Christian Reformed Church
A ‘prophetic’ force: Queer songwriter Spencer LaJoye finds resonance outside religion
By Kathryn Post — June 29, 2023
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (RNS) — Since their 2021 song ‘Plowshare Prayer’ went viral, LaJoye, who is spiritual but not Christian, has been invited to perform in churches across the U.S.
Meet Natalie Drew: Christian, trans woman, veteran and pacifist
By Kathryn Post — June 23, 2023
(RNS) — 'I get asked a lot, why do I stay?' said Drew, a wife and mother of two. 'I stay because I truly believe Jesus Christ came, died and rose again the third day.'
As Christian Reformed synod opens, one church awaits its fate
By Yonat Shimron — June 9, 2023
(RNS) — Last year, the synod voted to declare sexually active gays and lesbians 'unchaste.' This year it will revisit the issue and may take action against a church that ordained a gay deacon.
Former Calvin professor sues after losing job for performing queer wedding
By Bob Smietana — April 19, 2023
(RNS)— Joe Kuilema, who taught at the evangelical college for 14 years, lost his job after officiating a wedding for a transgender former student.
Calvin University board votes to keep faculty who disagree with stand on sex
By Yonat Shimron — November 2, 2022
(RNS) — Many professors at the 146-year-old school no longer hold that sex outside of heterosexual marriage is sinful. The university gave them permission to dissent on that issue.
Calvin University inaugurates new president amid growing LGBTQ tensions
By Yonat Shimron — October 26, 2022
(RNS) — Wiebe Boer, the university’s 12th president, is the son of Christian Reformed Church missionaries and spent 30 years living in Nigeria.
Grand Rapids church won’t remove gay deacon, votes to appeal denomination’s order
By Yonat Shimron — June 29, 2022
(RNS) — Neland Avenue Christian Reformed Church was ordered by the denomination to reverse its decision to ordain a deacon in a same-sex marriage. It has refused.
A church was ordered to rescind its gay deacon. Now it weighs its next step.
By Yonat Shimron — June 22, 2022
(RNS) — Neland Avenue is not the only congregation in the Christian Reformed Church to welcome LGBTQ members. But now it’s being singled out.
Christian Reformed Church codifies homosexual sex as sin in its declaration of faith
By Yonat Shimron — June 15, 2022
(RNS) — Over the years, the small Calvinist denomination has given its churches a degree of latitude in ministering to LGBTQ people. That may now change.
A Calvin professor officiated a same-sex wedding. It likely cost him his job.
By Bob Smietana — April 22, 2022
(RNS) — Calvin’s Professional Status Committee decided not to renew the professor's two-year appointment due to his ongoing conflict with school leaders over the issue of LGBT inclusion.
Grand Rapids pastors mobilize in wake of fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya
By Kathryn Post — April 15, 2022
(RNS) — 'We think that our faith perspective is critical in this hour,' said Pastor Jathan K. Austin.
Fallout over LGBTQ spouses at Calvin University captures broader evangelical divide
By Bob Smietana — March 22, 2022
(RNS) — A same-sex wedding led the university to split with its longtime research center over Christian teaching on sexuality.
Calvin University to add school of health with $15 million gift
By Yonat Shimron — October 18, 2021
(RNS) — The 145-year-old school already offers a nursing degree and several health-related majors. It will expand on those and offer three new health-related master's degrees by 2022.
Catholic, Protestant groups support commission on US Indian boarding school policy
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 4, 2021
(RNS) — US Senator Elizabeth Warren and the co-chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus reintroduced the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act on Sept. 30, which many observed as a National Day of Remembrance for US Boarding Schools.
Calvin University’s first openly gay student body president paves a path
By Yonat Shimron — June 3, 2021
(RNS) — Claire Murashima’s role as a gay student body president directly challenged the school’s theological positions.
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