History
This denomination was established by post-World War II Dutch migrants in 1951. Many of the migrants had been members of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. They had no desire to start new congregations in their new home, and had been advised to seek the pastoral care of the Scottish Free Presbyterians upon their arrival in Australia. The differences between the culture of the Australian-Scottish Presbyterians and the Reformed Netherlanders was a hindrance, but the real problem was the liturgical restrictions where no instrumental accompaniment was allowed and only psalms were sung. The Dutch migrants struggled to find churches in Australia which embraced and upheld Biblical and Reformed theology, with a national profile that could enfold these new settlers, and was governed according to reformed tradition. For these reasons, in December 1951, they to organise a separate denomination, initially composed of Reformed Churches in Sydney, Penguin and Melbourne. The new denomination held their first Synod in June 1952. By 1955, some dozen congregations were formed in all Australian states, and the denomination, then named the Reformed Churches of Australia, grew to around 10,500 by the early 1990s, when it was renamed the Christian Reformed Churches Of Australia.
Currently there is an active membership of around 9000 in over fifty churches spread throughout Australia. This steady decline is due to the desire to assimilate to their new country, welcome changes in the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches in some states bringing these denominations theologically closer, and certain aspects of generational change. Numerous South African immigrants in the last decade have slowed this trend, as have converts from other denominations. From exclusively Dutch beginnings, the CRCA is now a culturally diverse group, reflecting the character of Australian society, and is seeking to proclaim the Christian message in a contemporary and relevant way.
The denomination has been instrumental in the establishment of many Christian schools, including the Illawarra Christian School, Sutherland Shire Christian School, Tyndale Christian School (New South Wales) and Covenant College situated in Gordon (ACT). It is actively engaged in Christian missions both within Australia and abroad. One of these is The NSW THING. They have established their own theological college, the Reformed Theological College in Geelong, Victoria. They also own Wedderburn Christian Campsite, a Christian campsite in the outskirts of Sydney. They also support SWIM Solomon Islands, which is a missionary outreach in the Solomon Islands. The CRCA also produces a denominational magazine titled "Trowel And Sword"
Since 2000, the CRCA has adopted a fourfold mission statement to remind and empower its member churches to set and focus on their primary goal of equipping God's people for the service of God both within and beyond itself. The four tasks are headed: Pray, Multiply, Train and Align.
Read more about this topic: Christian Reformed Churches Of Australia
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Systematic philosophical and practical anti-intellectualism such as we are witnessing appears to be something truly novel in the history of human culture.”
—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)
“Those who weep for the happy periods which they encounter in history acknowledge what they want; not the alleviation but the silencing of misery.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)
“Every generation rewrites the past. In easy times history is more or less of an ornamental art, but in times of danger we are driven to the written record by a pressing need to find answers to the riddles of today.... In times of change and danger when there is a quicksand of fear under men’s reasoning, a sense of continuity with generations gone before can stretch like a lifeline across the scary present and get us past that idiot delusion of the exceptional Now that blocks good thinking.”
—John Dos Passos (1896–1970)