Following passionate speeches from the floor, Synod 2026 voted to leave the World Communion of Reformed Churches, an ecumenical organization the CRC has belonged to since its founding in 2010. Delegates to synod expressed concern over some of the organization’s statements on moral, theological, and social justice issues.
Synod is the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. It met June 12-18, 2026, on the campus of Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The World Communion of Reformed Churches has more than 230 member churches, representing more than 100 million Christians, in 107 countries. The organization was formed on the campus of Calvin University in 2010 through the union of the Reformed Ecumenical Council and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The CRC’s history with those organizations stretches back to the founding of the Reformed Ecumenical Council in the 1940s.
Those presenting the recommendation to cease membership referenced “troubling perspectives” in WCRC-connected publications around gender and abortion issues. Jeremy Williamson, Classis Alberta South/Saskatchewan, spoke passionately about how these statements ran contrary to his long history as a pro-life advocate. “This calls for a harsh rebuke,” Williamson said.
Jean Gomes, Classis Grandville, said the WCRC compromised Reformed values. “They have ‘Reformed’ in their name, but in their core, they are a secular institution with zero commitment to the Scriptures, to our Christian ethics, or to Reformed values.”
Shirley Roels, chair of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee, expressed concern that some of the positions of the WCRC were being misrepresented. In addition to concerns on social issues, the committee recommending departure from the World Communion of Reformed Churches claimed that the organization called into question the centrality of Christ for salvation.
Roels, who, in her role as chair of the EIRC, said she had the responsibility to present factual information to the body, offered: “The WCRC executive secretary did not make that statement about the central role of Jesus Christ.”
Synod heard a minority view from a few delegates that shared some concerns with those who recommended leaving, but emphasized the CRC’s potential role as a “leavening influence” within the communion.
Darren Kornelis, Classis Central Plains, said, “There has been no evidence that we have had any influence on this body; … in fact, the only evidence there is, is that these unbiblical, ungodly convictions that they hold have somehow found their way in our denomination.” Kornelis said, “We have found ourselves having to contend for the gospel because there are members who will promote sexual immorality. … They (the Communion) have had a corrupting influence on us. We have not had a preservative influence on them.”
Nathan van der Meer, young adult representative, said, “If we were to remove ourselves from the WCRC we would be doing a disservice to all the sheep (faithful Christians) who are members thereof, and they would be left even more confused than they already are.”
CRC general secretary Zach King, who is the denomination’s ecumenical officer, shared that the WCRC has been an avenue to “share our love and concern for our ecumenical brothers around the world.” King traveled to Thailand in October for a gathering of the WCRC where he had fellowship with pastors from the CRC in Myanmar and from the Reformed Church of Christ for Nations, one of the CRCNA’s three ecumenical partners from Nigeria.
King encouraged Christian love. “We can stand firmly on our convictions, our confessional convictions, and we can also show love.” King said, “Whatever decision we make tonight, I’d just encourage you if you could show that kind of love, and that kind of care to our brother Philip and to others that are here tonight.”
Peacock shared a statement with synod, just before the vote on the matter.
“I stand before you sad and in pain,” Peacock said, “partly because our union is breaking, but also partly because I have been grossly misrepresented, and words I did not say were put into my mouth.”
Peacock said he was not at synod to “relitigate questions that the synod has weighed with seriousness and prayer.” Instead, Peacock asked synod to consider the nature of communion and what it means to be in fellowship with those who disagree.
“The word ‘communion’ itself is important. Communion is not the same as agreement,” Peacock said. “If communion required complete agreement on every matter, there would be no communion at all. Communion exists precisely because Christians and churches continue to discern together the leading of the Holy Spirit while confessing the same Lord.”
“The question before us was never whether to be faithful,” Peacock said. “It was whether faithfulness requires us to walk apart. And just as I honor the discernment of this synod, I would ask you to honor ours. The Communion to which we belong has also discerned in conscience and through prayer commitments that it holds as matters of faithfulness and justice.”
Jose Rayas, first clerk, prayed before Synod 2026’s vote to leave the World Communion of Reformed Churches. Rev. Derek Buikema, synod vice president, announced the vote and then prayed over the “momentous” decision.
Nine negative votes were recorded on the decision, and although synod has no formal category of protest against a decision, the officers of synod noted that delegate José Piñero, Classis California South, a pastor from Venezuela, submitted a letter of protest about the WCRC decision. Officers said they would prayerfully follow up with the delegate.
At the next plenary, vice president Derek Buikema told the assembly that he had the opportunity to meet with Peacock following the vote and “apologized for all the ways that the body failed to do whatever we could to guard and protect his good name.” Buikema said. “Philip graciously accepted the apology and told me that while we are no longer in communion, we will always be in fellowship.”
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.