CHRISTENDOM Series: Calvinist / Reformed
Calvinist / Reformed
(Mainline Protestant)
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:12 ...for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 14:10
Question for Calvinism: WHY is there a judgment, with the books opened, IF Predestination were true?
The Reformed Church is a Calvinist group. Calvinism is called "Reformed" theology. The difference between Presbyterian (Reformed) & Reformed Churches is church polity (structure) The Reformed tend to be episcopate in structure while the Presbyterian look to the Presbytery (their group of elders)for leadership in Europe. But in America, some of the Dutch Reformed instituted a Presbyterian structure.
Reformed Church in America (RCA) - 1628, the Dutch Reformed Church in colonial America. Considered today to be theologically liberal, including women ordination &
straying from predestination--but are pro-life and strongly against euthanasia (doctor assisted suicide). But they have been ordaining gay clergy. They were infused early on with Reformed Germans who joined their ranks on the colonial frontier. Their leaders frowned upon participating in the 1st & 2nd Great Awakening in early America. About 150,000 members.
Netherlands Reformed Congregations in North America (NRC-NA) - 1830, a return to piety within the Dutch Reformed Church. They only use the psalms to sing from and have more than one Sunday service. About 10,000 members.
Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA or CRC) - 1857, Split from the Dutch Reformed Church in America, (Today called the Reformed Church in America). They were against private schools and felt that the parent church was not
preaching seriously predestination. The were infused with Dutch immigrants in the early 1900's, especially in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, who were followers of Abraham Kuyper, Dutch Prime Minister from 1901-1905, who taught a type of "social gospel" in the belief of social responsibility. Also, in the 1920's, they themselves began to water-down predestination with the 'common grace" controversy coming up with the "3 points of grace". Although theologically somewhat liberal they do oppose gay marriage & abortion as well as euthanasia (so-called doctor assisted suicide). But they are supportive of illegal immigrants.As a result, they now have sizeable Hispanic & East Asian congregations. About 250,000 members.
Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRC) or (PRCA) - 1924, split from the CRC in opposition the 3 points of grace controversy so as to hold to more traditional predestination. About 8,000 members.
Free Reformed Churches of North America (FRCNA) - 1950, with a focus on the Church as a Divine institution (by being made of the believers, is the body of Christ & is thus the temple of the holy Spirit). About 4,000 members.
Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC) - 1993, Followers of Professor
Joel Beeke. Split from the NRC-NA.
United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA) - 1996, a conservative splinter group from the CRC over women ordination & evolution. About 23,000 members.
---other---
There are a small group of Reformed Churches in America of the nations which they represent due to immigration at the turn of the last century--Hungarian Reformed Church, Romanian Reformed Church, Slovakian Reformed Church, Slovenian Reformed Church, Serbian Reformed Church & Croatian Reformed Church.
* The German Reformed Church in America joined with another to form the Evangelical & Reformed Church, which in turn merged with the Congregationalist Church to form the United Church of Christ.
