Synod of Utrecht (1905)

[Arch2k]

Does anyone know where I can read a copy of the Synod of Utrecht (1905) (preferrably online)?

 

[BobVigneault]

Jeff, you haven't had any replies yet so I just wanted to let you know that I searched and searched yesterday and I couldn't find anything but references to the synod or some quotes from the synod online.

I was really surprised by this. Maybe you can find it in dutch on a dutch site.

 

[Arch2k]

Thanks alot Bob. I've read some of the quotes from the synod as well, but no luck finding it.

Thanks again!

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Well, I have looked into this and also seen quite a few quotes and citations to Acta der Generale Synode van de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland, gehouden te Utrecht van 22 Augustus tot 7 September 1905, Amsterdam etc. (Höveker & Wormser) [1905]. But if it is available in English online I have yet to find it.

The Synod of Utrecht (1905) states ``our confessions, certainly with respect to the doctrine of election, follow the infralapsarian presentation,'' but that ``this does not at all imply an exclusion or condemnation of the supralapsarian presentation.'' Source

The 1905 synod of the Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, meeting in Utrecht, declared:

"According to the confession of our churches, the seed of the covenant, by virtue of the promise of God, is to be considered regenerated and sanctified in Christ, until the contrary should become evident from their doctrine and conduct as they grow up" (Acts, Article 158). Source

The Synod of 1905 tried to maintain the peace in the churches with a pacifying declaration. It can be found in Art. 158 of the Acts of Synod 1905, p. 84-86. Part of this declaration reads:

With regard to the point of the "immediate regeneration, the Synod judges, that this expression can be used in a good sense, insofar our churches have always confessed over against the Lutheran and Roman church that regeneration does not take place through the Word or the sacraments as such but through the almighty and regenerating activity of the Holy Spirit; that, however, this regenerating activity of the Holy Spirit must not be divorced from the preaching of the Word as if both were separate from each other; for even though our Confession teaches that we should not have any doubt regarding the salvation of our children who die in their infancy although they have not heard the preaching of the Gospel, and further regarding the manner in which this regeneration takes place with these and other children nowhere in our confession a pronouncement is made, that nevertheless on the other hand it is an established fact that the Gospel is a power of God unto salvation for every one who believes, and that with the adults the regenerating activity of the Holy Spirit accompanies the preaching of the Gospel ... (emphasis added. J.G.)
...
With regard to this point of the presumed regeneration the Synod declared

that, according to the Confession of our Churches, the seed of the covenant must be taken for regenerated and sanctified in Christ until the opposite shows when they grow up; that it is less correct, however, to say that baptism is administered to the children of believers on the ground of their presumed regeneration because the ground for baptism is the command and promise of God; that further to the judgment of love with which the Church takes the seed of the covenant for regenerated certainly does not mean that therefore each child truly would be regenerated because God's Word teaches us that not all belong to Israel who are descended (seed) from Israel, and that through Isaac, it is said, your descendants (seed) shall be named (Rom. 9:6-7), so that the preaching must always insist on selfexamination, since only those who have believed and have been baptized will be saved. Further, the Synod maintains with the Confession that "the sacraments are not void and meaningless so that they deceive us," but that they are "visible signs and seals of something internal and invisible, by means of which God works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit" (Belgic Confession, Art. 33), and that especially baptism is called "the washing of regeneration" and the washing away of sins," because God "will assure us by this divine pledge and sign that we are as truly cleansed from our sins spiritually as we are outwardly (bodily, L.D. 26 Q.A. 73) washed with water;" for this reason, in the prayer after Baptism, our Church "gives thanks and praise to God that He has forgiven us and our children all our sins through the blood of His beloved Son Jesus Christ and has adopted us as members of His only begotten Son and thus as His children and that He seals and confirms this with holy Baptism;" so that our confessions clearly teach that the sacrament of Baptism signifies and seals the washing away of sins through the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ, that is, justification and renewal through the Holy Spirit as benefits which God has given to our seed.

In the meantime, the Synod is of the opinion that the thesis that each elected child therefore must be regenerated already as a fact before its baptism cannot be proved either on the ground of Scripture nor on the ground of the Confession, since God fulfils His promise according to His sovereign power at His time, either before or during or after Baptism, so that the demand is to speak about this point in a careful way without wanting to be wise above what God has revealed to us (italics added). Source

Article 69 was revised somewhat by the synod of Utrecht, 1905. The hymn "O God, Who Art Our Father" was referred to as the "Hymn of Prayer before the sermon," and "the Morning and Evening Hymns" were added. Utrecht's revision was essentially that adopted by the Christian Reformed Church in 1914 and later by our Protestant Reformed Churches. Source

The GKN established common grace as dogma with the Conclusions of Utrecht in 1905. The CRC adopted the conclusions in 1908 and further strengthened its stance on common grace with the "Three Points of Kalamazoo" adopted in 1924. Source

[NOTE 1] In 1905 some words were deleted from Article 36 of the Belgic Confession by the synod of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. The deleted words are marked as such in their context: "Their task of restraining and sustaining is not limited to the public order but includes the protection of the Church and its ministry in order that [BEGIN DELETED WORDS all idolatry and false worship may be removed and prevented, the kingdom of antichrist may be destroyed END DELETED WORDS] the kingdom of Christ may come, the Word of the gospel may be preached everywhere, and God may be honoured and served by everyone, as He requires in His Word." The quotation is taken from the Book of Praise: Anglo-Genevan Psalter, revised edition (Winnipeg: Premier Printing, 1987, p. 470.

[NOTE 2] The 1905 synod of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, meeting in Utrecht, declared: "According to the confession of our churches, the seed of the covenant, by virtue of the promise of God, is to be considered regenerated and sanctified in Christ, until the contrary should become evident from their doctrine and conduct as they grow up" (Acts, Article 158). These 1905 "Conclusions of Utrecht" were adopted by the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America in 1908. They were challenged from time to time, given an "official interpretation" by the Synod of 1962, and finally set aside in 1968. Source

In 1905 the general synod of the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (GKN) adopted the Conclusions of Utrecht (a conciliatory statement on the relationship between baptism and regeneration) and modified the Belgic Confession (by deleting passages from Article 36 which entrust the government with the task of suppressing all false religions and destroying the reign of the Antichrist). Source

The synod of Utrecht, 1905, expressed the position of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands as follows: "there is no right on the one hand to present the supralapsarian view as being properly the doctrine of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands, nor on the other hand to annoy anyone who has accepted the supralapsarian interpretation for himself." The synod concludes this decree with "the warning to bring such profound doctrines, which are beyond comprehension of plain people on the pulpit as little as possible, and to adhere to the presentation given in our doctrinal standards in the preaching of the Word and in catechetical instruction" (H., 52). Source

See also Reformed Church Polity Concerning Withdrawal of Church Membership by Rev. Dr. R. Dean Anderson

[Edited on 9-29-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[Arch2k]

Thanks Andrew! I search for quite some time for it, but could never find a copy online!

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Here you go, Jeff!

 

[Arch2k]

Here you go, Jeff!

It's alot shorter than I expected, but helpfull nonetheless!