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AI GENERATED TRANSCRIPT OF SOME OF THE ABOVE ARTICLES: (ALWAYS VERIFY)
The image displays a document, likely a newspaper clipping, titled "A CONCERNED CRC MOTHER SPEAKS HER OWN MIND." It contains handwritten and typed text discussing issues within the CRC (presumably the Christian Reformed Church) and includes a questionnaire with "YES" and "NO" options.
Title: "A Concerned CRC Mother Speaks Her Own Mind"
Content: Discusses internal church matters and concerns about the direction of the CRC.
Format: A mix of handwritten notes and printed text.
Interactive element: Includes a simple questionnaire/ballot at the bottom.
The document is a flyer or newspaper insert asking readers to pass judgment on the teachings of Calvin Seminary (also known as Calvin Theological Seminary) regarding the biblical account of creation. It asks if the seminary's teachings are true or false and includes a form for responses.
The text questions the truthfulness of Calvin Seminary's teachings on creation.
It asks whether the "CRC Genesis account of Creation" is false and Christ's account is true or false.
The document includes a form for readers to submit their judgment (true/false) along with their name and address.
The text is a multi-column letter from Leo Peters regarding a theological dispute within the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and Calvin Theological Seminary, focusing on the Genesis creation account. Peters criticizes the leadership for allegedly omitting the full truth about a professor's views on the historicity of Genesis 1, arguing that such omissions are a "common way-of-life" for officials.
The author, Leo Peters, claims CRC properties' officials omit the full truth about theological teachings, specifically regarding creationism.
A statement from seminary leaders (James A. DeJong and Wilbert M. VanDyk) is reprinted, affirming belief in creation as revealed in God's infallible Word.
Peters argues this statement omits the critical issue of Prof. Van Till's declaration that the Genesis 1 account was historically false.
Peters recounts a confrontation with President De Jong, who defended Van Till and stated that the Holy Spirit works through Synod to teach correct interpretation of scripture.
College. Crown, then the Trustees, The Banner, and now the Seminary. The answer is that all the responsible officials of these CRC properties simply ommitted the TRUTH, the whole TRUTH and nothing but the TRUTH about what was actually taking place. And the sincerely pious and peace-loving CRC owners simply assumed that all the truth was being told when actually the most critical part of the truth, to wit, the terming belief in Creation when actually the most critical part of the truth to wit was omitted. These omissions in telling the full truth had become a common way-of-life with the officials operating the top teaching properties of the CRC.
These sins of omission are committed in different ways. Here are three of the most common.
Omitting part of the TRUTH. This is omitting a firm belief in Creation when speaking of the doctrine of Creation.
The most recent and a most perfect example of this sin of omission occured in the Public Pulse of 17. Here is the letter reprinted in full example. (The Press of May 17). Here it is reprinted in full:
WE ARE NOT SECULAR HUMANISTS
We assure your readers that we are not secular humanists, as alleged in Mr. Leo Peters' advertisement printed in The Press on May 7.
We enthusiastically affirm that God created all things and upholds them by his power. We endorse the doctrine of creation as revealed in his infallible Word and expressed in the confessions of the Christian Reformed Church. We have dedicated our lives to our Lord Jesus Christ, to the proclaiming and preaching of his gospel that promises forgiveness and eternal life to all who trust in him, and to the church that has called and ordained us. We love and defend the church's teachings. We will readily, openly express convictions at any legitimate setting.
This testimony governs our administration of Calvin Theological Seminary, including the appointment of new faculty members. It saddens us when the school, its board and our work are misrepresented by one who professes to be a brother in Christ.
JAMES A. DeJONG, President
WILBERT M. Van DYK, Academic Dean
Calvin Theological Seminary
Isn't that a beautiful statement of the Seminary's position on the doctrine of Creation? Doesn't it quiet any misgivings you might have about what is being taught at the Seminary? I would guess it too, if I didn't know what was omitted. Now read the Seminary statement again. Remember that all my statements in The Press centered around Prof. Van Till's declaration that the Genesis I account of Creation was historically FALSE. President De Jong & Dean Van Dyk completely omitted any mention of that Prof. Van Till said it was false. Is that telling the whole truth? No!
I was the last person to go out of the sanctuary. I introduced myself to Dr. De Jong and shared my frustrations and concerns with him. I said that the Ad Hoc report was a mess and that I couldn't believe that such teaching would be allowed to continue at the College. I honestly thought that Dr. De Jong would be completely in sympathy with how I felt. But I was shocked to discover that, for the next 30 to 45 minutes, he enthusiastically and vigorously defended and supported Van Till and his positions as stated in his book, "The Fourth Day".
At first I thought I was mistaken about his position. But I kept bringing one Biblical verse after another to demonstrate why I could not support Van Till's teaching and Dr. De Jong kept right on defending his position for a long period of time. Finally, when it was obvious that the tone of conversation was getting louder, and other people were watching what was going on, Dr. De Jong said, "You should learn to be humble enough to allow the Holy Spirit to teach you the correct interpretation of scripture through the ecclesiastical bodies of the church". I replied, "Do you mean like Synod"? Dr. De Jong's shocking answer was "YES, because the spirit works through Synod".
To this I replied that I would never obey anything Synod says unless it is in obedience to the scriptures and since the Holy Spirit wrote the scriptures through "Holy men of old", how could Synod claim to be led by the same Holy Spirit to do something that is contrary to the Word of God? Dr. De Jong's response was, "I repeat, you should learn to be humble enough to allow the Holy Spirit to teach you the correct interpretation of scripture through the ecclesiastical bodies of the church". As he said this he led me down the stairs from the sanctuary to the small crowd of people who were still there and said good night.
I was so upset that I could hardly keep my composure on the way back to Holland that night. The theory is that silence (a non answer) does not prove guilt. That is why in his Public Pulse letter printed above he and Van Dyk said, "We will readily, openly express our convictions in any legitimate setting". For them a "legitimate setting" is an informal non official setting like over coffee in a restaurant where statements cannot be recorded and/or verified.
2) Refuse to answer questions because he and his professors were hired by the Board of Trustees and are responsible only to the Board. Even though the CRC owners pay their salaries they don't have to answer direct questions from their owners, local church councils.
With this double-layered protection against questions, plus a carefully-cultivated complacent Board, Pres. De Jong and his professors can enjoy freedom from their CRC owner employers
A notable example of exercising this double layered protection is the experience of the CRC Chino, Cal congregation. For over five years (since before 1983) the Chino congregation has tried all avenues (formal and informal) within the CRC to get De Jong and Old Testament Prof. J. Stek to answer five questions involving the historicity of Genesis 1. To date they have refused. Chino even tried withholding all quota money from Calvin Seminary until their questions were answered. To date Chino has $70,000 in escrow which they will not hand over to the Seminary until their questions are answered. De Jong and Stek still will not answer Chino's questions.
Now you know the TRUTH about how the CRC owners are treated by the paid servants in their seminary. In the privacy of their classrooms the seminary professors may "unofficially" teach that Christ's Genesis 1 account of Creation it FALSE, but in public they clam-up. Would you tolerate an employee in your personal business who refused to answer your questions?
What do you think: Is Genesis I TRUE or FALSE? Would you care to stand up and be counted by answering this question, and mailing it to me?
Is Christ's Genesis I account of His Creation TRUE or FALSE?
[ ] TRUE
[ ] FALSE
Your Name ____________________________________
Address ____________________________________
Your local CRC membership _______________________
Would you please mail today (before Synod meets) to
Leo Peters
750 Plymouth Rd. SE
Grand Rapids, Mi 49506
Thank You!
Would you like me to analyze the arguments presented in this text for a better understanding?
The image contains an open letter from Charles D. Wilson regarding a theological dispute within the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and Calvin Seminary concerning the teaching of creation. He expresses concern over what he perceives as false teaching by professors at Calvin College and the Seminary and calls on readers to judge the situation for themselves.
Author: Charles D. Wilson
Subject: Concerns about "false teaching" on creation at Calvin College and Seminary
Action Proposed: Withhold funds from Calvin College until the teaching is stopped
Target Audience: "CRC owners" (members) ahead of an important Synod meeting
Translation
PASS YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT ON CALVIN SEMINARY! ARE ITS TEACHINGS ON CREATION TRUE OR FALSE?
The Christian Reformed Church (CRC) has been in turmoil for about 20 years over the Creation question. Everyone knows an elementary student in the CRC can preach creation in Genesis 1. The CRC has all confessed that. And that settles it.
But today the Seminary allows, even encourages, its professors to teach that Christ's Creation account may now be taught as FALSE at the Seminary (of all places)? Of course, by now everyone knows that it developed through the teachings of scientists like Van Till and like-minded associates. But why wasn't it stopped before it got into the Seminary?
Persons who are knowledgeable about the workings of Synod say that the Creation question will most likely be an important item on the Synod in June. To date he has not breathed a word about the Creation question. Why? Only he knows why, and he's not telling. So, what you are now reading is the public reporting that the Creation question will most likely be an important item on Synod's agenda. Even though only one overture has been entered on the printed agenda, several others have been entered later.
For most CRC owners the nagging question is: How did it ever happen that Christ's Creation account may now be taught as FALSE at the CRC the Seminary (of all places)? Of course, by now everyone knows that it developed through the teachings of scientists like Van Till and like-minded associates. But why wasn't it stopped before it got into the Seminary?
IN HIS NAME BE ALL THE GLORY!
CHARLES D. WILSON
15968 Ryan Drive
Holland, MI 49423
Dear Mr. Peters,
I am writing to you to share an incident that occurred on April 30th, 1981 at Grace CRC in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A few days before, the Ad Hoc Committee report had come out and I had decided that the only thing I could do would be to ask my consistory for permission to withhold funds from my offerings for Calvin College until the false teaching by Professor H. Van Till, C. Menninga, and D. Young (& I wonder who else!) is stopped. I knew that to continue to give to Calvin College under existing false teaching forbids me to do so.
My heart was full of these feelings during the service, and afterwards, I decided to share my feelings with Dr. De Jong, as I was sure that he would be just as concerned as I was that this kind of thing was going on at Calvin College... false teaching!
Look at what happened. De Jong was caught off guard by this sudden, unanticipated, vigorous, verbal confrontation by this unknown pew member. Now, owing to rapid-fire Bible verse punches at him, momentarily confused he openly told the truth by realizing he might be damaging himself, he quickly told Wilson to obey the ecclesiastical bodies of the Church. In other words, "Mr. Wilson, shut your mouth, mind, and Bible and let De Jong & Co. tell us all you have to know." This makes De Jong a Protestant Pope camp. He'd make a good candidate for Pope.
Refusing to answer any questions about Creation... this is done only with questions submitted by elected officials (Ministers, elders, deacons) in the local CRC Churches. Answering questions in the official church office puts the questions into the official church record. With documented record, local officials can appeal to Synod for disciplining professors against embarrassing attacks from local officials. De Jong has devised a double-layered shield of protection for him and his professors to use:
Refuse to answer questions within the official local "setting". De Jong's private theory is that offense (a non-answer) does not occur! That is why in the Public Bulletin...
