From: Darrell128@aol.com Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 11:12:04 EDT Subject: NR 98056: CRC Synod Solves Women Ministerial Candidate Issue by Separate Voting NR #1998-056: Not One Vote, Not Two Votes, But 29 Votes: CRC Synod Solves Women Ministerial Candidate Issue by Separate Voting Since Synod 1995, conservative Christian Reformed synodical delegates have wondered what to do about voting to approve the list of candidates for the CRC ministry when that list included women. At Synod 1996 and Synod 1997, delegates adopted motions to divide the candidates by gender. The male candidates were approved by unanimous voice vote; the female candidates were approved with a scattering of audible negative votes. That led to protests by a number of delegates favoring women's ordination. Rather than making a decision on one vote or two votes, the advisory committee on education recommended a novel idea: separate votes on all 29 candidates graduating this year from Calvin Seminary and its ministerial training programs. NR #1998-056: For Immediate Release: Not One Vote, Not Two Votes, But 29 Votes: CRC Synod Solves Women Ministerial Candidate Issue by Separate Voting by Darrell Todd Maurina, Press Officer United Reformed News Service GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (June 16, 1998) URNS - Since Synod 1995, conservative Christian Reformed synodical delegates have wondered what to do about voting to approve the list of candidates for the CRC ministry when that list included women. At Synod 1996 and Synod 1997, delegates adopted motions to divide the candidates by gender. The male candidates were approved by unanimous voice vote; the female candidates were approved with a scattering of audible negative votes. That led to protests by a number of delegates favoring women's ordination, and led this year to an overture by Classis Lake Erie. "Most members of our congregations would be outraged if synod voted separately on seminarians of different skin color, since skin color is not a criterion for candidacy in the Christian Reformed Church," wrote Classis Lake Erie. "In the broader society, the current synodical practice, which exposes candidates to different requirements simply on the basis of gender, would be illegal. The practice is unfair, since it exposes women to the risk of rejection solely on the basis of their gender." Rather than making a decision on one vote or two votes, the advisory committee on education recommended a novel idea: separate votes on all 29 candidates graduating this year from Calvin Seminary and its ministerial training programs. "Such a practice will lovingly address both the concerns of those in favor and of those against separating the list of candidates into two groups based on gender," reported the committee, noting that in earlier years the Christian Reformed synod conducted separate interviews and votes on each candidate and that the CRC synod now has electronic balloting equipment to make a large number of votes feasible. "The thought of the committee is this could be just as efficient as having a long debate over a block vote or not a block vote," said committee reporter Rev. David Koll. "The estimated time is seventeen minutes, and that is less than it would be with a long debate." Classis Lake Erie delegate Rev. Paul Bakker didn't agree that the proposal satisfied his concern. "Classis Lake Erie understands the reticence of many people to vote for the ordination of women, except that gender is really not an issue in declaring women candidates for the ministry," said Bakker. "By running through all the candidates individually, we will have a situation where all the male candidates will be approved unanimously, but the women candidates will hear a number of 'no' votes recorded against them." Dr. Warren Lammers of Platte (SD) CRC didn't see things that way. "For those who are fully in favor of women in all the offices and want to charge full steam ahead with that, the comment by Classis Lake Erie makes sense," said Lammers. "On the other hand, if you feel you are conscience-bound and have to vote on this as one block, then you cannot vote at all." "This is like saying, 'If you want to vote Republican, you may vote; if you want to vote Democratic, you may not vote at all,'" concluded Lammers. The committee's arguments prevailed with most delegates; with only a few dissenting votes voiced, synod voted to have separate votes on the candidates, at least for Synod 1998. In voting later in the morning of June 16, all 29 candidates were approved, including four women. Synod also voted to extend the candidacy of six people who were declared candidates by Synod 1997, including two of the three women. So far, only one of the three women who Synod 1997 declared a candidate for the ministry has actually been called and ordained by a church. Cross-References to Related Articles: #1998-033: Three Reformed Denominations to Hold General Assemblies or Synods this Year in West Michigan Contact List: Rev. Paul Ed. Bakker, Pastor, West Park Christian Reformed Church 3606 West 148th St., Cleveland, OH 44111 O: (216) 251-0782 * H: (216) 252-2261 Rev. David Koll, Pastor, Anaheim Christian Reformed Church 526 N. Dale Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801 O: (714) 828-4083 * H: (714) 828-2084 * FAX: (714) 828-0825 Dr. Warren Lammers, Pastor, Platte Christian Reformed Church PO Box 386, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Platte, SD 57369-0386 O: (605) 337-3414 * H: (605) 337-3859 * E-Mail: kkcrcplat@juno.com Pastor George Vander Weit, Stated Clerk, Classis Lake Erie 2901 Waterloo Dr., Troy, MI 48084 O: (810) 645-1990 * H: (810) 649-5388 * E-Mail: northhills@juno.com ---------------------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/reformed/archive98: nr98-056.txt .