An Exercise in Mutual Incomprehension

Upon clearing security at Newark Airport (at 6:00 a.m.), I set my mind toward Holland at last. Not that it hasn’t been there already, what with reading the workbook and all, but now I’m finally on my way. My thoughts run to the mutual incomprehension that often takes place at General Synod. This annual denominational coffee break serves as an opportunity both to attach and to entrench. Attaching to friends and acquaintances I’ve known over the years – that’s the good part. Entrenching in positions concerning matters both “social” and “gospel” – that’s not such a good part. I’ve often come away from synods feeling that we just don’t get one another. And that’s not a matter of East/West/Far West, though the lines do sometimes fall along those geographical and historical realities. I recall the advice of Joyce Brothers about family reunions: better not to spend more than 72 hours together. So, here we are, headed for roughly twice that time. Inevitably we’ll find conflict. Hopefully we’ll find at least a taste of concord. Eendracht? Probably too much to ask for.

Looking Forward (sort of) to General Synod

Hi there.  My name is Paul Janssen.  I'll be attending General Synod as a delegate this year, from the Classis of Greater Palisades.

I grew up in northern Iowa, where my dad was the pastor of Ramsey Reformed Church, five miles outside of the booming metropolis (pop. 500 or so) of Titonka, Iowa.  I'll always be grateful for the life my family and I lived there together.  After attending Central College and New Brunswick Theological Seminary, I was called to serve Third Reformed Church in Hackensack from 1985-1991, and began serving my present charge -- Pascack Reformed Church in Park Ridge, NJ -- in the fall of 1991.

I've served the denomination in several ways through the years.  I've sat on the board of Western Theological Seminary, chaired the Racial Justice Task Force in the early 90's, represented the RCA on the Faith and Order Commission of the NCCCUSA, sat in dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church and other reformed bodies back in the '80's, served as moderator of the Commission on Christian Worship, and was the coordinator for worship at the General Synod for a few years.  So I sort of know what I'm getting in to with this year's Synod.  I've been appointed moderator of one of the review committees this year.

Synod has changed over the years, though. We used to be at rectangular tables, seated alphabetically, and segmented into commission-based (more or less) review committees.  We proceeded decently and in order -- according to Roberts' Rules of Order.  I've seen debates both hot and cold, and, like many, have kept track of the "frequent speakers."  I'm interested to see how the ever-emergent format of General Synod will work.  The old Roberts' Rules format always privileged those who knew how to use the rules to accomplish their aims.  I guess I'm enough of a Calvinist to believe that this new format is also "useable" by those who know best how to use it.

My chief concern is, as always, that the BODY will have a choice to make its will clearly heard.  It's all well and good to hear from the elected leaders, but the health of the body is always paramount in my mind.  Will all who desire to be heard have an opportunity to be heard?  Will we be able to hear the soft voices as well as the loud ones?  To what extent will the floor of the Synod become a location for the kind of violence we church people can do to one another, supposedly with good motive? Will we be able to exercise charity toward one another?  Will we be able to see Christ in the visions of people with whom we may disagree significantly?  Will the Bible become a weapon?

I hope that I will come away from the Synod meeting feeling uplifted.  But I do worry, at least at the moment, that my spirit may be sorely tried.  It's happened before at Synods.  If you're looking in, please pray for all the delegates and for me that we might honor Christ, not just in what gets done, but in how things get done.

PBWY.