The RCA likes to "celebrate diversity." Meanwhile, thousands are in a panic about the RCA losing its identity. Oops.... do the math.
Change means change. Deep change means new identity. No way around it.
Some of us claim that we like the idea of change -- even the concept of constantly "reforming."
But we really don't want deep change... just skin-deep change.
"Come in and join us," we plead. "But don't touch anything."
History of the Reformation, 1878 edition: "Burning Bibles in London...."
Yes, we'd like to add some color to our pews --- that way the world will know how loving and full of mercy we are. But don't mess with who we really are... our Dutch-American Reformed traditions, liturgies, polity, etc.
One example: Commissioned Pastors.
From the beginning, the body of Christ has flourished by means of lay leadership. We see this in the book of Acts ("The members of the Council were amazed to see how bold Peter and John were, and to learn that they were ordinary men of no eduction." Acts 4:13), and we see this continued throughout the history of discipleship and missions right up to the underground church in China today.
Yet we read in 2009 Synod documents of murmurings against the Commissioned Pastor movement. The fear, of course, is that leaders who have not been screened, enculturated and culled out by senior-ranking identity managers are a huge risk.
Which they are. The gatekeepers have it right. Commissioned Pastors are a very real threat to the identity of the RCA.
Hundreds of years ago, the Roman Catholic church freaked out about translations of the Bible. A Bible in English or Dutch, rather than Latin, could be read by ordinary folks who had not been properly screened, enculturated into the Church system and tested for institutional orthodoxy and loyalty.
The conservative institutional managers of the Roman church had it right; flames of Reformation were fueled by Bibles opened in the hands of ordinary people, and deep change followed.
Yes, of course, not all change is good.
For example, a new breed of leaders with a low view of scripture, minimal interest in social justice, a taste for passionless worship, and no interest in mission would be a horrible thing for the RCA. Such change would be bad for the RCA, and bad for the Kingdom.
If these are the sorts of leaders coming out of the RCA's Commissioned programs, then we have serious grounds for concern.
But if the problem is that Commissioned Pastors are bringing cultural change to the RCA, and we don't really want to loosen up on our Dutch-American Reformed traditions, liturgies, polity, etc., that's a different issue altogether.
It's still an issue, a big one, but it is a psycho-sociological identity issue, not a biblical one.
Much boasting throughout hundreds of years of RCA history has centered around our openness to ecumenical fellowship, both on mission fields and at home. In theory, we support and cooperate with conservative Presbyterians who refuse to ordain women, we pray with Baptists who dedicate children and refrain from infant sprinklings, and we break bread with Methodists who choke on TULIP.
Historically, our view of the Kingdom has long been broad and merciful enough to embrace many non-RCA traditions, liturgies, polities, etc., at least so long as they conform to basic biblical principles.
Perhaps, though, our own denominational identity is too sacred and too fragile to endure deep change... the deeper-than skin diversity of the broader Kingdom even as we theologically understand it to be.
Perhaps, deep down, it's still more about being Dutch-American Reformed than simply being about being sold-out dieing-to-ourselves followers of Jesus Christ.
Such are the mysteries of the Kingdom.
-- Dave Cheadle
Engraving below: "Tonstall Burning the Bibles in London," comes from
"History of the Reformation," published in 1878
Bishop Tonstall was determined to destroy every copy of Tyndale's "heretical" translation of the Bible. He hired people to locate and purchase the English translations just so he could burn them. The Catholic church became Tyndale's biggest client, purchasing early editions through Tyndale's friends at inflated prices, thus financing Tyndale's next edition!
