All Articles For Editorial

This is a brief and unofficial report. It must needs be brief, because my space in this issue is already more than used. The official report, which will also be complete, will appear in the Acts, which will make its appearance in a month or two.  At the pre-synodical service, under the auspices of the Hope (Walker) Consistory, the Rev. J. Kortering led us, preaching an appropriate sermon the admonition found in I Corinthians 15:58. 

The greater part of the first three days of our 1983 Synod was spent in a thorough-going examination of our two seminary graduates, Barrett Lee Gritters and Kenneth Wayne Hanko. We may be thankful that our churches still insist upon such a thorough examination before anyone is declared candidate for the ministry among us. 

Previous article in this series: October 1, 2009, p. 5. This past August, Synod 2009 concluded its work in answering protests, appeals, and an overture regarding Article 21 of the Church Order. Article 21 calls the consistories to “see to it that there are good Christian schools in which parents have their children instructed according to the demands of the covenant.” In the last editorial, I summarized and explained synod’s answers to these protests. Although I explained them, it is important that the decisions themselves be read carefully. (They are available to the PRC members from their consistory.) Synod was...

Suggestions for Improving Synod In this issue and the next a few suggestions will be offered toward the improvement of our synodical gatherings. These are based, for the most part, on my observation of the activities of the Synod just completed in June. Most, if not all, of them could be followed without bringing about any formal change in the rules; some of them merely involve adhering more closely to rules and practices which we already have.

By this time, most members of the Protestant Reformed Churches have read the decisions taken at the extended session of the 2009 Synod. Each consistory was provided with the decisions and given opportunity to make them available to the members. Others, interested in the case, have also likely read the decisions. Some have not seen the decisions. But all good members of the church are always interested in careful understanding of synod’s decisions. For them I present the following description of the decisions, as one who worked many hours over two months on the committee formulating the advice and agrees...

“We endorse quality education, whether it be public or private.”  What do you think about this statement? 

More Suggestions About Our Synodical Meetings We promised some more suggestions with a view to the improvement of our synodical gatherings. 

What is meant by it?  To understand the meaning of irresistible grace we must go back in history to the time of the Arminian controversy. The very term irresistible cannot be understood, except in that light. 

This is the third, and final, special issue of our current volume year. It is the fourth special issue devoted to the so-called Five Points of Calvinism, and it is devoted in its entirety to the subject of Irresistible Grace. 

From time to time we have reported in these columns concerning the rapid deterioration and apostasy in doctrine and practice which is taking place in the church of our forefathers, the Gereformeerde Kerken van Nederland (the GKN). And while these reports, in so far as they convey information concerning synodical decisions, certainly help us to gain an understanding of what is taking place across the sea, sometimes it is perhaps a bit difficult to gain an impression of their actual impact and of the real extent of the apostasy. After all, decisions usually deal with theory. But what about actions?...