The history of the CRC as we have examined it so far is fraught with separations and secessions. Particularly there were the secessions in the Netherlands of 1834 and 1886 and the 1857 secession from Classis Holland. These separations were decisive in the birth and growth of the CRC. Later on, there were separations from the CRC over various issues--the separation of many of the Classis Hackensack churches in 1908 over the lodge issue, the Bultema separation in 1918 over dispensationalism, and the 1924 Hoeksema separation over common grace. In addition, there were other groups which separated from the RCA and joined with the CRC. Classis Hackensack had separated already in 1822 and joined with the CRC in 1888; a large contingent of western RCA congregations left that denomination over the lodge issue in 1882 and united with the CRC. Finally there was another major secession in the Netherlands (the "liberation of 1944" led by Klaas Schilder), effects of which spilled over into the CRCNA's life, especially in Canada.

In the midst of all the splitting and division, there is also heard a cry of grief over the failure to maintain unity and a voicing of the desire to join together with others to express visibly the unity Jesus called for in his high-priestly prayer (John 17). The union in the Netherlands in 1892 of the 1834 and 1886 congregations to form the GKN was looked on with great approval by the North American churches. Meanwhile, some union discussions were taking place between the CRC and RCA during that same period. These discussions particularly centered on the desire to unite all the 19th Century immigrant churches (eg. the CRC and the RCA-West) into one denomination. However, these talks never went bore fruit. There was also a time of discussion (1894-1896) concerning union with the United Presbyterian Church of North America, but the main stumbling block here appears to be reluctance by many in the "Dutch" CRC to unite with a "British" UPC. Recall that the resentment toward Britain that many felt over the South Africa situation was arising at this time (open hostilities broke out in 1895, with the Boer War being fought from 1899- 1905). Also at work to stall merger discussions was the fear that the CRC would be swallowed up by the much larger UPC. There were some other minor efforts to organically unite a group of Reformed/Presbyterian churches ( including the CRC) around 1930, but these efforts all failed to produce concrete results.

The unity Christ called for has been considered essentially spiritual in nature by the CRC throughout most of its membership and history. Therefore rather than organic union, a system of "correspondence" or "sister-church" relations was developed based on the decisions of the synod of 1898 which allowed for fellowship in the pulpit and at the Lord's table, exchange of fraternal delegates to assemblies, mission/relief cooperation, etc. While some agitated for going beyond these steps and achieving organizational unity, logistical and cultural difficulties have prevented any major unions. None of the denominations entering into such discussions ever wanted its own identity to be submerged by union into a larger group. Such "identity" usually involved things like language, liturgy, and mores, rather than theology, i.e., essentially cultural factors.

As Americanization proceeded and the CRC became conscious of itself as one American denomination among others, there were occasional calls for joining ecumenical organizations. In 1918 the CRC joined the Federal Council of Churches, the motivation being to avoid the "un-American" image and to enable CR chaplains to receive appointments (the U.S. government would only appoint clergy whose churches were members of the FCC) . This membership was terminated by vote of the synod in 1924 because of the liberal tendencies of many of the member churches. This factor has been the most frequently cited reason for not joining ecumenical organizations, but a close second is the widespread conviction that the CRC's distinctiveness as a Reformed and confessional church would be compromised by such membership. Convictions about theological and moral priorities could not be maintained by such organizations since they contained little or no process for mutual admonition. In other words, joining such ecumenical organizations was like inviting un-Reformed and liberal elements into the fold of Christ. This thinking is quite consistent with the defensive confessionalism which characterized the CRC throughout the pre- W.W.II period. But meanwhile, formative discussions were taking place quietly which led in 1946 to the birth of the Reformed Ecumenical Synod.