In June 2009 the RCA General Synod approved the adoption of the Belhar Confession as our fourth confessional standard (a move later ratified by more than 2/3 of the classes). I was not in favor of Belhar then, and like others in the denomination I continue to have my reservations. Since I have not transferred classes since Belhar was adopted (and thus been forced to sign the new Formulary) I have not had to make any vow of subscription to our newest confession. The RCA does not require elders or deacons to subscribe to any of our standards.
This June the CRC will consider adoption of the Belhar Confession. For those who will be voting at the CRC Synod, or for anyone else who is interested, I encourage you to read the overture from First Christian Reformed Church of Byron Center, Michigan. My friend Tom Groelsema is the pastor there, and this is the church which hosts the PCRT conference when it comes to the Grand Rapids area.
While the overture acknowledges the serious and often unnoticed sin of racism, it suggests that approving Belhar is nevertheless unwise and unwarranted.
In the end, the overture recommends that the CRC not adopt Belhar, but instead reaffirm a previous synodical report on racial diversity. You can read the complete overture here.
