Canadian and American Reformed Churches
Encyclopedia
The Canadian and American Reformed Churches (CanRC) are a federation of over fifty Protestant Christian
churches in Canada and the USA, with historical roots in the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands, and doctrinal roots in the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation
. Its emphasis is on Biblical, Christ-centered, covenantal, redemptive-historical preaching
and teaching, and holy living as a response of gratitude to the gospel.
is the infallible Word of God and the authoritative rule for all of life. The heart of the preaching and teaching in these churches is that Jesus of Nazareth is both true man and true God and is the long-awaited Messiah
who suffered and died for the sins of God's people, and that this demands a thankful response of faith and obedience. Like other Reformed churches, they teach that salvation
is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, follow Reformed (Calvinist) theology, and have adopted the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession
, Heidelberg Catechism
, and Canons of Dort
) as their doctrinal standards. Upon public profession of faith, members are understood to subscribe to these confessions as faithfully summarizing the doctrine of the Bible.
following World War II
. These Dutch immigrants first made contact with already-existing Reformed churches in Canada, especially the Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRC) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America
(CRCNA), in the hope that they could join with them. This was not possible, however, due to theological differences with the PRC, and the fact that the CRCNA sympathized with the churches which expelled the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) in 1944.
The first Canadian Reformed congregation was instituted in Lethbridge
, Alberta
on April 16, 1950. Currently there are over 50 congregations, which can be found in British Columbia
, Alberta
, Manitoba
and Ontario
, as well as in the American states of Washington, Michigan
, Pennsylvania
, Maryland
and Colorado
.
The government of the Canadian Reformed Churches is described in a church order based on the church order adopted by the Synod of Dort
(1618–1619). The federation is divided into eight classical regions, with two annual regional synods and a general synod every three years.
The Americas:
Abroad:
Organic unity was being pursued with the United Reformed Churches in North America
(URCNA). Although close fellowship is maintained, the quest for organizational unity was called off in 2010. The Canadian Reformed Churches are a members of the International Conference of Reformed Churches
(ICRC) and the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council
(NAPARC).
.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches in Canada and the USA, with historical roots in the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands, and doctrinal roots in the sixteenth century Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. Its emphasis is on Biblical, Christ-centered, covenantal, redemptive-historical preaching
Redemptive-Historical Preaching
- History :Redemptive-historical preaching is a method of preaching that was forged in the fires of debate in the Reformed churches of the Netherlands in the early 1940s. The debate concerned itself with the question: “How are we to preach the historical narratives of the Bible?”On one side of the...
and teaching, and holy living as a response of gratitude to the gospel.
Basic beliefs and doctrine
In the Canadian and American Reformed Churches, members believe that the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
is the infallible Word of God and the authoritative rule for all of life. The heart of the preaching and teaching in these churches is that Jesus of Nazareth is both true man and true God and is the long-awaited Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
who suffered and died for the sins of God's people, and that this demands a thankful response of faith and obedience. Like other Reformed churches, they teach that salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, follow Reformed (Calvinist) theology, and have adopted the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession
Belgic Confession
The Confession of Faith, popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a doctrinal standard document to which many of the Reformed churches subscribe. The Confession forms part of the Reformed Three Forms of Unity...
, Heidelberg Catechism
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine...
, and Canons of Dort
Canons of Dort
The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands, is the judgment of the National Synod held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in 1618–19...
) as their doctrinal standards. Upon public profession of faith, members are understood to subscribe to these confessions as faithfully summarizing the doctrine of the Bible.
History
The Canadian Reformed Churches were founded by members of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) who immigrated to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. These Dutch immigrants first made contact with already-existing Reformed churches in Canada, especially the Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRC) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America
Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. Having roots in the Dutch Reformed churches of the Netherlands, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by Gijsbert Haan and Dutch immigrants who left the Reformed Church in...
(CRCNA), in the hope that they could join with them. This was not possible, however, due to theological differences with the PRC, and the fact that the CRCNA sympathized with the churches which expelled the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) in 1944.
The first Canadian Reformed congregation was instituted in Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
on April 16, 1950. Currently there are over 50 congregations, which can be found in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, as well as in the American states of Washington, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Church government
Believing that the government of the church must be regulated by the Bible, the Canadian Reformed Churches practice a traditionally Reformed "bottom-up" polity, as opposed to a "top-down" model of church government. This approach to church polity reflects their continental Reformed roots. It is both anti-hierarchical and anti-independent, promoting both the autonomy of the local church and the need to cooperate within a federation. For example, the question of whether or not women should be allowed to vote in church matters is a question that is left to be answered at the local level. It should be noted that although women may vote in some churches, they are still unable to hold office on councils or represent their churches at a synod level.The government of the Canadian Reformed Churches is described in a church order based on the church order adopted by the Synod of Dort
Synod of Dort
The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618-1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy initiated by the rise of Arminianism. The first meeting was on November 13, 1618, and the final meeting, the 154th, was on May 9, 1619...
(1618–1619). The federation is divided into eight classical regions, with two annual regional synods and a general synod every three years.
Ecumenical relations
The Canadian Reformed Churches also have "ecclesiastical fellowship" with a number of Reformed and Presbyterian church federations, including the following:The Americas:
- United Reformed Churches in North AmericaUnited Reformed Churches in North AmericaThe United Reformed Churches in North America is a theologically conservative federation of churches. The United Reformed Churches trace their roots back to the earlier Protestant movements in Europe, and to the Reformed churches in Belgium and the Netherlands...
- Reformed Church in the United StatesReformed Church in the United StatesThe Reformed Church in the United States is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The present RCUS is a conservative, Calvinist denomination. It affirms the principles of the Reformation: Sola scriptura , Solo Christo , Sola gratia , Sola fide , and Soli Deo gloria...
- Orthodox Presbyterian ChurchOrthodox Presbyterian ChurchThe Orthodox Presbyterian Church is a conservative Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America who strongly objected to the pervasive Modernist theology during the 1930s . Led...
- L'Église réformée du QuébecL'Église réformée du QuébecL'Église Réformée du Québec, or "Reformed Church of Quebec", is a small conservative French-speaking Reformed Christian denomination located primarily within the Canadian province of Quebec.-History:...
- Reformed Churches in Brazil
Abroad:
- Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)
- Free Reformed Churches of South AfricaFree Reformed Churches of South AfricaThe Free Reformed Churches in South Africa is a bond of Protestant Christian churches. It follows Reformed Calvinist theology and has adopted three forms of unity as its doctrinal standards: Canons of Dordt, Belgic Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism and subscribes to the three Ecumenical...
- Free Reformed Churches of AustraliaFree Reformed Churches of AustraliaThe ' is a federation of 15 congregations, 13 in Western Australia and two in Tasmania, with over 4000 members. Their historical roots are in the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands as a result of post-World War II immigration, and their doctrinal roots are in the sixteenth century Protestant...
- Reformed Churches of New ZealandReformed Churches of New ZealandReformed Churches of New Zealand is a Reformed Christian denomination in New Zealand. The denomination is constituted of 18 member churches, the first seven of which were formed in 1953. Total membership as of 2007 stands at 3,332.-Form of doctrine:...
- Presbyterian Church in Korea
- Free Church of ScotlandFree Church of Scotland (post 1900)Free Church of Scotland is that part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside of the union with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland in 1900...
Organic unity was being pursued with the United Reformed Churches in North America
United Reformed Churches in North America
The United Reformed Churches in North America is a theologically conservative federation of churches. The United Reformed Churches trace their roots back to the earlier Protestant movements in Europe, and to the Reformed churches in Belgium and the Netherlands...
(URCNA). Although close fellowship is maintained, the quest for organizational unity was called off in 2010. The Canadian Reformed Churches are a members of the International Conference of Reformed Churches
International Conference of Reformed Churches
The International Conference of Reformed Churches is a federation of Reformed or Calvinist churches across the world. Its theology is more conservative than the larger World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Reformed Ecumenical Council and is similar to that of the World Reformed Fellowship.-...
(ICRC) and the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council
North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council
The North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council is an association of several Presbyterian and Reformed churches in the United States and Canada...
(NAPARC).
Theological Education
Maintaining the principle that theological education must be maintained by the churches and for the churches, the federation operates the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary, which is located in Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
.