Church History

Albert Clarence Robinson

The purpose of this history of the committee on christian Education of Eastern Synod is twofold; namely, to acknowledge the fine work done by this committee, and to set forth some of its achievements as an inspiration to others who are interested in the cause of Christian education. This committee was the pioneer among the synodical committees on Christian Education in the Reformed Church. Its membership included some of the outstanding men of the reformed church, and its program many of the finest achievements in Christian education. Since the merger of the Reformed church in the United States and the Evangelical Synods this committee as such has been dissolved but its members are continuing the work as an inter-synodical group. No attempt has been made to present a complete chronological history of the work of the committee. In keeping with the purpose this is an interpretive history. Outstanding personalities and events have been included in so far as they were related to the various projects considered. The main emphasis, however, has been placed upon the growth and significance of the committee used in preparing this history.

Terrell M. Shoffner

It was on May 24, 1738 that John Wesley, a priest in the Church of England, went into a religious meeting in Aldersgate Street and had a heart warming experience that transformed his own life and inaugurated a great religious awakening among the English speaking peoples. Wesley belongs not only to the Methodist churches, but the Holy Catholic Church of which all Protestants are members and are indebted to him for the powerful influence of his wonderful personality. And undoubtedly the Roman Catholic Church has been influenced by the movement, but there will be little time to deal with this fact, except in a general way. It is the object of this essay to trace the contributions of this magnificent beacon light down through the centuries. Our endeavor may be logically divided into two parts. After giving a brief account of his life through his conversion experience, we shall concentrate our interest on Wesley’s influence during his earthly pilgrimage. In the second division we shall follow his influence from the time of his death up to the present time. Some of the materials present may seem to the reader to be irrelevant to the subject, but on closer examination he will see that it all tends to culminate in a better understanding of the influence that the founder of Methodism has had in the development of Christianity.

Susan A Minasian

“Claiming Lives of Peace When Justice is Denied” is a theological essay on forgiveness and how the humanity of Jesus on the cross can serve as a model to clarify forgiveness as a spiritual practice. In this essay, the reader will be introduced to the denial on the part of the Turkish government and the role of the Ottoman Turkish government in the genocide of Armenians in 1915. It is my position that denial creates a burden for the survivors of genocide and other traumas. I contend that the victims need to receive a sense of agency in considering forgiveness as an on-going spiritual practice instead of an immediate destination. We will consider voices in the current conversation about forgiveness and discover that they all come to somewhat of the same conclusion that we must all forgive. Forgiveness is seen as a mandate of Christian piety and we must also be agents of forgiveness for our own wellbeing. I agree and yet find these positions to be limited. I propose that we take this saying of Jesus on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing,” and consider how this is his moment of emptying himself and claiming the fullness of his humanity in all of its limitations. In this moment he is praying and releasing his desire for forgiveness to God. We do not know if he refused to say “I” forgive you. While forgiveness is inherent in the act of even praying for his “Father” to do so, it is a profound moment and a model for victims and survivors to move further on the spiritual journey toward thriving.

John Paul Sundararajan

RCA Global Mission has been the prophetic voice on the forefront of changing tides around the world, and in many cases, helped usher in change in global missions and missiology. RCA Global Mission has been the glue that held the denomination together through the chasms and disagreements that divided us. RCA Global Mission has been the rallying point for the denomination through its various ups and downs through history here in North America.

Unfortunately, the denomination is engaged in another period of division, and RCA Global Mission is faced with questions of survival and stagnation at a time when the denomination needs a bold new vision from its historic mission agency. This project offers a case for how RCA Global Mission can be an agent and participant in God’s mission of healing for the RCA over the next 10 years.

Gabriel Elías Vidal

The purpose of this study is to explore the reforms of the Church of God of Prophecy during the 1990s and the impact of those reforms on the Church in South America between 2010 and 2020. The investigation required a thorough historical analysis of the changes to the denomination, beginning with its establishment in 1886 in the mountains of North Carolina, U.S.A., until the year 2000. Additionally, the opinions and strategies of several writers concerning changes have also been included in an attempt to determine if the methods these leaders employed during the decades studied coincide with ordinary aspects and methods of change in general.

These results indicate that the 1990s reforms were widely accepted by those surveyed. It was determined that, as a component of these reforms, changes in ecclesiology played a significant role as they led to a cognitive shift within the Church of God of Prophecy. As a result of the survey, we were able to determine the significance of Bishop Billy D. Murray and his leadership to the whole transformative process. Finally, we collectively determined that these reforms had been transcendent in creating a better future for the Church of God of Prophecy.

John C Hutt

Because of the tremendous changes that are occurring specifically in Holland, Michigan, and in the U.S.A. in general with the continued growth and immigration of Hispanics, it is the intent of this project to look at ways that Anglos and Hispanics can work together most effectively in order to minister to this changing and integrated community. This is accomplished by examining Roman Catholic and Protestant attempts at Hispanic ministry in the U.S.A. in the past; by looking at the Biblical vision for a multiethnic church; and, finally, by showing what approach(es) would be necessary for an effective bicultural and bilingual ministry between Fourteenth street and Iglesia Hispana Christian Reformed Churches in Holland, Michigan.

Chapter one shows the changes taking place in our society and describes the characteristics of the Hispanics who are changing the fabric of our society by presenting the demographics of the Hispanics in the U.S.A in general, and, more specifically, in Holland, Michigan.

Chapter Two discusses an historical overview of the attempts by the Roman catholic and the Protestant Churches to minister to the Hispanics in the U.S.A.

Chapter Three attempts to argue for the multiethnic nature of the Christian Church as it is described by Saint Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians.

Chapter Four provides a brief history and description of the respective ministries at Fourteenth street and Iglesia Hispana Christian Reformed Churches in Holland, Michigan.

Chapter Five describes two different approaches that can be used for bilingual and bicultural ministries, namely, multiethnic and multicongregational.

The conclusion attempts to describe how these two different approaches can be applied in a bilingual and bicultural ministry between Fourteenth Street and Iglesia Hispana Christian Reformed Churches in Holland, Michigan.

David A Peterson

This project examines the impact and opportunities of the objective (transcendent) and subjective (experiential) elements inpreaching. The writings of Mark, Matthew, Luke, John and Paul, and the writing and preaching of John Calvin, Karl Barth, Frederick Buechner and myself, David Peterson, serve as key resources.

Chapter One defines the meaning of a Personal Theological Identity as God's unique revealing activity in and through our individual moments and personalities. These identities manifest themselves in certain themes that dominate all theological thought and speech and pose both rich resources and perilous obstacles for the preacher.

Chapter Two examines the impact of the interests of the various gospel writers upon the New Testament witness. The following four chapters carefully consider the writing and preaching of various individuals, identifying the themes that so often recur in their work:

Chapter Three: John Calvin (1) the sovereignty of God (2) Christ the mediator and (3) the vital need for orderly existence.

Chapter Four: Karl Barth (1) how does one Know God (2) God as the Being who loves in freedom and (3) to exist is to act.

Chapter Five: Frederick Buechner (1) the grace in the ordinary (2) facing the whole truth (3) the plot as a shared journey and (4) the silence in the plot.

Chapter Six: David Peterson (1) finding the "whys" (2) the audience of grace (3) transformation is always possible (4) freedom and grace and (5) the providential sovereignty of God.

The Seventh and final chapter summarizes the tension that dominates the work of the preacher. This tension requires that the preacher (1) listen for God by being fully absorbed in the daily drama of life and (2) attempt to see beyond the personal themes that so easily dominate the sermon by being continuously involved in theological investigation.

Howard D Schipper

Jesus was explicit when he promised to build the church upon the rock of Peter's confession, but He never spelled out how the organizational superstructure was to be formed. Peter and the the apostles, along with the expanding followers of Jesus, seemed simply to live out the early church history, building structure as it was required. These many centuries later, the church consequently displays a variety of forms and structures by which it organizes its authority and mission.

The basic patterns of church polity, however, may be reduced to three: congregational, Presbyterian, and episcopal. The derivatives are many, and have often been the painful result of needless controversy.

Not all the battles the church has engaged in were theo1ogical ones. Frequently divisions occurred or became entrenched over the preservation of a socio-political system or someone's personal position. Such perversity of the people who led and shaped the church over the years should not surprise us who hold are formation concept of depravity's permeation, I suppose. What we are about to find is the story of the ordinary people and the ordinary development of an extraordinary, divine institution: the church.

Gordon D Laman

Upon numerous occasions, from the very first time I visited Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures in 1 9 60, I have heard the name of Henry Stout. During the twenty years I served in that region as a missionary of the Reformed Church in America, many times I was asked about this man who was one of my early predecessors . Snatches of information I heard suggested that he
had been a very important person. Reading I had done on the history of Protestant witness in Japan had made little-or no note of his contribution . More recently, my growing interest in the early history of the work of the Reformed Church in America in southwestern Japan led me to the discovery of how really valuable the ministry of Henry Stout had been to the development of that work. H.V.S. Peeke, a contemporary, said of the Stouts in 1922, "This couple were strong in piety and purpose, and their imprint is left upon the Kyushu field today to a degree, perhaps not fully realized by their successors."

I have now come to realize that their tremendous influence and significant contribution have never been widely recognized or properly appreciated. I perceive Henry Stout to be the sin­gle most-important missionary pioneer from the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition to work in southwestern Japan in the nineteenth century. However , he is little known, and evidently no detailed biographical presentation of his life and work has ever been made available to date. It is my hope that the fol­lowing pages will provide useful information and insights, not only about this person, but also into the missionary task and life situation in which his lifetime of service was offered. I consider Henry Stout to be an all but forgotten foundational figure of the church in Japan.

Manabu Ishida

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate that the Christian faith community is essentially a missionary community. I produced a contextual commentary on the Apostles' Creed for that purpose, interpreting the symbols of the Creed from the Japanese socio-historical perspective.

Chapter One briefly reviews some negative legacy of Christendom commonly known to Japanese people. This kind of knowledge is crucial to make effective communication of Christian faith to the non-Christian people.

Chapter Two is a brief introduction to the commentary and the text of the Creed.

Chapter Three deals with the first part of the Creed. I point out that it is necessary to convey to Japanese people the meaning and importance of the terms "believe" and "God" in a Christian sense.

Chapter Four is a commentary on the section of the Creed on Christ. I present the possibility of interpreting the credal symbols within a Japanese socio-historical context. I conclude that our way of life, in accordance with the coming of Kingdom of God in this world, is what identifies us as the people of God.

Chapter Five is an experimental description of how a Japanese Christian community can be a missionary community. I suggest the following three points: l.The church should be freed from a church growth oriented concept of mission. 2.The participants of the community are the narrators of God's saving activities in the world, and at the same time those who act out God's divine will. 3.The faith community should live a minority way of life in its society.