Eureka Classis, Part Four Prepared for Trinity Covenant RCUS, Colorado Springs. August 22, 2004
Merger of 1934
Evangelical Synod of North America. Founded 1840	This was the parent of the church that the RCUS merged with in 1934, with twelve3 congregations and 353 members. As it grew it changed its name to Synod of the West and then to German Evangelical Synod of North America. It was the American counterpart of the Prussian State Church composed of Lutherans and Reformed, the offspring f the Pietist Movement of Spener and Zinzendorf. Pietism said that doctrine caused too many quarrels and that what was important was to live Christian lives. The ESNA adopted the Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism. These confessions were to be accepted “…in so far as they agree,” where they disagreed the Synod was to strictly adhere “to the passages of Holy Scripture pertaining thereunto and avail itself of that liberty of conscience prevailing in the Evangelical Church.” This mediating resolution became the basis for the merger of 1934. The ESNA was very active among the German population of North America. It became “Americanized” and was a blend of Presbyterian, Congregational, and Episcopalian forms of worship and church government. It actively sought ecumenical union with other bodies and continued conversations with the Moravians, the United Brethren, the Evangelical Church, and with the RCUS. In the union of 1934 there were 1254 congregations, 1227 pastors, and 281, 598 members in the ESNA.
Evangelical and Reformed Church, 1934	“The doctrinal standards of the Evangelical and Reformed Church are the Heidelberg Catechism, Luther’s Catechism and the Augsburg Confession. They are accepted as authoritative interpretations of the essential truth taught in the Holy Scriptures. Wherever these doctrinal standards differ, ministers, members and congregations, in accordance with the liberty of conscience inherent in the Gospel, are allowed to adhere to the interpretation of one of these confessions. However, in each case the final norm is the Word of God." “As was written before the consummation of the merger; ‘Both Reformed Church and the Evangelical Synod are confessional churches, yet they are not heavily burdened with confessions of faith,” so now it maybe said that the united Church uses ‘the basic confessions of evangelical Protestantism in Germany in the sixteenth century,’ not to compel its members so think in sixteenth century molds, but rather to preserve the historic continuity with the great liberating principles and ideals of the Reformation’s return to original Christianity… Characteristic of both churches, Reformed and Evangelical, was an irenic spirit and zeal for the cause of cooperative Christianity. Both were original members of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. It is not too much to expect that our united Church will continue to take a leading part in the ecumenical movements of the future… Dr. Philip Schaff’s motto has well been quoted as expressive the ruling spirit of our Church. ‘In essentials unity, in things doubtful liberty, in all tings love.” “We are a church establishing union on the basis of a mutually recognized unity of the spirit rather than on the basis of mutually agreed articles of faith.” “Almighty God, ceaseless creator of the ever changing worlds, clothed in mystery, yet manifest in the cosmic urge moving in all nature to more perfect forms, we thank Thee for they continual presence in the mind and heart of man, making him ever discontent with things as they are, urging him forever onward and upward on his way – We thank Thee, O God, for the exalted visions of the eternal destiny of man, and for all the dreams of divine society on earth, foretold by Jesus in the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.” [Hegel or Marx could not have said it better.]
United Church of Christ, 1957	This was the result of the merger of the E&R with the Congregationalists. A Primer of Union had been issued in 1945, and full merger came in 1957.
Opposition from the Eureka Classis led by Rev. W. J. Krieger and Rev. Walter Grossmann	Letter from Walter Grossmann, setting forth the issues. 1. Whereas a union between the Reformed Church in the U. S. and the Evangelical Synod of North America was consummated according to a Plan of Union accepted as such, and this Plan of Union in which various and sundry rights were guaranteed, was arbitrarily disregarded in the formulation of a constitution, which proposed constitution is about to become the fundamental law of the Church: 2. Whereas the confession o faith of the Reformed Church in the U. S. which is the basis of that corporation, has been made void in the proposed constitution by accepting other differing confessions as equally valid; 3. Whereas the form of church government accepted by the members of the Reformed Church in the U. S. in their constitution has been displaced without the consent of the individual members, who are as stockholders in a corporation and therefore have the right to themselves to decide by vote; 4. Whereas the doctrine of the officials of the Church of the union movement, as this doctrine is revealed especially in making the Kingdom of God a social goal, is contrary to scripture teaching as set forth in the Heidelberg Catechism; Be it resolved: that we, the dissenting churches, remain organized as the Reformed Church in the U. S. based on the confession of the Heidelberg Catechism on which this Church is based, and maintain the presbyterial form of church government and thereby contend that that portion of the Church accepting other confessions as equally valid, to have departed from this organization, and thus have forfeited property and ecclesiastical rights in the Reformed Church in the U. S. Resolution passed by the Eureka Classis, Leola, South Dakota, May 16-19, 1940: Dear Fathers and Brethren: Whereas the Eureka Classis ahs served notice on the General Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, Minutes, Gen. Synod, of its intention to retain its identity as the Reformed Church in the United States, with all its rights, prerogatives and privileges; and whereas the Eureka Classis firmly convinced that the new merger is not and cannot be conducive for the promotion of the true faith, unity and doctrine, we find it impossible to affiliate with the Evangelical and Reformed Church. In view of these facts, we the Eureka Classis do now and here resolve and formally declare that we are, and shall henceforth continue to function as the legally constituted Reformed Church in the United States. (signed) W. Grossman Stated Clerk Eureka Classis, Official seal affixed; Eureka Classis der Reformierten Kirch in den Vereinigtn Staaten II John 9