The Christian Reformed Churches of Australia (CRCA) is a federation of about 50 congregations and smaller groups established across all states since 1951. The CRCA is part of the Protestant – Calvinist (that is, Reformed and Presbyterian) wing of the Christian Church.

The Calvinist or Reformed stream of the Christian Church emphasises

• God's honour, pre-eminence and grace in all things
• reconciliation with God through Christ Jesus alone
• the work of the Holy Spirit essential for faith and growth
• the Bible as the foundation of our faith's substance, and
• the church as a community in covenant with God.

We honour the Bible as the word of God written, and the ecumenical Creeds of the Western Church. Our more detailed understanding of the Christian faith is set out in four old European Confessions: the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dordt, and the Scottish Westminster Confession. We also identify with the Contemporary Testimony of the CRC of North America.

The CRCA was formed as a result of the post-World War 2 migration of Dutch people to Australia. Between 1951 and 1955 some dozen growing and youthful congregations sprang up in all the states, and the Reformed Churches of Australia grew to number some 10,500 by the early 1990s.

The distinctive Christian ethos and values of CRCA congregations may be summed up as

• A tendency to engage the head more than the heart with a love of teaching and getting things right – the latter are commendable in themselves but …
• A passion for seeing Jesus' influence go beyond oneself and one's church which the founding generation showed by establishing not only churches but also many low-fee truly-Christian schools and even a fledgling Christian university (which sadly has never grown beyond a theological training school).
• A sober, down-to-earth, practical and relaxed style of worship and spirituality, reflecting historic Calvinism and the Dutch and Australian character.

For more information about the CRCA, visit www.crca.org.au