“In the long run however, I believe that we have more integrity as a denomination if we just say ‘we ordain women.’ And if you can’t live within a system that ordains women, then there are a lot of denominations, and perhaps this isn’t the one for you.”

The Reformed Church in America has been ordaining women for more than 30 years. But there have always been ways for people who conscientiously object to female ministers to remove themselves from the process. On Monday night, the church’s governing body voted 143 to 69 to strike those policies.

A survey of female ministers shows about one in four experiences setbacks because of inappropriate use of those rules.

Reverend Stacey Midge heads the RCA’s Commission for Women. She believes the changes could cause some upheaval in the short term.

“In the long run however, I believe that we have more integrity as a denomination if we just say ‘we ordain women.’ And if you can’t live within a system that ordains women, then there are a lot of denominations, and perhaps this isn’t the one for you,” Midge said.

About half of seminary graduates are women. But women make up only 17 percent of active ministers.

The RCA has a large membership base in West Michigan. Hope College and the Western Theological Seminary graduate school are both based in Holland, Michigan.

The compromise was struck to maintain church unity when it first began ordaining women.

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