The ARP is a member of NAPARC, which includes the PCA, OPC, URC, etc. Some years ago NAPARC expelled the CRC from its membership. It was reported to me that this week the ARP sent a fraternal delegate to the CRC's Synod. Does anyone have an explanation of why this could be the case?
Associate Reformed Presbyterian fraternal delegate
- Thread starter mvdm
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Backwoods Presbyterian
Puritanboard Amanuensis
Really? I'll have to check on that. Especially since the CRC is mostly not in the same Geographic area that the ARP inhabits.
JM
Puritan Board Doctor
N. Eshelman
Puritan Board Senior
The CRC has never been taken out of fellowship from the ARP, despite NAPARC doing it.
Way back in 07 when we were still ARP we were able to have Calvin profs join our church (and one has) since it was a 'sister denomination'. The other sister churches are the RCA, PCUSA, and other whirled council of churches (just a better spelling if you ask me) members.
So.... a Calvin prof can be CRC, ARP, or so liberal that it is unbelievable!
That is how I understand it.
Way back in 07 when we were still ARP we were able to have Calvin profs join our church (and one has) since it was a 'sister denomination'. The other sister churches are the RCA, PCUSA, and other whirled council of churches (just a better spelling if you ask me) members.
So.... a Calvin prof can be CRC, ARP, or so liberal that it is unbelievable!
That is how I understand it.
For further amplification, the source of this report was a CRC synodical delegate. I can't vouch for his accuracy, I did not witness this myself, and I am thinking in light of the history that he is simply mistaken. But I throw the question out here for the brothers/sisters here who may have "connections" to see if they can verify, explain, or disprove.
Churches can have fraternal relations with other churches who are not in NAPARC. The PCA had a fraternal delegate from the EPC last year, and the EPC was never in NAPARC.
You are right, and yes, I understand that. But the situation is quite different to affirmatively send a "fraternal" delegate to a Synod of a church with whom former ties through NAPARC had been severed due to that church's unrepentant rebellion against the authority of Scripture. The ARP was part of that vote to sever the CRC's membership. Since the CRC's expulsion, I don't think the PCA or OPC send delegates to the CRC Synod for that very reason. So that's why I am interested to confirm if this report is true, and if so, what the ARP rationale for doing so would be.
I just caught Nathan's entry above, AFTER I posted the reply to Fred. That probably answers my question as to why they send delegates---they continued their own fraternal relationship--- despite having voted the CRC out of NAPARC. That sounds inconsistent to me, but there it is.
Scott1
Puritanboard Commissioner
I looked at how the PCA has handled this in the past and found the article below in the Presbyterian and Reformed News Service, July-August, 2000 Issue.
There have been different levels of relations, even "fraternal relationships."
NAPARC members may also share an even higher level with, for example, a presumptive right to speak at each others General Assembly- anyone know that for sure?
PCA Establishes Two
Categories of
Relations with Other
Denominations
Tampa, Florida (June 21, 2000)—The 28th
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in
America (PCA) today formally decided to
establish two categories of relations with other
denominations. As adopted by the Assembly,
the two categories will be known as Fraternal
Relations and Corresponding Relations.
Fraternal Relations is defined this way: “The
General Assembly may maintain a fraternal
relationship with other Presbyterian/Reformed
denominations that are voting members of the
North American Presbyterian and Reformed
Council and with other such Churches with
whom the General Assembly wishes to establish
fraternal relations unilaterally. This would involve
the exchange of fraternal delegates, exchange of
General Assembly or General Synod minutes,
communications on matters of mutual concern,
and other matters that may arise from time to
time. With regard to Corresponding Relations,
the Assembly said: “The General Assembly may
maintain corresponding relation with other
evangelical Churches in North America and in
other continents for exchanging greetings and
letters of encouragement. This may include the
exchange of official observers at the broadest
assemblies, and communications on issues of
common concern.”
In the past, there have been three levels of
relations with other churches. The 1991
Assembly established those three categories as
Churches in Ecclesiastical Fellowship, Churches
in Fraternal Correspondence, and Churches in
Ecclesiastical Correspondence. What was not
immediately evident to most people at that point
was that no General Assembly action was
specifically necessary in order for denominations
to become Churches in Fraternal
Correspondence; instead, their membership in
the World Evangelical Fellowship would
automatically entitle them to that designation.
The 1998 Assembly voted to instruct the
Interchurch Relations Committee (IRC ) to update
and revise the categories of fraternal relationships.
The IRC, which last year asked for a one-year
extension on the assignment, brought the
recommendation which was adopted.
There have been different levels of relations, even "fraternal relationships."
NAPARC members may also share an even higher level with, for example, a presumptive right to speak at each others General Assembly- anyone know that for sure?
PCA Establishes Two
Categories of
Relations with Other
Denominations
Tampa, Florida (June 21, 2000)—The 28th
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in
America (PCA) today formally decided to
establish two categories of relations with other
denominations. As adopted by the Assembly,
the two categories will be known as Fraternal
Relations and Corresponding Relations.
Fraternal Relations is defined this way: “The
General Assembly may maintain a fraternal
relationship with other Presbyterian/Reformed
denominations that are voting members of the
North American Presbyterian and Reformed
Council and with other such Churches with
whom the General Assembly wishes to establish
fraternal relations unilaterally. This would involve
the exchange of fraternal delegates, exchange of
General Assembly or General Synod minutes,
communications on matters of mutual concern,
and other matters that may arise from time to
time. With regard to Corresponding Relations,
the Assembly said: “The General Assembly may
maintain corresponding relation with other
evangelical Churches in North America and in
other continents for exchanging greetings and
letters of encouragement. This may include the
exchange of official observers at the broadest
assemblies, and communications on issues of
common concern.”
In the past, there have been three levels of
relations with other churches. The 1991
Assembly established those three categories as
Churches in Ecclesiastical Fellowship, Churches
in Fraternal Correspondence, and Churches in
Ecclesiastical Correspondence. What was not
immediately evident to most people at that point
was that no General Assembly action was
specifically necessary in order for denominations
to become Churches in Fraternal
Correspondence; instead, their membership in
the World Evangelical Fellowship would
automatically entitle them to that designation.
The 1998 Assembly voted to instruct the
Interchurch Relations Committee (IRC ) to update
and revise the categories of fraternal relationships.
The IRC, which last year asked for a one-year
extension on the assignment, brought the
recommendation which was adopted.
Thank you. I reviewed that page. They define fraternal relations as being with churches that adhere to the 3 forms of unity, both in belief and in practice. Thus, I still stand baffled about their having such relations with the CRC, a denomination which NAPARC has judged as violating the 3FU in belief and practice.
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