as farmers and traders, dominating New York CIty, the Hudson Valley and parts of New Jersey and maintaining a significant presence in southeastern Pennsylvania, southwestern Connecticut, and Long Island.

In the early 18th century, nearly 3,000 Palatine German refugees came to New York. Most worked first in English camps along the Hudson River to pay off their passage (paid by Queen Anne's government) before they were allowed land in the Schoharie and Mohawk Valleys. There they created numerous German-speaking Lutheran and Reformed churches, such as those at Fort Herkimer and German Flatts. They used German as the language in their churches and schools for nearly 100 years and recruited some of their ministers from Germany. By the early 20th century, most of their churches had joined the RCA.

During the American Revolution a bitter internal struggle broke out in the Dutch church, with lines of division which followed ecclesiastical battles that had gone on for twenty years between the "coetus" and "conferentie" factions. One source indicates that defections may have occurred as early as 1737. 'Desolation pervaded many of the churches, whereas prior to 1737 good order was maintained in the churches, and peace and a good degree of prosperity were enjoyed. ...But in 1754, the Coetus of the previous year, having recommended the changing of the Coetus into a Classis with full powers, the opposition became violent, and the opponents were known as the Conferentie.' A spirit of amnesty made possible the church's survival after the war. The divisiveness was also healed when the church immersed itself in an intensive foreign missions program in the early 19th century.

In 1792, a formal constitution was adopted; in 1794 the Reformed Church held its first general synod; and in 1867 formally adopted the name "Reformed Church in America". In the nineteenth century, in New York and New Jersey, the descendants of the original Dutch settlers struggled to preserve their European standards and traditions while developing a taste for revivalism and an American identity.

19th century

Some members owned slaves—the most famous of whom was Sojourner Truth--and the church was not supportive of abolitionism. In rural areas ministers preached in Dutch until about 1830-1850, then switched to English and dropped old Dutch clothing and customs. Although some ministers favored revivals, generally the church did not support either the First or the Second Great Awakening, which created much evangelical fervor.

Midwest

Fresh immigration from the Netherlands in the mid-19th century led to the development of the Church in the Midwest. Hope College and Western Theological Seminary were founded in Holland, Michigan; Central College at Pella, Iowa; and Northwestern College at Orange City, Iowa. In the 1857 Secession, a group of more conservative members in Michigan led by Gijsbert Haan separated from the Reformed Church and organized the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), and other churches followed. In 1882 another group of churches left for the CRCNA, mirroring developments in the church in the Netherlands.

Post-World War II

After 1945, the Church expanded in Canada which was the destination of a large group of Dutch emigrants. Between 1949 and 1958, the Church opened 120 churches among non-Dutch suburban communities. It was a charter member of the Presbyterian Alliance, the Federal Council of Churches, and the World Council of Churches.

Recent decline

Like other mainline denominations, the Church has experienced a declining membership during the last thirty years. In 2010, the total membership was 250,000, down from about 300,000 in 2000, and about 360,000 in 1980. In the last thirty years, the Church has lost more than 1/3 of its membership.

Beliefs

The Reformed Church confesses several statements of doctrine and faith. These include the historic Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed; the traditional Reformed Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism (with its compendium), the Canons of Dort, and the Belhar Confession.

Life issues

The Reformed Church is generally opposed to abortion. The official stance, approved by the General Synod in 1973, affirms that: "We believe the Bible teaches the sanctity of human life. Men are given the precious gift of life from God and are created in the image of God. Therefore, we believe, in principle, that abortion ought not to be practiced at all. However, in this complex society, where many times one form of evil is pitted against another form of evil, there could be exceptions. It is our Christian conviction that abortion performed for personal reasons to insure individual convenience ought not to be permitted./ We call on all who counsel those with problem pregnancies, especially youth workers, campus pastors and staff members of our church colleges, to uphold the Christian alternatives to abortion./ We call on our churches to expand their efforts to support agencies providing a ministry of mercy to those seeking alternatives to abortion./ We call on our members to support efforts for constitutional changes to provide legal protection for the unborn." The stance was reaffirmed by the Commission on Christian Action in 1990: "One way for the church to respond to the tragedy of abortion is to address those forces to which women are especially vulnerable: poverty, a lack of support services, the demands of the work place upon the family. Women should not be forced to choose between living in poverty or giving birth, between caring for their newborn or losing their job. They should not feel pressure to abort an unborn child because they have nowhere to turn for support."

The Reformed Church opposes euthanasia. The report of the Commission on Christian Action stated in 1994: "What Christians say about issues of morality ought to be and usually is a reflection of their fundamental faith convictions. There are at least three of these convictions that appear especially relevant to the question of whether it is acceptable for Christians to seek a physician’s assistance in committing suicide in the midst of extreme suffering./ A fundamental conviction Christians have is that they do not belong to themselves. Life, despite its circumstances, is a gift from God, and each individual is its steward... Contemporary arguments for the 'right' to assistance to commit suicide are based on ideas of each individual's autonomy over his or her life. Christians cannot claim such autonomy; Christians acknowledge that they belong to God... Christians yield their personal autonomy and accept a special obligation, as the first answer of the Heidelberg Catechism invites people to confess: 'I am not my own, but belong — body and soul, in life and in death — to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ' (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 1)... A decision to take one's own life thus appears to be a denial that one belongs to God./ A second conviction is that God does not abandon people in times of suffering... Christians express their faith in God's love by trusting in God's care for them. A decision to end one's life would appear to be a cessation of that trust... Suffering calls upon people to trust God even in the valley of the shadow of death. It calls on people to let God, and not suffering, determine the agenda of their life and their death./ A third conviction is that in the community of God's people, caring for those who are dying is a burden Christians are willing to share. Both living and dying should occur within a caring community, and in the context of death, Christian discipleship takes the form of caring for those who are dying./ This is an era when many people find legislating morality a questionable practice. Should Christians promote legislation which embodies their conclusions about the morality of physician-assisted suicide?... If Christians are to be involved in debating laws regulating assisted suicide, it will be out of a concern for the health and well-being of society... As a society, there is no common understanding that gives any universal meaning to 'detrimental.' In humility, Christians can simply acknowledge this, and proceed…to share our own unique perspectives, inviting others to consider them and the faith that gives them meaning."

The Reformed Church also condemns the death penalty. The General Synod in 2000 expressed seven reasons why the Church opposes it:

• Capital punishment is incompatible with the Spirit of Christ and the ethic of love. The law of love does not negate justice, but it does nullify the motives of vengeance and retribution by forcing us to think in terms of redemption, rehabilitation, and reclamation. The Christ who refused to endorse the stoning of the woman taken in adultery would have us speak to the world of compassion, not vengeance.
• Capital punishment is of doubtful value as a deterrent. The capital punishment as a deterrent argument assumes a criminal will engage in a kind of rational, cost-benefit analysis before he or she commits murder. Most murders, however, are crimes of passion or are committed under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This does not excuse the perpetrator of responsibility for the crime, but it does show that in most cases capital punishment as a deterrent won’t work.
• Capital punishment results in inequities of application. Numerous studies since 1965 have shown that racial factors play a significant role in determining whether or not a person receives a sentence of death.
• Capital punishment is a method open to irremediable mistakes. The increasing number of innocent defendants being found on death row is a clear sign that the process for sentencing people to death is fraught with fundamental errors—errors which cannot be remedied once an execution occurs.
• Capital punishment ignores corporate and community guilt. Such factors may diminish but certainly do not destroy the responsibility of the individual. Yet society also bears some responsibility for directing efforts and resources toward correcting those conditions that may foster such behavior.
• Capital punishment perpetuates the concepts of vengeance and retaliation. As an agency of society, the state should not become an avenger for individuals; it should not presume the authority to satisfy divine justice by vengeful methods.
• Capital punishment ignores the entire concept of rehabilitation. The Christian faith should be concerned not with retribution, but with redemption. Any method which closes the door to all forgiveness, and to any hope of redemption, cannot stand the test of our faith.

The General synod resolution expressed is will "to urge members of the Reformed Church in America to contact their elected officials, urging them to advocate for the abolition of capital punishment and to call for an immediate moratorium on executions."

Women's ordination

The Reformed Church in America first admitted women to the offices of deacon and elder in 1972, and first ordained women in 1979.

By 1980, the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America had amended the Book of Church Discipline to clarify their position on women's ordination, including amending the language of Part I, Article 1, Section 3 of the BCO from "persons" to "men and women."

In 1980 the Church added a conscience clause to the Book of Church Discipline stating, "If individual members of the classis find that their consciences, as illuminated by Scripture, would not permit them to participate in the licensure, ordination or installation of women as ministers of the Word, they shall not be required to participate in decisions or actions contrary to their consciences, but may not obstruct the classis in fulfilling its responsibility to arrange for the care, ordination, and installation of women candidates and ministers by means mutually agreed on by such women and the classis" (Part II, Article 2, Section 7).

In 2012, by a vote of 143 to 69, the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America voted to remove that conscience clause. However, the vote must be approved by two-thirds of the RCA's classes (local governing bodies) before it goes into effect. Votes will take place at classis meetings throughout the coming year, and the results of the votes may be accepted at General Synod 2013.

Homosexuality

Since 1978, the General Synod has made a number of statements on homosexuality. Homosexual acts are considered sinful and "contrary to the will of God". But homosexual inverts are "no more to be blamed" for their condition "than a retarded child". The church must affirm civil rights for homosexuals while it condemns homosexual behavior (1978). The church must seek to lift the homosexual's "burden of guilt", recognizing that homosexuality is a "complex phenomenon" (1979). The church should encourage "love and sensitivity towards such persons as fellow human beings" (1990). In 1994 the Synod condemned the humiliation and degradation of homosexuals and confessed that many members had not listened to the "heartfelt cries" of homosexual persons struggling for "self-acceptance and dignity".

The 2012 General Synod affirmed the position that "homosexual behavior is a sin", and it condemned advocates of same-sex marriage. The Synod said that "compassion, patience, and loving support should be shown to all those who struggle with same-sex desires." Recognizing divisions within the denomination in regard to homosexuality, the Synod called for the creation of a "Way-Forward" committee to make practical recommendations but not to revisit the official position.

Polity

The Reformed Church has a presbyterian polity where authority is divided among representative bodies: consistories, classes, regional synods, and the General Synod. The General Synod meets annually and is the representative body of the entire Church, establishing its policies, programs, and agenda. The current President of the General Synod is the Rev. Tom Smith who was elected to a one-year term in 2012. Measures passed at General Synod are executed and overseen by the General Synod Council. Council members are appointed by the General Synod. A General Secretary oversees day to day operations. The Rev. Dr. Tom De Vries was installed as the current General Secretary at the 2011 General Synod.

The Constitution of the Reformed Church in America consists of three parts: the Liturgy, the Government, and the Doctrinal Standards. The Government, along with the Formularies and the By-laws of the General Synod are published annually in a volume known as The Book of Church Order.

Colleges and seminaries

The Dimnent Chapel at Hope College, in Holland, Michigan

Colleges

• Central College, Pella, Iowa
• Hope College, Holland, Michigan
• Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa

Seminaries

• New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, New Jersey
• Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan

Certification agencies

• For students who do not attend or receive their Master of Divinity degree from one of the two seminaries operated by the Reformed Church in America, they are certified and credentialed for ministry in the Reformed Church in America through the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency in Paramount, California.

Ecumenical relations

The RCA maintains full communion with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ through a document known as the Formula of Agreement. The relationship between the United Church of Christ and the RCA has been the subject of controversy within the RCA, particularly a resolution by the UCC General Synod in 2005 regarding homosexuality. In 2012, RCA discussed own position regarding homosexuality. The two denominations undertook a dialogue and in 1999 produced a document discussing their differences (PDF). The RCA's 2006 General Synod voted to allow the exchange of ministers with the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

Notable members

John Scudder, Sr., a Dutch Reformed minister, started a family of missionaries in India in 1819

• Edward Wilmot Blyden, educator, writer, diplomat and politician
• Vern Den Herder, professional football player in the NFL (1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins)
• Everett Dirksen, senator
• B.D. Dykstra, writer and educator
• Geronimo
• Jack Hanna, American zoologist
• Peter Hoekstra, Congressman
• Evel Knievel, motorcycle stuntman and daredevil
• Kyle Korver, professional basketball player in the NBA
• Francis D. "Hap" Moran, professional football player New York Giants, Deacon and Elder in the Reformed Church in America
• A. J. Muste, writer, professor, pacifist
• Jim Nantz, TV sportscaster
• Norman Vincent Peale, preacher
• Theodore Roosevelt, American President
• Marge Roukema, Congresswoman, a convert from Roman Catholicism
• Albert Janse Ryckman, Mayor of Albany, New York (1702–1703), Captain of the Albany Militia, prominent Albany brewmaster of the late seventeenth century; deacon in the Dutch Reformed Church
• John Scudder, Sr., missionary
• Philip Schuyler, a leader of the American Revolution
• Robert H. Schuller, televangelist
• Martin Van Buren, American President
• Fez Whatley, radio personality
• The Reverend Clark V. Poling, one of the Four Chaplains

See also

• American Reformed Mission
• Christian Reformed Church in North America

References

Bibliography

• Birch, J. J. The Pioneering Church in the Mohawk Valley (1955)
• DeJong, Gerald F. The Dutch Reformed Church in the American Colonies (1978) 279 pp.
• Fabend, H. H. Zion on the Hudson: Dutch New York and New Jersey in the Age of Revivals (2000)
• House, Renee S., and John W. Coakley, eds. ''Women in the History of the Reformed Church in America (1999) 182 pp. Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America. no. 5.
• Hansen, M.G. The Reformed Church in the Netherlands, 1340–1840 (1884)
• Swierenga, Robert, and Elton J. Bruins. Family Quarrels in the Dutch Reformed Churches in the 19th Century: The Pillar Church Sesquicentennial Lectures (Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America) (2000) excerpt and text search
• Swierenga, Robert. The Dutch in America: Immigration, Settlement, and Cultural Change (1985)
• Swierenga, Robert. Faith and Family: Dutch Immigration and Settlement in the United States, 1820-1920 (2000)

Notes

External links

• RCA official site