GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Leaders of the Christian Reformed Church this week reverted to approving potential ministers individually, rather than as a group, according to the Grand Rapids Press. The new system allows delegates who object to female clergy to abstain from or vote against the women seminary graduates.

Female Calvin Theological Seminary graduate, Beth Guikema-Bode, was disappointed with the return to the old system, but told the Press she understood the need to respect church members who still oppose women clergy.

"I was hoping we had maybe moved a little further along culturally to accept women in office," said Guikema-Bode, a former social worker and a mother of four. "But I feel as long as we've got both positions (in the denomination) it makes sense to honor those people who want to abstain from voting for a woman."

According to the Press, she is one of four women among 34 masters of divinity graduates. The Synod must approve them as eligible to be hired and ordained by a church.

The decision to return to an individual vote was reached in a 100-77 vote by denomination delegates. Supporters said the old system honors the conscience of delegates.

Conservative Rev. Ron Meyer of Zeeland told the Press he was forced to vote last year on a group that included women and his own son. He said individual voting allows him to vote only for those who are "biblically qualified," Meyer said, which some delegates interpret as male.

But the denomination does not explicitly deny ordination to females.

"We have as a denomination gone on record to say gender is not a candidacy requirement," said the Rev. Scott Hoezee, pastor of Calvin CRC in Grand Rapids.

Jane VanderHaagen, a member of the CRC Board of Trustees, was sorry to see delegates return to individual voting, even though her daughter, the Rev. Elizabeth VanderHaagen, was approved that way.

"I think it delays the process of acceptance," Jane VanderHaagen said. "It's certainly not a step forward."