For full reports and exact statements of the CRCNA position on a particular issue, see references provided below.

우리의 입장

현 시대의 하나님을 지칭하는 포괄적인 용어(성평등적이며 성중립적인)의 사용 혹은 지지는 북미주 개혁교회가 받아들일 수 없습니다. 성별을 반영한 하나님을 지칭하는 용어에 대한 지침은 성경의 규범과 성경이 하나님에 대해 말하는 방식대로 기독교인이 하나님을 말해야 한다는 원칙에 근거합니다. 그 지침의 기준을 따라서, 하나님을 지칭하는 성경적 이름, 표제, 방향이 사용되어야 합니다. 성경에 하나님에게 적용되는 여성의 이름 혹은 대명사가 없기 때문에, 성평등적이며 성중립적인 방식으로 여성의 이름을 사용해서는 안됩니다. 하나님을 지칭하는 이차적인 용어, 즉 발화의 모형은 하나님의 여성적 이미지를 사용할 수 있으나, 그런 언어의 성경적 의미를 유지해야만 합니다.

History

This issue was first raised in the CRC in 1991 by the publishing agency of the church, which formulated a policy for use of language about God in its publications. When informed of this policy, synod asked CRC Publications to clarify and amplify its guidelines. The following year the guidelines were rewritten and adopted by synod, but in subsequent years synod was overtured to strengthen the guidelines and declare naming God with feminine nouns and pronouns to be contrary to Scripture. At first synod responded by reinforcing the 1992 editorial guidelines, but it eventually found them inadequate in the face of the larger issue of feminine language for God and therefore appointed a study committee in 1994. In spite of overtures asking for further study of the issue, Synod 1997 adopted the recommendations of the study committee, which articulate the current stand on the issue. At Synod 2011 the matter of language for God came up for discussion regarding a proposal to adopt a joint translation of the Reformed confessions for use in both the CRC and the Reformed Church in America. Finding no disagreement with the principles endorsed in 1997, however, synod approved the 2011 joint translation of the three Reformed standards.

References to Agendas and Acts of Synod

Acts of Synod 1991, pp. 579-82, 785-87
Agenda for Synod 1992, pp. 48-50, 485
Acts of Synod 1992, pp. 615-16
Agenda for Synod 1993, pp. 319-20
Acts of Synod 1993, p. 601
Agenda for Synod 1994, pp. 254-67
Acts of Synod 1994, pp. 496-97, 504-5
Agenda for Synod 1995, pp. 411-12
Acts of Synod 1995, pp. 690-91
Agenda for Synod 1997, pp. 265-372, 439-42, 496
Acts of Synod 1997, pp. 552-53, 559, 687-94
Acts of Synod 2011, pp. 851-54