Christian Reformed Church & Canadian Reformed?

[matt01]

We are looking for a church while travelling, and it seems two of the primary options are Christian Reformed and Canadian Reformed. Are there any characteristics of either that are important to know, or differences between the two?

 

[ericfromcowtown]

I am assuming by your question that you will be travelling in Canada.

The Christian Reformed Church is quite mainline and liberal. Some congregations may be better than others, but in general you might be disappointed.

The Canadian Reformed Church is quite conservative and for the most part ethnically Dutch.

Another conservative denomination, with churches in Canada, which you might want to look into is the United Reformed Church (URCNA).

On the Presbyterian side, the PCA has churches in Canada as does the OPC (only in Ontario?).

 

[Marrow Man]

My limited understanding is that the Christian Reformed Church has a tendency toward liberalism (although not all church will be like that) and allows women to serve in leadership positions; the Canadian Reformed Church is very conservative from what I gather, almost to a fault (but have improved greatly in this area in the last few years).

To put it another way, the Christian Reformed Church is no longer a member of NAPARC (since around 2000), while the Canadian Reformed Church is a new member of NAPARC.

 

[kvanlaan]

Yep, I came out of the CRC and it is pretty much as you describe, while the CanRef church is quite as Pastor Phillips describes. We are now URCNA and lovin' it. The CanRef used to be quite clannish but is indeed coming out of their shell. The CRC used to be more orthodox, but since the early 90's has come a long way towards broad evangelicalism (some churches no longer even teach catechism to their young peoples). There are still many good people in the CRC (there were so many in our old congregation) but we had to go.

We do have OPC (Sheffield) and even ARP (Cambridge) congregations here (at least in Ontario). There's an OPC not two doors down from our church in Sheffield. You have the choice between a faithful church using the 3FU and and a faithful church using the WCF within one city block.

PS - Why did the CRC leave the NAPARC?

 

[PointyHaired Calvinist]

PS - Why did the CRC leave the NAPARC?

The CRC was expelled for allowing women to become ministers and other liberal trends. They're fitting in quite nicely with liberal ecumenism, spearheading the union of the World Alliance of Reformed (sic) Churches and the Reformed (sic) Ecumenical Synod/Council.

 

[Guido's Brother]

If you let us know where you'll be travelling, I can give some recommendations if any CanRCs are near your route. And if you're in the Toronto/Hamilton area, you'd be welcome to visit our church here in Hamilton.

 

[kvanlaan]

Dominee Bredenhof, are you in the pulpit on a regular basis yet?

 

[Guido's Brother]

Dominee Bredenhof, are you in the pulpit on a regular basis yet?

Dominee?

But anyway, no. My installation date is September 13. We're still getting settled in. I'm waiting for the shelves for my study, so all my books are still in boxes.

 

[matt01]

We are looking for a church to attend for a few weeks in or near Surrey, BC.

My in-laws (who are CRC) were talking about the Canadian Refrmd church being 31ers. Something to do with the 31st article of one of the confessions. Do you know what this refers to?

 

[kvanlaan]

Dominee?

I'm just a little old-fashioned is all. Sorry, actually, you need to be about 30 years older to rate that!

 

[Guido's Brother]

We are looking for a church to attend for a few weeks in or near Surrey, BC.

My in-laws (who are CRC) were talking about the Canadian Refrmd church being 31ers. Something to do with the 31st article of one of the confessions. Do you know what this refers to?

The reference is to Article 31 of the Church Order and it goes back to the ecclesiastical struggle known as the Liberation of 1944. During that struggle the Liberated (who became CanRC when some immigrated) insisted that decisions of assemblies shall be considered binding unless they can be proven to be in conflict with Scripture or the Church Order. Today, I'd bet that 80% of the regular members in our church know nothing about this struggle. It was an important part of our history, but today it's just not very well known.

Depending on where you are in Surrey, there are two choices: the CanRC in Cloverdale or the Maranatha CanRC in Whalley.

 

[matt01]

Thanks. We are going to attend the church in Whalley this morning.