The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA or CRC) is a

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct Religion, religious body within Christianity that comprises all Church (congregation), church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadersh ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. Having roots in the

Dutch Reformed Church The Dutch Reformed Church (, , abbreviated NHK ) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the traditional denomination of the Dutch royal famil ...

of the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, the Christian Reformed Church was founded by

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

immigrants in 1857 and is theologically

.Welcome: Learn about the CRC
. ''Christian Reformed Church''.

History

The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) split from the

Reformed Church in America The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 82,865 members. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed ...

(then known as the

) in an 1857 secession. This was rooted in part as a result of a theological dispute that originated in the Netherlands in which

Hendrik De Cock Hendrik de Cock (12 April 1801 – 14 November 1842) was a Dutch minister responsible for the 1834–35 Dutch Reformed Church split due to his incarceration and suspension from office for his Calvinist convictions. Hendrik de Cock protested aga ...

was deposed for his Calvinist convictions, leading there to the Secession of 1834–35. For the CRC founders in America, the RCA then appeared to contain problems similar to those that they had seen in the State Church in the old country.

Gijsbert Haan Gijsbert Haan or alternate spelling Gysbert Haan (January 3, 1801 – July 27, 1874) was the leader in the 1857 Secession of Dutch-Americans from the Reformed Church in America, and the creator of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, ...

(January 3, 1801 – July 27, 1874) was the leader in the 1857 Secession of Dutch-Americans from the Reformed Church in America and the creator of the Christian Reformed Church in the United States and Canada. In 1857, four churches with about 130 families (about 10 percent of the Dutch immigrant church members in West Michigan at the time) seceded. In March, the Noordeloos church of the Classis of

Holland, Michigan Holland is a city in Ottawa County, Michigan, Ottawa and Allegan County, Michigan, Allegan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. Located in the West Michigan, western region of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula, the city is si ...

, left the Reformed Church in America. On March 19, some members of Second Reformed Church,

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, organized a church that became First CRC, Grand Rapids, Michigan. On April 8, churches in Graafschap and Polkton also left the Classis of Holland. Two ministers, Koene van den Bosch and Hendrik Klijn, joined the separatists, although Klijn returned to the Reformed Church six months later. The new denomination that formed from this secession was led by elders and ministers from the churches in the northern Netherlands, especially from the province of

Groningen Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...

, that had organized after the 1834 secession in the Netherlands, although members of the new denomination came from all parts of the Netherlands. The reasons given for leaving the Reformed Church were the use of

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...

s (versus Exclusive psalmody) during worship, allowing free access to communion, lax interpretation of

grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uni ...

, permitting membership in

Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

, and failure to provide catechetical instruction to young people. For the two years, the denomination had no corporate name. In 1859, Holland Reformed Church (''Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk'') was adopted, which was changed to Free Dutch Reformed Church (no record of a Dutch translation) in 1861. Two years later, True Dutch Reformed Church (''Ware Hollandsche Gereformeerde Kerk'') was approved, which was changed to Holland Christian Reformed Church (''Hollandsche Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk'') in 1880. In 1894 congregations also could use Christian Reformed Church (''Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk'') as well. The full adoption of Christian Reformed Church came in 1904, which became Christian Reformed Church in North America in 1974. In 1875, the denomination opened a theological school in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Preparatory Department of the school became

Calvin College Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reforme ...

, while the Theological Department became

Calvin Theological Seminary Calvin Theological Seminary is a private Christian Reformed Church seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is closely tied to Calvin University, though each institution has its own board. History The seminary was founded in 1876 with the purpose ...

. By 1880 the denomination had grown to 42 congregations. Ten years later the number had grown to 100 located in 11 states. During the 1890s congregations from the

True Protestant Dutch Reformed Church True most commonly refers to truth, the state of being in congruence with fact or reality. True may also refer to: Places * True, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States * True, Wisconsin, a town in the United States * ...

(located in New York and New Jersey) joined the CRC. During the 20th century a number of congregations from the disbanding German Reformed Churches also joined the CRC. By 1920, the denomination had grown to 350 congregations. At that time an estimated 350,000 Dutch immigrants had come to the United States, some of whom were in the Dutch Reformed tradition that since the 1880s was influenced by

Abraham Kuyper Abraham Kuyper ( , ; 29 October 1837 – 8 November 1920) was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905, an influential neo-Calvinist pastor and a journalist. He established the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, which upo ...

, a Dutch Neo-Calvinist theologian, journalist, and statesman (he served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands, 1901-1905). He founded the ''Gereformeerde Kerken'', a newspaper, the Free University of Amsterdam, and the Anti-Revolutionary Political Party. During the early 1920s, the CRC adopted three doctrinal points regarding common grace. Three ministers,

Herman Hoeksema Herman Hoeksema (13 March 1886 in Hoogezand – 2 September 1965 in Grand Rapids) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. Hoeksema served as a long time pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. In 1924 he refused to accept the thr ...

, George Ophoff, and Henry Danhof were deposed for rejecting three points as being contrary to the Reformed confessions. The dispute led to the three ministers and their followers leaving the CRC and forming what is now the Protestant Reformed Churches in America. After the Second World War, a new wave of Dutch Calvinist immigration occurred to Canada, most of which were Kuyperian. By 1960, half of the denomination's new congregations (138 of 288) were in Canada. In the early 1950s, a division within the Protestant Reformed Churches in America led to about three fifths of its members forming the Orthodox Protestant Reformed Church, which joined the CRC in 1961.

Ecumenical partnerships

In 1975 the CRC joined the

Orthodox Presbyterian Church The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is a confessional Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States, with additional congregations in Canada, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyte ...

(OPC),

Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America The Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) is a Presbyterian church with congregations and missions throughout the United States, Japan, and Chile. Its beliefs—held in common with other members of the Reformed Presbyterian Globa ...

(RPCNA), the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod (RPCES) and the

Presbyterian Church in America The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) is the second-largest Presbyterian church body, behind the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the largest conservative Calvinist denomination in the United States. The PCA is Calvinist, Reformed in theolog ...

(PCA) in forming the

North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council The North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) is an association of several Presbyterianism, Presbyterian and Reformed church, Reformed churches in the United States and Canada. The Council meets annually. It lists biblical inerranc ...

(NAPARC). In the last decades of the 20th century, the Synod enacted innovations that were rejected by some of its more conservative members and one-time sister denominations. Out of concern about the state of affairs in the CRC, a group of ministers formed the

Mid-America Reformed Seminary Mid-America Reformed Seminary is a graduate-level theological institution located in Dyer, Indiana, providing a biblical and theological education in the classic Reformed (Calvinistic) tradition. The seminary offers a three-year Master of Divinit ...

in 1981, and around the same time a federation of churches known as the Orthodox Christian Reformed Churches (OCRC), comprising some former CRC congregations, was formed. The 1995 decision to ordain women led to the formation of the United Reformed Churches in North America (URC), and the severing of fraternal relationships between the CRC and the OPC and PCA in 1997. Because of the decision to ordain women, NAPARC suspended the CRC from membership in 1999 and expelled it in 2001. This gradual shift has spurred some of the more conservative congregations to leave; a significant number of these have ended up in the PCA, OPC, or URC. In 2008, the OCRC dissolved and member churches joined the URC. The CRC was a charter member of the

Reformed Ecumenical Council The Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC) was an international organization of Calvinist churches. It had 39 member denominations from 25 countries in its membership, and those churches have about 12 million people together. It was founded August 14, 1 ...

, which organized at Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1946. The CRC joined the

World Alliance of Reformed Churches The World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) was a fellowship of more than 200 churches with roots in the 16th century Reformation, and particularly in the theology of John Calvin. Its headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland. They merged with the ...

in 2002 after many years of hesitation due to what was seen as the more liberal membership and agenda of that body. In 2010, the Reformed Ecumenical Council and World Alliance of Reformed Churches merged to form the

World Communion of Reformed Churches The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Reformed (Calvinist) churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations (227 members and three associate or affiliate members) in 108 countries, together claiming ...

at a joint meeting hosted by the CRC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The CRC also belongs to the Canadian Council of Churches, the

Evangelical Fellowship of Canada The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC; ) is a national evangelical alliance, member of the World Evangelical Alliance. Its affiliates comprise 48 evangelical Christian denominations, 66 Christian organizations, 33 educational institutions, ...

, the

World Reformed Fellowship The World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) is an ecumenical, Protestant Christian fellowship that advances partnerships among confessional Reformed churches around the world. History The World Fellowship of Reformed Churches was formed in 1994 by ...

, and the

National Association of Evangelicals The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) is an American association of Evangelical Christian denominations, organizations, schools, churches, and individuals, member of the World Evangelical Alliance. The association represents more than ...

. The CRC participates in

Christian Churches Together Christian Churches Together in the USA (CCT) is an organization formed in 2006 to "broaden and expand fellowship, unity and witness among the diverse expressions of Christian traditions in the USA" and represents over 98 million Christians in t ...

in the United States and in the Global Christian Forum. As of 2016 the CRC has bilateral relationships with 39 denominations around the globe: 24 are in "ecclesiastical fellowship;" 10 are "in dialogue;" and five are in "corresponding fellowship." In North America, the CRC is denominational partners with the more mainline

(from which it had split in 1857) and in ecclesiastical fellowship with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.

Theology

The Christian Reformed Church is

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall where the priest from some Christian denominations sits to hear the confessions of a penitent's sins. It is the traditional venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Luther ...

and

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

in its theology. It places high value on theological study and the application of theology to current issues, emphasizes the importance of careful Biblical

hermeneutics Hermeneutics () is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts. As necessary, hermeneutics may include the art of understanding and communication. ...

, and has traditionally respected the personal conscience of individual members who feel they are led by the

Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...

. The Church promotes the belief that Christians do not earn their salvation, but that it is a wholly unmerited gift from God, and that good works are the Christian response to that gift. Reformed theology as practiced in the CRC is founded in Calvinism. A more recent theologian of great influence on this denomination was

(1837–1920). Kuyper, who served as the

Prime Minister of the Netherlands The prime minister of the Netherlands () or, before 1945, the chairman of the Council of Ministers () is the ''de facto'' head of government of the Netherlands.''Grondwet voor het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden'' onstitution of the Kingdom of the N ...

from 1901 to 1905, promoted a belief in social responsibility and called on Christians to engage actively in improving all aspects of life and society. Kuyper is regarded as a founding father of

Christian Democracy Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo-scholasticism, as well ...

political ideology. Current scholars with wider reputations, such as philosophers

Alvin Plantinga Alvin Carl Plantinga (born November 15, 1932) is an American analytic philosophy, analytic philosopher who works primarily in the fields of philosophy of religion, epistemology (particularly on issues involving theory of justification, epistemic ...

and

Nicholas Wolterstorff Nicholas Paul Wolterstorff (born January 21, 1932) is an American philosopher and theologian. He is currently Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology at Yale University. A prolific writer with wide-ranging philosophical and theo ...

, as well as Lewis B. Smedes, have associations with this denomination and with

Calvin University Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reforme ...

Philip Yancey Philip Yancey (born November 4, 1949) is an American author who writes primarily about spiritual issues. His books have sold more than 15 million copies in English and have been translated into 40 languages, making him one of the best-selling con ...

has stated, "I also admire the tradition of the Christian Reformed Church, which advocates 'bringing every thought captive' under the mind of Christ; that tiny 'transforming' denomination has had an enormous influence on science, philosophy, and the arts."

Doctrinal standards

The CRC officially subscribes to the Ecumenical Creeds—the

Apostles' Creed The Apostles' Creed (Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith". "Its title is first found c.390 (Ep. 42.5 of Ambro ...

, the

Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed, also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it. The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of N ...

, and the

Athanasian Creed The Athanasian Creed—also called the ''Quicunque Vult'' (or ''Quicumque Vult''), which is both its Latin name and its opening words, meaning "Whosoever wishes"—is a Christian statement of belief focused on Trinitarian doctrine and Christolo ...

—as well as three Reformed Confessions, commonly referred as the

Three Forms of Unity The Three Forms of Unity is a collective name for the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism, which reflect the doctrinal concerns of continental Calvinism and are accepted as official statements of doctrine by man ...

: the

Belgic Confession The ''Confession of Faith'', popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a confession to which many Reformed churches subscribe as a doctrinal standard. The Confession forms part of the Three Forms of Unity, which are the official subordinate st ...

, the

Heidelberg Catechism The Heidelberg Catechism (1563), one of the Three Forms of Unity, is a Reformed catechism taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine. It was published in 1563 in Heidelberg, Germany. Its ...

, and the

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 an exposition of orthodox Reformed soteriology against Arminianism, by the Nat ...

. In 1986, the CRC formulated a statement of faith titled "Our World Belongs to God: A Contemporary Testimony" which addresses issues such as secularism, individualism, and relativism. These issues were seen as "unique challenges of faith presented by the times in which we live". While not having confessional status, it is meant to give a hymn-like expression of CRC beliefs within the heritage of the Reformed confessions, especially addressing issues that confront the church today. The Contemporary Testimony was reviewed and updated in 2008. The second Contemporary Testimony held by the CRCNA is the

Belhar Confession The Belhar Confession () is a Christian statement of belief written in Afrikaans in 1982. It was adopted (after a slight adjustment) as a confession of faith by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church (DRMC) in South Africa in 1986. Themes According ...

, a testimony written in Afrikaans in 1982 from Reformed churches in South Africa.

Social issues

The Christian Reformed Church has stated its position on a number of social issues. Summaries of those positions and references to full reports with exact statements can be found at crcna.org. The CRC is opposed to

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

except in cases when the "life of the mother is genuinely threatened" by her pregnancy. The church "affirms the unique value of all human life" from the "moment of conception". Believers are called upon to show "compassion" to those experiencing unwanted pregnancies, even while they speak out against the "atrocity" of abortion. In 2010, the Synod adopted a recommendation "to instruct the Office of Social Justice and Hunger Action (OSJ) to boldly advocate for the church's position against abortion, and to help equip churches to promote the sanctity of human life" (Acts of Synod 2010, p. 883)." Unlike many other Christian denominations, the CRC does not have an official stance on

euthanasia Euthanasia (from : + ) is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different Legality of euthanasia, euthanasia laws. The British House of Lords Select committee (United Kingdom), se ...

. Their Acts of the 1972 Synod, however, can be interpreted as also a condemnation of euthanasia, since it opposes "the wanton or arbitrary destruction of any human being at any stage of its development from the point of conception to the point of death". (Acts of Synod 1972, p. 64) The CRC already expressed its official opposition to legal euthanasia both in Canada and the United States. The CRC has a moderate stance on the

death penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...

: "The CRC has declared that modern states are not obligated by Scripture, creed, or principle to institute and practice capital punishment. It does, however, recognize that Scripture acknowledges the right of modern states to institute and practice capital punishment if it is exercised with utmost restraint." The stance of the CRC is that

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...

is "a condition of disordered sexuality that reflects the brokenness of our sinful world". Christian homosexuals should not pursue "homosexualism", defined as "explicit homosexual practice", which is "incompatible with obedience to the will of God as revealed in Scripture". Christian homosexuals should be given "loving support" within the church community, compassion, and support "towards healing and wholeness". Christian homosexuals, like all Christians, are called to discipleship, holy obedience, and 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 to heterosexual Christians. The Christian Reformed Church in North America also opposes

Political involvement

The CRC educates its constituency and mobilizes member advocacy on a wide range of social justice issues in Canada and the United States. It does so primarily through its Office of Social Justice and Hunger Action (OSJ) and the Centre for Public Dialogue (CPD) in Canada.

Missions

The CRC has mission efforts and ministries in

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, South America, Southeast Asia, and the

Navajo reservation The Navajo Nation (), also known as Navajoland, is an Indian reservation of Navajo people in the United States. It occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. The seat of government is located in ...

. Among the most prominent reservation churches are the Zuni and Rehoboth missions. Rehoboth was founded in 1903 and has grown significantly into a large church and has an independent school with over 500 students in grades K-12; Zuni has experienced the same in its community. The Rehoboth hospital moved to the neighboring town of Gallup in 1970. Rehoboth built a high-school in 1951, and a new high school, funded by the DeVos family, was built in 2018. The first Rehoboth church was built in 1908, though the congregation moved to a new building in 2005.

Governance

Church polity Ecclesiastical polity is the government of a church. There are local (congregational) forms of organization as well as denominational. A church's polity may describe its ministerial offices or an authority structure between churches. Polit ...

refers to the form of governance and organization of a church. The CRC follows a Presbyterian form of church polity organized under governance by elders, as compared to Episcopal polities organized under governance by bishops (Roman Catholic, United Methodist, and Episcopal denominations) and Congregational polities organized under the governance of the local congregation (Congregational, Baptist, Disciples of Christ). Governance by elders is assumed throughout the Christian Reformed Church Order, but CRC polity is not exactly like that of Presbyterian denominations. Two particular differences include the fact that the CRC has limited tenure for officebearers (so elders and deacons serve ''terms'', not ''forever''), and ministers are ordained and credentialed by a local congregation, not the regional classis or presbytery. Another key difference is that church polity in the CRC does not have confessional status and, therefore, the Church Order does not have the same authority as the creeds. The Church Order is subordinate to the creeds and confessions, which are subordinate to Scripture. The Christian Reformed Church has three levels of assembly: the church council (local assembly, composed of a congregation's

deacons A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Catholi ...

, elders, and ministerial staff), the classis (regional assembly, of which there are 48: 37 in the United States and 12 in Canada, with one straddling the international border), and the

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

(bi-national assembly.)Christian Reformed Church Governance
''Christian Reformed Church''. The church's

Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

meets annually in June, with 192 delegates: a minister, an elder and a deacon from each classis, plus one other officebearer. Central offices of the church are located in

, and

Burlington, Ontario Burlington, officially the City of Burlington, is a city and List of municipalities in Ontario#Lower-tier municipalities, lower-tier municipality in Regional Municipality of Halton, Halton Region at the west end of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Can ...

. The CRC in North America has sent missionaries to many countries around the world where Christian Reformed churches have been established, but these have organized on their own and are independent from the North American denomination.

Education and agencies

Reformed teaching puts an emphasis on education. As such, many CRC members support Christian day schools as well as post-secondary education. The denomination owns and supports

as well as

, where the denomination's U.S. offices are located. Historically most ministers ordained in the CRC were trained at Calvin Seminary. Other colleges associated with the denomination are

Kuyper College Kuyper College is a private Reformed Christian college in Grand Rapids, Michigan. History Kuyper College was founded in 1939 as Reformed Bible Institute. RBI had a three-year curriculum that offered a track into foreign and domestic missions ...

(also located in Grand Rapids),

Trinity Christian College Trinity Christian College is a private Christian college in Palos Heights, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1959 by a group of Chicago businessmen who wanted to establish a college providing students with a Christian higher education ...

in Palos Heights, Illinois;

Dordt University Dordt University is a private evangelical Christian university in Sioux Center, Iowa. It was founded in 1955 and is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The university name is a reference to the Synod of Dordt (Dordre ...

in Sioux Center, Iowa;

Redeemer University College Redeemer University is a private university, private Christian liberal arts and science university located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in the community of Ancaster, Ontario, Ancaster. Founded in 1982, Redeemer stands in the Reformed churches ...

in Ancaster, Ontario; The King's University in Edmonton, Alberta, and the post-graduate

Institute for Christian Studies The Institute for Christian Studies (ICS or ICS Toronto) is a private, graduate-level Reformed philosophical and theological school in Toronto, Ontario. At ICS, students and faculty take part in shared learning through participatory seminars, me ...

in Toronto, Ontario. Elim Christian Services in

Palos Heights, Illinois Palos Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwest suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 12,068. Geography According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Palos Heights has a total area of , of ...

, offers a school devoted to the education of those with special needs.

Agencies

* ReFrame Ministries – (formerly The Back to God Hour) media ministry founded in 1939 that uses radio, television, internet, and text messaging to reach nearly 200 countries, with 34 websites in 10 languages *

– the oldest and primary college of the CRCNA *

– the CRCNA seminary for training ministers and those doing ministry work * Resonate Global Mission - Formed by the joining of Christian Reformed Home Missions and Christian Reformed World Missions, Resonate Global Mission, trains leaders, guides new churches, and forges partnerships to proclaim and live out the good news of Jesus Christ worldwide. * World Renew – World Renew, formerly the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), is the relief and development organization of the Christian Reformed Church. It responds to the needs of people around the world who are suffering from poverty, hunger, disaster, and injustice.

Departments and offices

* Faith Alive Christian Resources – known as CRC Publications until 2007, publishes and distributes books, magazines and learning materials. In 2013, Faith Alive was reorganized from a CRC agency with its own board to a department supervised by the CRC Board of Trustees. * Canadian Ministries * Candidacy Committee * Chaplaincy & Care Ministry * CRC Foundation * Disability Concerns * Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee (EIRC) * CRC Loan Fund * Office of Social Justice * Centre for Public Dialogue * Pastor-Church Resources * Race Relations * Safe Church * Servicelink * Sustaining Congregational Excellence (SCE) * Sustaining Pastoral Excellence (SPE)

Denominationally related agencies

* Diaconal Ministries Canada * Dynamic Youth Ministries – ministers to young people; includes Calvinist Cadet Corps, GEMS Girls' Clubs, and ThereforeGo Ministries * Friendship Ministries * Partners Worldwide * Timothy Leadership Training Institute

Demographics

CRC churches are predominantly located in areas of

immigrant settlement in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, including

Brookfield, Wisconsin Brookfield is a city in eastern Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It had a population of 41,464 at the 2020 census. The city is adjacent to the Town of Brookfield and is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. History Brookfield i ...

Western Michigan West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for a region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Generally, it refers to the Grand Rapids- Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Peninsula's Lake ...

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, the city of Lynden in Washington State,

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

, suburban southern

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, Ripon, California, and northern

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. About 75% of the CRCNA congregations are located in the US, while the remaining 25% are in Canada. The church has grown more ethnically diverse with some congregations predominantly Native American,

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

n, Chinese,

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

ese,

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

and

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

. All together, Christian Reformed Churches speak around 20 languages and over 170 congregations speak a language other than English or Dutch. Many churches, particularly in more urban areas, are becoming much more integrated. Emerging from its role as primarily an immigrant church, the church has become more outward focused in recent years.

Membership trends

After a time of steady growth during the period of 1963–1992, membership totals have declined, even though the number of churches has grown. In 1992, at the height of its membership, the Christian Reformed Churches had 316,415 members in 981 churches in the United States and Canada. In 2019 membership had dropped to 222,156 members in 1072 churches, marking a loss of 78,164 members (or 26% of its membership) in the last 25 years.

Notable members

* Herman Baker, founder,

Baker Publishing Group Baker Publishing Group is a Christian book publisher that discusses historic Christian happenings for its evangelical readers. It is based in Ada, Michigan and has six subdivisions: Bethany House, Revell, Baker Books, Baker Academic, Chosen, and ...

* Louis Berkhof, 1873–1957, prominent Reformed theologian of the 20th century * Scott Brown, former U.S. Ambassador and former U.S. Senator from

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

Richard DeVos Richard Marvin DeVos Sr. (March 4, 1926 – September 6, 2018) was an American billionaire businessman, co-founder of Amway with Jay Van Andel (company restructured as Alticor in 2000), and owner of the Orlando Magic basketball team. In 2012, ...

, businessman, co-founder of

Amway Amway Corp. (short for "American Way") is an American multi-level marketing (MLM) company that sells health, beauty, and home care products. The company was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos and is based in Ada Township, Michi ...

Betsy DeVos Elisabeth Dee DeVos ( ; ' Prince; born January 8, 1958) is an American politician, philanthropist, and former government official who served as the 11th United States Secretary of Education, United States secretary of education from 2017 to 2021 ...

, former U.S. Secretary of Education * Calvin B. DeWitt, environmentalist and co-founder of the Evangelical Environmental Network * William B. Eerdmans, founder, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company *

Vern Ehlers Vernon James Ehlers (February 6, 1934 – August 15, 2017) was an American physicist and politician who represented Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 until his retirement in 2011. A Republican, he also served eight years ...

, U.S. Representative from Michigan *

Randy Feenstra Randall Lee Feenstra (born January 14, 1969) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 4th congressional district. The district covers the state's western border and its northwestern quadrant, inclu ...

U.S. Representative from Iowa * William K. Frankena, 1908–1994, philosopher, University of Michigan * Sidney Greidanus, professor of preaching at

* Marv Heemeyer, 1951-2004, known for

Granby, Colorado The Town of Granby is the List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town, Statutory Town that is the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality in Grand County, Colorado, Grand County, Colorado, United States. The town pop ...

bulldozer rampage * Paul B. Henry, U.S. Representative from Michigan *

, (1886-1965) Reformed theologian who helped found the Protestant Reformed Churches in America *

Bill Huizenga William Patrick Huizenga ( ; born January 31, 1969) is an American politician serving as a U.S. representative from Michigan since 2011, representing the state's 4th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, Huizenga served in t ...

, U.S. Representative from Michigan * Bill Hybels, pastor of

Willow Creek Community Church Willow Creek Community Church is an Evangelical nondenominational multisite megachurch based in the northwestern Chicago suburb of South Barrington, Illinois. It was founded on October 12, 1975 by Dave Holmbo and Bill Hybels, who was its longtim ...

and founder of Willow Creek Association *

Rienk Kuiper Rienk Bouke Kuiper (31 January 1886 – 22 April 1966)
at Westminster Theological Seminary was a pastor and profes ...

, theologian *

Frederick Manfred Frederick Feikema Manfred (January 6, 1912 – September 7, 1994) was an American writer of Western (genre), Westerns, very much connected to his native region: the American Midwestern United States, Midwest, and the prairies of the West. He name ...

, author of Westerns, the pen name of Feike Feikema (1912–1994) * Manuel Ortiz, pastor, missionary and scholar * Richard and Joan Ostling, authors and journalists *

, philosopher, University of Notre Dame * Cornelius Plantinga, theologian, author, president of

from 2002-2011 * Michael Rea, philosopher, University of Notre Dame * H. Evan Runner, philosopher *

Hillary Scholten Hillary Jeanne Scholten ( ; born February 22, 1982) is an American politician and attorney who has served as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from Michigan's 3rd congressional district since 2023. She is the first w ...

, U.S. Representative from Michigan * Christian Sebastia, pastor, theologian and music producer *

Calvin Seerveld Calvin George Seerveld (born 1930) received a BA from Calvin College in 1952 and an MA in English literature and classics from the University of Michigan in 1953. He then went on to study under D. H. Th. Vollenhoven at the Free Unive ...

, philosopher and theologian * Chris Sievers, Principal, Borculo Christian Schools * Norman Shepherd, pastor and theologian * Lewis Smedes, author, ethicist, and theologian (1921–2002) * The Staal brothers, professional hockey players

Eric Staal Eric Craig Staal (born October 29, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre who played eighteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Buff ...

Marc Staal Marc Staal (born January 13, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former defenceman who is a player development assistant for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Staal played 17 seasons in the NHL for the ...

Jordan Staal Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre and Captain (ice hockey), captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer ...

, and Jared Staal *

Steven R. Timmermans Steven R. Timmermans (born 26 September 1957 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) was the executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) from 2014 to 2020. He received a B.S. from Calvin College in 1979 and postgraduate degrees ...

, psychologist, author, former president of

, executive director of CRC 2013–present * Jay Van Andel, businessman, co-founder of

Cornelius Van Til Cornelius Van Til (May 3, 1895 – April 17, 1987) was a Dutch-American Reformed theologian, who is credited as being the originator of modern presuppositional apologetics. A graduate of Calvin College, Van Til later received his PhD from Pr ...

, (1895–1987) Reformed theologian, (raised CRC and attended denominational schools before joining the

) * Johanna Veenstra (1894-1933), missionary to Nigeria * Geerhardus Vos (1862–1949), theologian, "Father of Reformed Biblical Theology" * Albert Wolters, philosopher *

, philosopher, Yale University * Jerry Zandstra, conservative activist

Notes

References

* Bratt, James H. ''Dutch Calvinism in Modern America: A History of a Conservative Subculture''. Eerdmans, 1984. * Doezema, Linda Pegman. ''Dutch Americans: A Guide to Information Sources''. Gale Research, 1979. * Kroes, Rob, and Henk-Otto Neuschafer, eds. ''The Dutch in North America: Their Immigration and Cultural Continuity''. Amsterdam: Free University Press, 1991. * Kromminga, John. ''The Christian Reformed Church: A Study in Orthodoxy''. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1949. * Schaap, James. ''Our Family Album: The Unfinished Story of the Christian Reformed Church''. Grand Rapids, Mich.: CRC Publications, 1998. * Sheeres, Janet Sjaarda. ''Son of Secession: Douwe J. Vander Werp''. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2006. * Smidt, Corwin, Donald Luidens, James Penning, and Roger Nemeth. ''Divided by a Common Heritage: The Christian Reformed Church and the Reformed Church in America at the Beginning of the New Millennium''. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006. * Swierenga, Robert. ''Faith and Family: Dutch Immigration and Settlement in the United States, 1820–1920'' (2000) * Zwaanstra, Henry. ''Reformed Thought and Experience in a New World: A Study of the Christian Reformed Church and Its American Environment 1890–1918.'' The Netherlands: Kampen, 1973. 331 pp. *Witteveen Fred, ''rehoboth christian school 1903-2003.''

External links

*
Book of Church Order for the CRCNA

Searchable Database of All CRC Ministers

''The Banner''. The monthly publication of the CRC

Profile of the CRC on the Association of Religion Data Archives website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christian Reformed Church In North America Members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches Reformed denominations in the United States Reformed denominations in Canada Protestantism in Michigan Holland, Michigan Religion in Grand Rapids, Michigan Religious organizations established in 1857 Calvinist denominations established in the 19th century Members of the National Association of Evangelicals 1857 establishments in Michigan 1857 in Christianity Christian denominations founded in the United States

History

Ecumenical partnerships

Theology

Doctrinal standards

Social issues

Political involvement

Missions

Governance

Education and agencies

Agencies

Departments and offices

Denominationally related agencies

Demographics

Membership trends

Notable members

See also

Notes

References

External links