The Canadian and American Reformed Churches (CanRC) is a federation of Protestant churches in Canada and the United States, with historical roots in the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands. It emphasizes the importance of adherence to Biblical, covenantal, redemptive-historical preaching within the Reformed tradition, and sanctification. Basic beliefs and doctrine CanRC churches believe in biblical infallibility. The basis of the preaching and teaching in these churches is the belief that Jesus Christ is both true man and true God and is the long-awaited Messiah who suffered and died for the sins of God's people, and that this demands a thankful response of faith and obedience. Like many other Reformed churches, they teach that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. They broadly follow Calvinist theology, and have adopted the Three Forms of Unity, a common Calvinist doctrine. Upon public profession of faith, members are understood to subscribe to the confessions of the church as faithfully summarizing the doctrine of the Bible. Profession of faith also makes them subject as communicant members to a longer process of church discipline, up to and including excommunication if they are considered delinquent in doctrine or lifestyle. This is ascertained by other members and by the elders through yearly home visits. History CanRC was founded by members of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) (GKV) who immigrated to Canada following World War II. These Dutch immigrants first made contact with already-existing Reformed churches in Canada, especially the Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRC) and the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), in the hope that they could join with them. This was deemed impossible due to theological differences with the PRC, and the CRCNA's sympathy with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, which had expelled the GKV in 1944 over a disagreement regarding Abraham Kuyper's view of the covenant. The Canadian Reformed Churches maintained ecumenical relations with the GKV until tension between the two churches led to an official termination of their relationship by the General Synod of the Canadian Reformed Churches in 2019. Reasons for this decision included disapproval of the GKV's hermeneutics, as well as the GKV's more accepting views regarding women in office, common law couples, and homosexual members. The first Canadian Reformed congregation was instituted in Lethbridge, Alberta, on April 16, 1950. The same year, churches were instituted in Edmonton and Neerlandia, Alberta; Orangeville, Ontario; and