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LEGAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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LEGAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

4 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

At the Synod meeting in June, 1986, Synod established a Legal Advisory Committee for the purpose of assisting the NRC congregations and schools with legal matters. Synod recognized that legal matters have been multiplying rapidly in recent years and are becoming more complex. There are serious concerns about the future of religious freedom, especially in the United States, because of a consistent attack on the rights of churches and religious schools by various groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union. Also, several NRC congregations and schools have been involved in lawsuits. Increasingly, attempts are being made, either through legislation or through legal action, to erode the rights of people to worship God without interference. Already, parents have been jailed in various states for refusing to educate their children in public schools and insisting on the right to educate their children in religious schools grounded in their own doctrine and faith.

The time may very well come when we, as a denomination or individually as congregations, will be compelled to weather hardships or outright persecutions for following what we believe to be found in Cod’s Word. What is being seen is an escalating conflict between the laws of man and the laws of God. If it happens that hardships or persecutions come, we must be prepared to face up to the consequences of following the dictates of our consciences based on Scripture.

However, we need not be fatalistic or overly pessimistic. There is much that can be done to prevent legal action from being initiated against our churches and schools. There is much that can be done to help each other once legal difficulty has been encountered. There is much that can be done to assist each other in facing the consequences of successful litigation against an individual church, school, or the denomination as a whole. Awareness and communications are a vital first step. It was with this in mind that Synod decided to form the Legal Advisory Committee. It was Synod’s desire that the new committee would help with these problems and possibly be able to prevent some of them from occurring. It is the wish and prayer of the committee members that the Lord will give wisdom to serve effectively in the denomination. There is much that needs to, and can be, done, with God’s blessing, to protect our religious heritage.

The committee plans to focus on two major objectives. The first is to monitor legal developments in the United States and Canada and advise NRC churches and schools accordingly. The thrust of this objective is preventative in nature. Timely advice regarding action required to meet new legal requirements will be provided by the committee in order to prevent, as much as possible, legal problems from arising. The committee will, upon request, make suggestions concerning various legal documents used in connection with the operation of NRC churches and schools. Teacher contracts is an example of an area where much can be done to prevent misunderstandings on the part of employees and minimize the risk of subsequent lawsuits. The second major objective of the committee is to react when a lawsuit has been initiated against an NRC church, school, or one of its affiliates. The extent to which the committee can be of benefit once a lawsuit has been initiated will be limited to advice of a general nature as actual defense will have to be handled locally. The premise that will guide the committee’s work is that it is far easier to prevent legal problems from occurring than to defend against them afterward.

The Legal Advisory Committee plans to issue periodic newsletters to all NRC churches and schools. In these newsletters, the committee intends, with God’s help, to address various topics of a legal nature in which a problem will be analyzed, explained, and advice given. If there are individuals in the denomination who wish to write, either to ask questions or to share viewpoints, please feel free to contact the clerk of the committee.

Mr. T. Stryd, clerk of the “Legal Advisory Committee,” is a member of the Kalamazoo, Michigan Netherlands Reformed Congregation. This is the fifth of a series of NRC committee reports.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van zaterdag 1 augustus 1987

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

LEGAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Bekijk de hele uitgave van zaterdag 1 augustus 1987

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's