Women delegated to Synod since 2008 (updated)
There are only 17 women delegated to Synod 2025.
There are 17 18 women delegated to Synod 2025.
This is eight fewer than Synod 2024 and the fewest in ten years. It’s also less than half the number of women delegated to Synod 2018.
Synod 2000 approved the appointment of up to seven women advisers to Synod. Synod 2008 was the first year to set women delegates and also the last Synod in which women advisers were present. That Synod also approved this motion:
That synod, rejoicing in the steps we have taken on the path toward full participation, thankful for the women delegates present this year, and trusting that congregations and classes will continue along this path, discontinue the appointment of women advisers beginning in 2009.
It is clear now that the CRC would not “continue along this path.”
Kent
I find the comments of this post rather demeaning to women who are serving- Gentlemen (who have commented) May I say as a woman from a complementarian classis whenever I attend that classis meeting there are micro and macro aggressions at my reporting. I have been yelled at, inappropriately questioned and demeaned.
It is a silent steady cancellation of women’s participation in the broader assemblies (ie not delegating women to boards or to synod and not letting them even appear as delegates when they clearly have more experience or giftedness for the role than the men that end up being delegated ) these things are harmful to the broader assembly and the denomination as a whole.
Many men have been hospitable to me personally but some have been openly hostile in inappropriate ways on the floor of classis. The Messy Reformation podcasts have regularly demeaned women’s participation- and slandered woman delegates to assemblies ie COD—it is stunning to me that women can be treated horribly in so many ways but no one calls out the bad behavior as unseemly and not dignifying for the body of Christ.
I have even said i am not present to change your theological convictions and I appreciate your grace — but your cold shoulder does not make this a space any woman would care to serve in unless they truly feel called to the work. It is an insult to the church of Jesus Christ not just women when you don’t intentionally make space for their voices in the room and bring them in numbers where they can speak up. We all suffer.
Our churches consist of more woman than men? Where are their voices in our broader assemblies?
They were first at the empty tomb! Where are they in the CRC?!
I would guess that another contributing factor is less deaconal delegation. That said, as a woman I will wholeheartedly agree that the culture of Synod has shifted in ways that make women feel less welcome than in years past (not saying it was ever great...). And, yes, as the churches who tend to be more liberal and affirming who have women as pastors/elders/deacons have already disaffiliated, it makes other women feel even less willing to go, as their support system is dwindling as well. Why go shoulder to shoulder to plow through the work of Synod with men who don't think you should be there, and therefore don't respect your contribution?