Episode 130: Reflections on Synod 2023 - Jason & Willy (Part 2)

“We’re not a denomination that gives much credence to the idea of a third way…The trajectory that the CRC is heading in is in a promising direction. I do believe that the marks of the true church are actually bearing their fruit in the Christian Reformed Church [but] like the kingdom of heaven. As a mustard seed, it is slow, it is incremental, and we learned it is messy.” -Willy Krahnke

Summary of This Episode

This week on the Messy Reformation, Jason and Willy continue their reflections from Synod. Most of last week’s episode focused on the encouragements from the denomination’s meeting. This week we hear their honest review of the discouraging and difficult as well as where do we go from here.

One of the discouraging actions from Synod was the unwillingness to pass Advisory Committee 8’s recommendation for a new in loco committee, which would have been tasked with bringing Neland Avenue into compliance. This received a lot of debate, and some feared it being “punitive” while others saw it as opening the door for further appeals. Did Synod 2023 enact discipline? Yes, but it did so minimally and in a way that is discouraging because the issue at hand is bigger than Neland Avenue CRC and even Classis Grand Rapids East. By not implementing clear disciplinary measures, this likely set Synod 2024 up to be another mess. Jason recommends the “rip the Band-Aid off” treatment rather than endless delay. We have to remember if we take discipline as a mark of the true church seriously, then we must apply it in cases where there is no repentance and to correct with the hope of repentance. 

Another discouragement shared by Willy and Jason (and it’s been voiced elsewhere, too), is the lack of leadership by President Paul DeVries. Our Rules for Synodical Procedure do provide means to limit the time delegates can speak and to cease debate with the consent of the body, and these went under-utilized. The lack of facilitation and leadership played a significant role in the time crunch and exhaustion of delegates. Jason points out how the job of synod is to get the work of the church done—and they didn’t. A major difference from last year to this year was not the amount of work or desire of many to speak, but unwillingness from the officers to limit in an orderly way. Criticisms that have been lobbed against Vice-President Chad Steenwyk for “harm” or “an abuse of power” for his leading on Thursday is unfounded—he led caring for the will of the body and the leading of the Spirit in their work. Jason voices that a good deal of that criticism likely comes from the suspicion around the Abide Project and the unfounded and untrue claims of their pulling the strings.

Jason names one other discouragement, which is that work, specifically around gravamina, did not get done. This was why many came and what they wanted to speak to but were unable to even get to in the agenda. There’s uncertainty and frustration over if those who put in the difficult work this year will be able or allowed to come back and finish that work. This flows into conversations Willy has had with people who didn’t go to Synod, especially from the congregation he’s a member of. People are genuinely discouraged by the outbursts and walking off they saw and heard happened. It feels to some degree like the can was just kicked down the road another year. We have to remind each other that good things did come out of this year, but refusing to act is hurting people and congregations. 

What was learned about the CRC this year? Willy offers some great reflections: “We do believe in an orthodox sexual ethic. 2022 was not a fluke…We are not together or better together,” which can be seen in real differences in understanding sin, discipline, ecclesiology, and theology. Everyone lost, but especially Better Together—“We’re not a denomination that gives much credence to the idea of a third way…The trajectory that the CRC is heading in is in a promising direction. I do believe that the marks of the true church are actually bearing their fruit in the Christian Reformed Church [but] like the kingdom of heaven. As a mustard seed, it is slow, it is incremental, and we learned it is messy.” 

One of the most important practical things going forward—and we hear this week-in and week-out from Jason and Willy—is reformation begins and will continue by way of local churches. Unfaithfulness in the pulpit and local church has led to how we’re operating. If leaders and members will change course, we’ll see positive reform trickle up. It requires commitment, though—people across the denomination need to care about what happens in the church, in their classis, and in the denomination. We need to remain in the Word and see how the Spirit is leading in accordance. Finally, don’t be surprised if messiness continues, but heed the appeal from Jude 3, “…Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”