COLL/449 Guide to the Toronto Committee for Women in the CRC Collection Toronto Committee for Women in the CRC Collection

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Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, 49546 URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
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Guide to the Toronto Committee for Women in the CRC Collection Heritage Hall, Hekman Library Overview of the Collection Toronto Committee for Women in the CRC Collection 1974-1996 COLL/449 3.00 Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
Details the efforts of one local committee under the umbrella of the larger Committee for Women in the Christian Reformed Church in North America, that worked to have all members of the denomination, regardless of gender, be able to make full use of their talents in serving the church, and specifically the CRC denomination. The Committee was not an official agency of the denomination, but was made up of people concerned about gender equality. The collection details various educational efforts, such as newsletters, correspondence, and informational sources used by the committee.
Arrangement of Materials:

Folder level description

Scope and Contents

The Committee for Women in the Christian Reformed Church was formally organized following synod’s 1975 decision to not open church offices to women. Regional committees, such as the Toronto Committee, sprang up around North America, to bolster local support for the women’s movement. As a grass-roots effort, the committee conducted correspondence, gathered information, published articles, sponsored workshops, and the like. In short, the committee served as a clearinghouse for views of the place of women in the denomination from 1975 to 1996 when that year’s synod left it to local congregations to decide on opening church offices to women. Later, although no official record was found to confirm this, it seems that the Toronto Committee disbanded. At this time, Johanna Peetoom sent one large box full of records to Joan Flikkema (Grand Rapids, MI), chair of the larger committee, who in turn gave the box of records to Heritage Hall, the Archives, at Calvin College.

The following summary of the Women’s Committee purpose is provided from the minutes of the early meetings: “The goal of the Christian Women’s Committee is the full and equal participation of both women and men in the life of the church . . . [it] intends to work for the full expression of the gifts of women in the church by supporting, encouraging, and training women to become aware of and to use their abilities in building up the body of Christ. It is our belief that the ordination of women to ecclesiastical offices is the Spirit-directed outcome of the teachings of Scripture. . . . The CRC is suffering from sexism.”—Joan Flikkema.

Detailed List of Contents id24677 Full-length Articles 1863-1990 id24678 1 id24679 1 1 "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense: Special Chapter for Women," by Suzette Elin id24680 1 1 id24681 1 1 "Cinderella Syndrome," by Cathy Allen, in Church Herald , p.7-9 February 17, 1984 id24682 1 1 "Women in Office: A Chronological Review of Synod Action, 1963-1984, 1990" id24683 1 1 "New Testament Teaching on the Role Relationship of Male and Female," by George W. Knight III, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 11 pages Spring 1975 id24684 1 1 id24685 1 1 "Pandemonium and Silence at Corinth," by Richard and Catherine Kroeger. Reformed Journal, p. 6-14 June 1978 id24686 1 1 "Sexual Identity in Corinth," by Richard Kroeger, Reformed id24687 1 1 Journal, p. 11-15 Dec-78 id24688 1 1 "Ancient Heresies and a Strange Greek Verb," by Catherine id24689 1 1 Kroeger, Reformed Journal, p.12-15 March 1979 id24690 1 1 "May Women Teach?" by Richard and Catherine Kroeger, Reformed Journal, p.14-18 October 1980 id24691 1 1 "Woman Shall Be Saved: A Closer Look at I Timothy 2:15," by Mark Roberts, Reformed Journal, p.18-22 April 1983 id24692 1 1 "History and Issues in the Treatment of Battering Men," by Jerry Jennings, Journal of Family Violence, Vol.2, no.3 1987 id24693 1 1 "Job Stress in Shelters," by Laura McKenna, Response, vol.9, p.21-24 1986 id24694 1 1 id24695 1 1 "A 20th Century Witch Hunt: A Feminist critique of Grange Royal Commission into Deaths at the Hospital for Sick Children," by E. Buckley Day, from Studies in Political Economy, p.13-37 Autumn 1987 id24696 1 1 "The Future of a Distinctive Dutch/American Theology in the Reformed Church of America and the Christian Reformed Church" by John Hesselink, Jr. p. 273-296 id24697 1 1 "Therapy for the Masses," by William Kilpatrick, in Christianity Today Nov. 8, 1985 id24698 1 1 "Authority and Ordination" Scope and Contents

(source not identified)

id24699 1 1 "Should Women Hold Offices in the Church?" by Tom Stark, University Reformed Church, E. Lansing, MI id24700 1 1 "The Power of Anger in the Work of Love: Christian Ethics for Women and Other Strangers," by Beverly Harrison, in Union Seminary Quarterly Review, Supplement, p. 41-57 1981
id24701 Unpublished Papers 1982-1987 id24702 1 id24703 1 2 id24704 1 2 id24705 1 2 "Churches on the Cutting Edge," by Elaine Tamminga, for Calvin CRC, Grand Rapids, MI id24706 1 2 "The Ministry of Women in the Churches: A Challenge to Male Supremacy?" by Mary Gerritsma, 33 pages Aug. 27, 1985 id24707 1 2 "What Does the Bible Teach about Men/Women Relationships?" a Seven-part series by Berkeley and Alvera Mickelsen undated id24708 1 2 "It Was Not That Way in the Beginning," a study in the development of patriarchy, by Jan Davies, 8 pages Jul. 15,1987 id24709 1 2 "The Animus and the Anima in Marriage and Family Counseling," author unknown, 13 pages id24710 1 2 "Imaging God as Woman and Man Together: A Study of Genesis Two," by Susan Bower id24711 1 2 "Jesus, Power, and Gender-Roles," by S. Scott Bartchy 1982 id24712 1 2 id24713 1 2 "The Human Face: Decision to Bear a Child," by Diane Marshall Mar-86 id24714 Correspondence 1982-1986 id24715 1 id24716 1 3 Correspondence between Johanna Peetoom (Toronto) and Joan Flikkema 1984-1986 id24717 1 4 Correspondence between Johanna Peetoom and other people, primarily women within the CRC 1982-1985 id24718 Minutes and Reports 1984-1990 id24719 1 id24720 1 5 id24721 1 5 Reports: the Commission of Women (1986 Reformed Church of America); Task Force on Pornography (United Church of Canada). id24722 1 5 Minutes: The Christian Women of the CRC Executive Board (especially represented by J. Flikkema, M. Takens, K. Langeland) 1986 id24723 1 5 id24724 Bible Studies and Discussion Guides id24725 1 id24726 1 6 id24727 1 6 "Women in the Office of Deacon," 11-page study guide id24728 1 6 "Deborah a Woman of Courage," from book by M. Mason. id24729 1 6 "Feminine Images of God" id24730 1 6 CW-CRC Reading list id24731 1 6 "What Can I Do?" by CW-CRC id24732 1 6 id24733 1 6 "Open Doors: A Sketch Based on the Story of Ruth" id24734 1 6 "World Day of Prayer, 1988, Bible Studies" id24735 Newsletters 1983-1994 id24736 2 id24737 2 1 id24738 2 2 id24739 2 2 Ground Swell (Ecumenical Decade Coordinating Group, Toronto) 1989-1994 id24740 2 2 Inklings for Change (Edmonton chapter of the Committee for Women in the CRC) 1984-1989 id24741 2 3 id24742 2 3 id24743 2 3 id24744 2 4 Priscilla Papers 1990-1991 id24745 2 5 Newsletter (later called Partnership) 1985-1991 id24746 2 6 The Banner 1983-1993 (gaps) id24747 Newspaper Clippings 1982-1993 id24748 3 id24749 3 1 Clippings from various newspapers and newsletters, especially the Toronto Star (photocopies) 1984-1987 id24750 3 2 From the Calvinist Contact (continued by Christian Courier) 1983-1993 id24751 3 3 Conference materials, including addresses and "networking" information 1982-1988