The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) has named as the editor for its national magazine a minister who recently caused a stir among the publication’s readership by penning an editorial favorable toward homosexual ‘partnerships.’
The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) has named as the editor for its national
magazine a minister who recently caused a stir among the publication’s
readership by penning an editorial favorable toward homosexual ‘partnerships.’
The CRC’s synod in June unanimously approved the Rev. Robert De Moor as
editor of Banner, the denominational magazine.
De Moor created no small furor among readers of the May issue of Banner
when he suggested that gay partners should receive legal recognition as
"domestic partners." De Moor, who had served as interim editor of the magazine
since last fall, also affirmed the preservation of traditional marriage.
The 53-year-old De Moor applauded the synod’s openness to hiring an editor
who holds diverse views on current issues.
"The Banner needs to be the magazine where we can talk together as a family .
. . around the kitchen table," De Moor said. "We must allow for disagreement."
Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., the CRC includes some 300,000 members in 1,000
congregations in the United States and Canada. The denomination’s doctrinal
standards include the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg
Catechism along with the creeds from the early ecumenical councils.
However, in recent years the denomination’s slouch toward liberalism has been
obvious in the positions it has taken on issues such as homosexuality and women
in the ministry.
Regarding homosexuality, the CRC’s position paper states, in part, "Christian
homosexuals, like all Christians, are called to discipleship, to holy obedience,
and to the use of their gifts in the cause of the kingdom. Opportunities to
serve within the offices and the life of the congregation should be afforded to
them as they are to heterosexual Christians."
The incongruent statement goes on to brand homosexual practice as being
"incompatible with the will of God" and concludes by asserting that "The church
should do everything in its power to help persons with homosexual orientation
and give them support toward healing and wholeness."
In 1995 the denomination committed itself to the ordination of women at every
level of service allowing them to fill the roles of deacons, elders, ministers,
and evangelists in local churches.
Wayne Grudem, a board member of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
and a professor at Phoenix Seminary, sees the hiring of De Moor as further
evidence of the CRC’s incipient slippage toward liberal views.
"The Christian Reformed Church first approved women’s ordination in 1995, and
it is not surprising that we are now seeing hints of increasing deviation from
biblical roles for men and women," Grudem said.
"The same principles of biblical interpretation that lead denominations to
abandon male headship in the church often lead to a denial of male leadership in
the home as well, and then to a blurring of all differences in roles for men and
women. Other denominations have traveled this road before.
"It should be clear by now from the examples of the Episcopal Church, the
United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United
Congregational Church, and others that the road to approval of homosexuality has
always started with the denial of biblical inerrancy and the endorsement of
women’s ordination, and it’s a slippery downhill slope from that point on."
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