National meeting NGK allows women ordination

ZWOLLE – The national meeting of the Netherlands Reformed Churches (the Dutch acronym are NGK) have voted 33 against 10 to allow women in the pulpit. The NGK which split off from the Reformed Churches liberated (GKNv) in 1967, had opened the other offices to women in recent years. The national body promised to review its decision in 2013 and made a range of provisions to accommodate opponents of the decision, in case qualified women in their area need to be examined for office. The NGK decision further complicates the situation for a number of its congregations which share ministers with local churches of the Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken (CGK), a federation which has been distancing itself from the NGK in recent years. The NGK also has made closer contact with deputies of the GKNv recently. One local GKNv church shares its minister with the neighbouring NGK which delegated him to its national body.