Rev. Calvin Bremer’s suspension from the ministry has been lifted, less than six months after it was imposed.
An announcement to the churches of Classis Illiana read, “The council of Bethel Christian Reformed Church has lifted the suspension of Rev. Dr. Calvin L. Bremer. The Bethel council has declared that Rev. Bremer is eligible for call in the Christian Reformed Church and heartily recommends him to the churches.”
Bremer was suspended from the ministry by Bethel CRC of Lansing, Ill., while it investigated the facts that led to Bremer’s resignation from the position of executive director-elect of the Christian Reformed church last summer.
Bremer resigned just weeks after his appointment by Synod 2005, after the denomination’s Board of Trustees confronted him with information regarding an inappropriate relationship with a female colleague and said it had lost confidence in Bremer’s ability to lead.
The matter was referred to Bremer’s supervising council at Bethel CRC for ecclesiastical discipline, as required under Article 84 of the Church Order of the CRC.
Following the lifting of Bremer’s suspension, a statement released by the Board of Trustees read: “Because the [denomination’s] Board of Trustees did not have access to all the information the council used to make the decision to lift suspension, further comment by the board is difficult at this time, and therefore, the board receives the decision of the council as information.”
The statement concludes, “It is our prayer that the Lord of the Church may truly restore Dr. Bremer and bring healing to all those affected by the conduct leading to Dr. Bremer’s resignation.”
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
