“[The Petition]…does not ask Synod for anything…it is really just a statement. Those who sign it are saying they would not be able to sign on to the Belhar in good conscience and would thus be ineligible for office in the CRC should Synod adopt the Belhar.”

Debate continues to heat up in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) over the Belhar Confession. The Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee is recommending that Belhar be adopted as a fourth confession of faith alongside the Heidelberg Catechism.

Proponents of Belhar argue that this confession is needed in order to make a definitive statement against racism and express solidarity with the black church in South Africa that was oppressed under apartheid.

Opponents say that Belhar does saying many positive things but is inadequate as a confession since the gospel message itself is largely missing and some statements, (e.g. God “is in a special way the God of the destitute, the poor and the wronged,”) have unorthodox implications.

Last November, an online petition surfaced calling synod 2012 to not adopt Belhar as a full confession. Currently, 127 CRC pastors, elders and deacons have signed the online petition against adopting Belhar.

The petition claims it is “an honest, anguished statement about the direct implication of making the Belhar a compulsory confession. By making this a confession, Synod would force many office-bearers against their conscience.”

The petition has recently drawn criticism. George Vander Weit, a familiar figure in the CRC, has called the petition “disturbing.” His article appeared in the February edition of the official CRC periodical, The Banner. [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

“Though petitions are fairly common in the secular world,” says Vander Weit, “They have no place in the church of Christ as we seek to make decisions on a variety of matters.”

Petitions are foreign to CRC polity. Legislative assemblies have no protocol for dealing with petitions because CRC polity operates by authority of offices, not popular democracy. Typically, calling synod to take particular action must come in the form of an overture that is sent by a classis (regional group of congregations similar to a presbytery.)

Responses to Vander Weit’s article frequently charge hypocrisy: “Selective use of the Church Order is not foreign to the author of that Banner article,” wrote Ron Vander Molen Sr. on the Returning Church Facebook group, and who has not signed the petition.

“George, your complaint would carry more force if you had complained about the silent protest of women in white at earlier synods,” Bill Vis posted on the article’s online comment section. Vis has also not signed the petition.

The petition will likely not get an official hearing at synod.

“I’m sure the advisory committee will be directed not to consider it because it’s outside the bounds of how we operate,” wrote Greg Schuringa on the Returning Church Facebook group.

Then again, some have clarified that it is less of a petition than a statement.

“It does not ask Synod for anything,” wrote non-signatory Eric Verhulst. “…it is really just a statement. Those who sign it are saying they would not be able to sign on to the Belhar in good conscience and would thus be ineligible for office in the CRC should Synod adopt the Belhar.”

Whether or not the petition will generate any leverage at synod or elsewhere, a petition arising under a church order that does not entertain petitions is a symptom. Defense of the petition has emerged among many who have not signed the petition. Instead of joining the published condemnation of the aberrant action, many have instead come to the petition’s defense. It appears that the leadership and power structure of the CRC is not working for a significant minority. Only time will tell whether the CRC authority structure will renew itself or continue with business as usual.

Rev. Aaron Vriesman is the Pastor of the North Blendon Christian Reformed Church in Hudsonville, Michigan. He reports on the CRC for The Aquila Report