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Article 47: Regional Synod

Each year some neighbouring classes shall send delegates to meet in a regional synod.

• If there are two classes, each classis shall delegate four ministers and four elders.
• If there are three classes, the number shall be three ministers and three elders.
• If there are four or more classes, the number shall be two ministers and two elders.
  If it appears necessary to convene a regional synod before the appointed time, the convening church shall determine the time and place with the advice of classis.
  The last regional synod before the general synod shall choose delegates to that general synod.

Notes

URCNA Objections to Regional Synods (2016)

• The United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA) objected to regional synods as proposed in the Proposed Joint Church Order (PJCO).

Principle #5: Local Authority in Church Government

For greater certainty, Principle #5 is quoted below:

1. The Lord gave no permanent universal, national, or regional offices to His church.
2. The office of elder (presbyter/episkopos) is local in authority and function.
3. Therefore, Reformed church government is presbyterial, since the church is governed by elders, not by broader assemblies.
4. Scriptural support:
   • Acts 14.23 – "And when they had appointed elders for them in every church..."
   • Acts 20.17,28 – "Paul sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church... to shepherd the church of God."
   • Titus 1.5 – "Appoint elders in every town, as I directed you."
     No Predacy lexicon 'apostle' - Response: Not correct, by this metric there is no reason for general synod, or classis.

URCNA Overture (Classis Pacific Northwest, Synod Wyoming 2016)

URCNA declared the PJCO unusable for church union with the Canadian Reformed Churches (CanRC), citing:

1. The Foundational Principles of Reformed Church Government are derived from Holy Scripture.
2. The current URCNA Church Order closely follows these principles.
3. Any future church order must also align with these principles.
4. The PJCO does not closely follow these principles.

Criticism of Regional Synods

Leonard Lodder, in The Outlook (August 3, 2015), argued:

• "Americans are more suspicious of structures that allow the few to govern the many without significant checks and balances."
• "Talk of deputies appointed by a broader assembly impacting the decisions of local churches is a non-starter."
• "The PJCO missed the mark by ignoring cultural shifts since the 1600s... It represents a specific view of church governance that may work in one context but fails to recognize another equally valid one."

Utility of Regional Synods

Reasons for Regional Synods

• Avoids centralization – Prevents excessive authority in a single synod.
• Counters regionalism – Encourages broader ecclesiastical unity.
  • The further you move away the local Church, the issues have less to do with your individual church.
• Limits General Synod agendas – Distributes decision-making.
• Flexible structure – Anticipates political or cultural divisions, allowing decentralized governance.
  • NL 1618 GS -> 1816 next GS.

Historical Studies on Regional Synods

The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) studied regional synods multiple times:

• 1904–1928, 1950–1960, 1965–1966, 1989–1993.
• The Council of CRCs in Canada argued that Scripture prioritizes the local church:
  • The local church is a microcosm of Christ’s body.
  • Broader assemblies should only have delegated authority.
  • Ministries should be initiated at the local level as much as possible.
  • A regional synod brings ministries closer to local churches.
  • (CRCNA Agenda for Synod 1993, p. 269).

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