From: Darrell128@aol.com Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 04:19:22 -0400 (EDT) NR #1996-099 Antonides Approved for Ordination by Christian Reformed Church's Classis Grand Rapids East Identifying oneself as a "hot button issue" in an ordination examination might have gotten most Christian Reformed ministerial candidates in deep trouble. However, at Mary Antonides' September 19 exam, it was simply a statement of fact. Antonides cited women in office, homosexuality, and worship as the "hot button issues" in the CRC, and expressed her hope that her pastorate at Eastern Avenue would lead a congregation which has long been a leader on women in office and recently a leader on homosexuality to focus on being a leader in community outreach. NR #1996-099: For Immediate Release Antonides Approved for Ordination by Christian Reformed Church's Classis Grand Rapids East by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (September 19, 1996) URNS - "I think I am a hot-button issue, or at least have been." That answer in an ordination exam might have gotten most Christian Reformed ministerial candidates in deep trouble. However, for Mary Antonides, it was simply a statement of fact. Antonides' response to a question from examiner Rev. Jack Roeda produced sympathetic smiles from some members of a packed audience at Classis Grand Rapids East's September 19 meeting. The gathering included a sizeable contingent of members from her church, Eastern Avenue CRC in Grand Rapids, as well as her husband Wil and mother Susan Hulst, an elder at Providence CRC in Holland. Few if any in the room were unaware that the classis had risked severe synodical sanctions only two years ago by declaring its support for churches such as Eastern Avenue which had disobeyed synod by electing women elders. For Classis Grand Rapids East, as well as for the Christian Reformed denomination at large, Antonides' successful passage of ordination exams in a classis that has led the way in advocating the ordination of women marks the successful completion of years of struggle. Antonides' successful exam means that her scheduled September 29 ordination will make her the second ordained woman in the 292,000-member denomination since its synod legalized the ordination of women to all offices of the church. Later in the exam, Rev. Morris Greidanus of Grand Rapids First CRC recounted the story of a woman who had remarried after a divorce produced by spousal abuse but continued to be troubled by Scriptural injunctions in Matthew 19 specifying that divorce could occur only on the grounds of adultery. Greidanus asked Antonides how she would interpret another passage: I Timothy 2:12's specification that "I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent." "Do you wake up at night and hear Timothy saying to you, 'Woman, be silent'?" asked Greidanus. Upon hearing Antonides' "no," Greidanus commented that "you probably wouldn't listen to him anyway" - eliciting loud laughter from the audience. Antonides then explained her view that the underlying principles of the text such as modesty in dress and propriety in worship were still binding on Christians today, even though its specific prohibitions on women wearing braided hair, pearls, gold, and fine clothes, or teaching and having authority over men were not. While Classis Grand Rapids East's long struggle with women in office is probably over - four of its fifteen churches delegated women elders to classis and a fifth delegated a woman deacon - that doesn't mean its struggles over other issues are over. When Roeda asked what issues besides women in office were "hot buttons" in the CRC, Antonides cited homosexuality and worship. "I think one of the hot button issues that is coming is ministry to persons who are homosexual," said Antonides, noting her approval of Classis Grand Rapids East's previous actions on the matter. According to Antonides, classis was successfully balancing concern for compassionate ministry to homosexuals with concern for obedience to Scripture. Much of the classis' involvement in the homosexual issue stems from the role of Rev. Jim Lucas, officially without call but currently serving as chaplain of the "As We Are" homosexual support group. Lucas, a celibate homosexual, has drawn fire for consistently declining to state his opinion on whether gay marriages are permitted by Scripture and for preferring to focus on providing pastoral care to hurting people rather than focussing on the theological question of the legitimacy of gay marriages. Classis Grand Rapids East and synod both have study committees working on the issue. Prior to Antonides' ordination exam, classis passed a request from Eastern Avenue CRC to extend Lucas' eligibility for call for the sixth year in a row, noting that "Rev. Lucas is actively pursuing a call to ministry as chaplain of AWARE" and that "the deliberate pace with which Eastern Avenue is responding to Rev. Lucas' request has necessitated the extension of the credentials of Rev. Lucas for another year." Antonides acknowledged that her own church was directly involved in the issue of homosexuality. "I see the role of Eastern Avenue in its history to be on the cutting edge of women in office and homosexuality," said Antonides, noting that she hoped that the new focus of Eastern Avenue would be on leading the denomination in ministry to its community. Located in what was once a heavily Dutch neighborhood, Eastern Avenue is now a predominantly Dutch and middle-class church in the middle of a poor and predominantly African-American neighborhood. Antonides said that she had "grown more comfortable" with the neighborhood and was now trying to bring a dose of reality to her dreams of restoring the neighborhood and its residents. "I think the transformation of society has to come by touching one life at a time," said Antonides. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1994-048: Jim Lucas Hired as Chaplain of "As We Are" Gay Ministry; Ministerial Credentials Extended to Permit Call to Position; Classis Grand Rapids East of the Christian Reformed Denomination Expects Homosexuality Study Committee to Report to January Classis Meeting #1995-062: Christian Reformed Synod Votes Down Overture to Disenfranchise Classis Grand Rapids East for Women Elders #1995-079: No Discipline for Churches Ordaining Women or Refusing to Pay Denominational Ministry Shares #1996-010: Classis Grand Rapids East Follows Calvin Seminary Faculty Urgings; Reaffirms 1973 CRC Position on Homosexuality #1996-076: CRC Synod Rejects 25 Overtures and Communications Calling for End to Classical Option on Ordination of Women #1996-080: Record of Previous Synodical Votes on Women in Office #1996-081: Tempers Flare as Christian Reformed Synod Appoints Committee to Restudy Homosexuality #1996-087: Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church Issues Unanimous Call to Mary Antonides Contact List: Elder Mary Antonides, Senior Pastor, Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church 2514 Normandy Dr. SE, Apt. 210-C, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 O: (616) 454-4888 * H: (616) 248-8357 Rev. Morris Greidanus, Pastor, First Christian Reformed Church 1349 Alexander SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 O: (616) 452-3590 * H: (616) 243-9549 Elder Susan Hulst, Providence Christian Reformed Church c/o Providence CRC, 821 Ottawa Ave., Holland, MI 49423 H: (616) 335-6103 * E-Mail: Sushul@aol.com Rev. Jim Lucas, Chaplain, As We ARE PO Box 7824, Grand Rapids, MI 49510 O: (616) 456-6174 * E-Mail: JamesLucas@aol.com Rev. Jack Roeda, Pastor, Church of the Servant (CRC) 3835 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-5816 O: (616) 956-7611 ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/reformed: nr96-099.txt .