Many congregations, North and South, chose this route and most became a part of the PCA. However, the overwhelming majority of congregations opted to remain a part of the newly formed Presbyterian Church, USA. The existence of the much smaller and very conservative PCA need not be viewed as an indication of the failure of the larger union.

I am very pleased that finally, after 150-plus years of separation, serious efforts are being made to forge closer ties between the two denominations.

Symbolically, the joint synodical meetings as well as the combined worship service visibly demonstrated a reality that in many ways already exists. We share the same confessional standards, we work closely together in our publishing efforts. In a couple of years we will share a common hymnal, and we already have congregations that are jointly supported by both denominations.

Given these realities, one might ask, “Why don’t the two denominations get serious and undertake the ecumenical task of seeking organic institutional union?” On several occasions I have heard it said that it would be too complicated from a structural point of view because each denomination has its own leadership and its own seminaries.

Furthermore, they each have their own headquarters, the Reformed Church in New York City, the Christian Reformed in Grand Rapids. Another reason often given is that if the two denominations merged, a third denomination would be formed by those unhappy with the process.

History shows it can be done
I have no specific answers to the potential problems cited above. Yet I can speak with some personal experience of a union of two Presbyterian denominations, both much larger than the Christian Reformed and Reformed Churches, that worked out well. I am referring to the merger in the 1970s of the Southern Presbyterian Church (PCUS), with about 800,000 members, and the Northern Presbyterian Church (UPUSA), with about 2.5 million members, to form the Presbyterian Church, USA.

This union brought together two denominations that had been separated for well over a century primarily, though not exclusively, over the issue of slavery. The Southern church was probably somewhat more theologically conservative than the Northern at the time of the reunion, just as the Christian Reformed Church is probably somewhat more conservative than the Reformed Church in America today. Yet somehow these two large denominations managed to make the merger work. How?

They agreed that they would have to create a new denominational headquarters in a “neutral” area geographically. The Southern church closed its two main offices in Atlanta and Nashville. The Northern church left behind its offices in Philadelphia. Together they set up a new headquarters in Louisville.

Then John Knox Press and Westminster Press merged to become one publisher. The seminaries of the two denominations simply became seminaries of the larger united denomination. And much more.

Was there pain? Yes. Many church bureaucrats and employees of the publishing houses lost their jobs because of consolidation, including some close acquaintances of mine. But these were sacrifices that were willingly made for the sake of unity.

Did a third denomination arise out the merger? Yes and no. The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) already existed prior to the merger and was initially largely a movement out of the Southern Church, which had both social and theological bases. Once the actual merger of the Northern and Southern churches took place, those congregations that wanted to leave the newly constituted unified church were given two years to do so without the threat of forfeiting their church buildings.

Many congregations, North and South, chose this route and most became a part of the PCA. However, the overwhelming majority of congregations opted to remain a part of the newly formed Presbyterian Church, USA. Personally I think this was a price worth paying for the unity of the Northern and Southern Churches. The existence of the much smaller and very conservative PCA need not be viewed as an indication of the failure of the larger union.

My question, again, is this. If the Northern and Southern Presbyterians with their — at that time — 3.2 million members could pull off such a merger, why would it be so difficult to bring the Christian Reformed and Reformed churches together into institutional union when they have fewer than 600,000 members?

Frank C. Roberts is a professor of history, emeritus at Calvin College. He lives in Grand Rapids and is a member of the Christian Reformed Church.