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Synod 2026 was asked by churches in Classis Grand Rapids East (a regional group of churches) for clarity for local church councils when a proposed officebearer has a difficulty with one of the Christian Reformed Church’s doctrinal confessions. “That will increase the opportunity and expectation that we grow ‘in a spirit of love and fellowship with our brothers and sisters as together we seek a fuller understanding of the gospel,’” the classis wrote.
Synod 2026 reminded councils and classes of their call to discern each case as it comes to them, using good, pastoral wisdom as well as the existing Thrive resources to help them.
The CRC has a gravamen process for those who have a difficulty with a teaching in the confessions, which allows an officebearer to express that difficulty. A confessional difficulty is a temporary gravamen that may be resolved through study, deliberation and pastoral care. A confessional-revision gravamen is written when an officebearer has a settled conviction that one of the doctrines does not reflect biblical teaching, and he or she requests a revision to the confession on that basis. Synod did not change any part of the process but did adopt minor language changes.
Synod agreed that a better description of the gravamen process in the supplement to the CRC Church Order, which governs CRC polity, would be helpful. It approved changes to the supplement of Article 5, adding the words “persistent serious doubt” to describe when a concern about a teaching rises to the need for a difficulty gravamen. In the same supplement, it added the wording “a settled conviction” about a doctrinal teaching requiring a request for a revision to a confessional doctrinal standard.
Andy Sytsma, Classis Yellowstone, was in favor of the changes, noting that churches need a wise pastoral response for those members who are uncertain about the CRC's expectations for confessional alignment and where they fall within those expectations.
Synod adopted a graphic to help churches and councils struggling in the discernment process.
If a gravamen is rejected by a classis, it may be sent to synod with no disciplinary action against the officebearer. “The mere fact that the matter is being sent to a broader assembly shall not be a reason for suspending or otherwise disciplining an officebearer,” synod said.
Synod also clarified that when the Covenant for Officebearers says that the confessions “fully agree” with Scripture, it means that all of the doctrines contained within the three forms of unity are a faithful teaching of God’s Word.
Synod 2026, the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, met June 12-18 on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich. Go to crcna.org/synod for the livestream, photos, reports, and a live blog of synod proceedings and decisions. Find daily news and our video Synod Recap at thebanner.org/synod.