NR #1996-095 Vander Weit Takes on Interclassical Conference Pastor George Vander Weit of North Hills CRC in the Detroit suburb of Troy has objected to a letter sent by the Interclassical Conference interim committee to all CRC member churches announcing a conference this November in suburban Chicago to respond to Synod 1996's decision to continue to allow the ordination of women elders and ministers. In an August 7 letter sent to the consistories of Elder Jake Klassen, retired Westminster Theological Seminary president Elder Bob Den Dulk, and Revs. Andrew Cammenga, Norman Shepherd, and LeRoy Christoffels, Vander Weit requested each consistory to speak to its Interclassical Conference interim committee member "about the divisive activity to which he is calling other congregations of the Christian Reformed Church." NR #1996-095: For Delayed Release: no publication before September 25 Vander Weit Takes on Interclassical Conference by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service (September 11, 1996) URNS - Elder Jake Klassen is well-known in his quiet Long Island fishing village of West Sayville, especially in the local Christian Reformed church where he was baptized over seventy years ago and to which he has belonged his entire life. However, Klassen is almost as well-known in denominational circles as in his local church. Perhaps best-known for his frequent role as synodical sergeant-at-arms and use of an ear-piercing whistle to summon recalcitrant delegates back to their seats after coffee break, Klassen has been a synodical delegate nine separate years in addition to his involvement in various conservative Christian Reformed organizations and activities. This year, however, Pastor George Vander Weit of North Hills CRC in the Detroit suburb of Troy is trying to blow the whistle on Klassen and the other four members of the Interclassical Conference interim committee. Vander Weit objected to a letter sent by the interim committee to all CRC member churches announcing a conference this November in suburban Chicago to respond to Synod 1996's decision to continue to allow the ordination of women elders and ministers. In an August 7 letter sent to Klassen's consistory, as well as identical letters sent to the consistories of retired Westminster Theological Seminary president Elder Bob Den Dulk and Revs. Andrew Cammenga, Norman Shepherd, and LeRoy Christoffels, Vander Weit requested each consistory to speak to its Interclassical Conference interim committee member "about the divisive activity to which he is calling other congregations of the Christian Reformed Church." Among the activities cited by Vander Weit were the interim committee's recommendation "that church councils join in the formation of a new Christian Reformed Church classis based on theological commitment" despite rejection of that proposal by Synod 1996, and a decision by last year's Interclassical Conference to "consider a proposal to form a new denomination" unless synod decided to "humble her heart in repentance before the Lord." Vander Weit's letter cited synodical decisions from 1971 and 1974 declaring that "consistories have the duty to admonish and deal with members who persist in functioning individually or through extra-ecclesiastical organizations in attacking the church, in fomenting divisiveness in the body of our Lord, and in slandering fellow members" and instructing "consistories to deal in a disciplinary way with members who are actively involved in such divisive activities." Vander Weit also cited Synod 1991's decision to remind the churches of the 1971 and 1974 decisions and to instruct "classes to admonish pastorally councils which disregard the provisions of the church order." The Synod 1991 decision originated with a Classis Lake Erie overture, which according to the March 1991 Lake Erie minutes was a merged overture from North Hills CRC and the classical interim committee. In addition to pastoring North Hills CRC, Vander Weit serves as stated clerk of Classis Lake Erie and as secretary of its classical interim committee. In the letter's final sentence, Vander Weit indicated that his letter to the members of the Interclassical Conference interim committee might not be the end of the matter. "I respectfully request that you inform me of the action you take in response to this letter so I may determine if other action on my part is necessary," wrote Vander Weit. While the other four consistories are still dealing with Vander Weit's letter, Klassen's consistory responded quite rapidly. Vander Weit's letter didn't get very far with the West Sayville consistory, which plans to take the matter to Classis Hudson's September 25 meeting as a point of information. "I can't say he was obnoxious, but he was George Vander Weit," said Klassen. "He's saying he wants my council to speak to me about the matter. Our council sent a response that they support me one hundred percent." According to Klassen, the West Sayville consistory officially delegated him to the interim committee meeting. "We are sending the letter and our response to classis because we want classis to know we received the letter and to know where we stand on this matter," said Klassen. "We are going to attach it to our credentials just for information. We're not seeking advice, we're just seeking to let them know about it." Klassen emphasized that he did not see his role in the Interclassical Conference as a call for secession and hoped his church could instead become part of a theologically-defined classis. "The first paragraph of that letter indicates very clearly that our purpose is to call the church back to where it was," said Klassen about the letter to which Vander Weit objected. "The CRC is my spiritual mother; I've been in it all of my life. I love the CRC, however it has changed quite drastically since the days of my youth and I would like to see it return to interpreting Scripture the way I think it should be interpreted." Not surprisingly, Vander Weit didn't agree. "If a congregation wishes to appeal to synod for a transfer to another classis, that also is appropriate even as synod 1996 said, but it's inappropriate for a group of people to write to every congregation in the denomination and to encourage mass disobedience," said Vander Weit. "I think the call to mass disobedience is inappropriate and I trust that some of the consistory members to whom I wrote, even though they oppose women in office, will recognize that and will speak to the member of the congregation who signed this letter." However, Vander Weit emphasized that he wanted to find a way to keep churches in the CRC rather than drive them out. "I'm not doing this because these guys are my enemies, I've met all five of them and I penned a personal note to all of them," said Vander Weit. "I was the guy who tried to get Bob Den Dulk elected as second clerk of synod, and I respect their gifts, but I don't respect what they are doing currently. All I'm asking is these consistories speak to these people about their divisive activities." While Klassen didn't appreciate Vander Weit's letter, he also affirmed his desire to keep the problem from escalating. "Like I said, there is something about George I like even though we have vast differences," said Klassen. "I don't know what he's going to do now, but from the letter it looks like he's going to take this farther." What will happen next is not entirely clear. The synodical decisions quoted by Vander Weit's letter clearly specify that consistories should admonish individuals involved in divisive activities and that classes should admonish church councils which disregard the church order. Klassen said he hoped Vander Weit would not take things that far. "If he and I were to go fishing together I'm sure we would have a grand time," said Klassen, a retired commercial fisherman. "If we start talking the issues we come out completely on opposite sides." According to Vander Weit, he has not yet decided whether to follow the process which Synods 1974 and 1991 "instructed" churches and classes to use to implement Synod 1971's declaration that "consistories have the duty to admonish and deal with members who persist" in divisive activities. "I don't know what I'm going to do further at this point; it's too premature to answer that," said Vander Weit. "I'd have to weigh the nature of their response." Cross-References to Related Articles: #1995-082: California South Calls Conference of Christian Reformed Classes, Councils, to Address Women in Office Decision #1995-093: California South Announces Date and Location for Interclassical Conference of Christian Reformed Conservatives #1995-106C: Interclassical Conference Urges Christian Reformed Synod to Lead Denomination in Repentance; Calls for Formation of "Covenant Union" of CRC Conservatives #1996-076: CRC Synod Rejects 25 Overtures and Communications Calling for End to Classical Option on Ordination of Women #1996-088: Interclassical Conference of Christian Reformed Conservatives to be Asked to Create Nongeographical Classes; Minority Urges Immediate Secession from Christian Reformed Denomination Contact List: Rev. Andrew Cammenga, Pastor, Escondido Christian Reformed Church 1850 N. Broadway, Escondido, CA 92026 H/O/FAX: (619) 745-2324 * E-Mail: ACAMMENGA@aol.com Rev. LeRoy Christoffels, Pastor, Preakness (NJ) Christian Reformed Church 490 Valley Rd., Wayne, NJ 07470 O: (201) 628-1313 * H: (201) 694-1516 Elder Robert den Dulk, Past President, Westminster Theological Seminary in California c/o First CRC, 2175 Leoni Dr., Hanford, CA 93230 O: (209) 584-2235 Elder Jake Klassen, West Sayville Christian Reformed Church c/o West Sayville CRC, 31 Rollstone Ave., West Sayville, NY 11796 O: (516) 589-4688 Rev. Norman Shepherd, Pastor, Cottage Grove Christian Reformed Church 700 E. 166th St., South Holland, IL 60473 O: (708) 331-0391 * H: (708) 596-3367 Pastor George Vander Weit, North Hills Christian Reformed Church 2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084 O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: NoHillsCRC@aol.com ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr96-095.txt .