Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)
Encyclopedia
The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) are a Protestant denomination that holds to an orthodox view of Neo-Calvinist doctrine. The church arose in 1944 out of the so-called Liberation (), when it separated from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
. Prof. Dr. Klaas Schilder
played an important role in the Liberation. There are currently 270 affiliated local congregations with a total of 125,253 members (1 October 2007).
against which the Liberated churches protested. An older name for the Reformed Churches (Liberated) was Article 31 Churches in reference to one of the articles in the Church Order
at the centre of the dispute between the two groups.
Nationwide the Reformed Churches (Liberated) are organised in three hierarchical levels. A group of local congregations are organised in a classis. Decisions by the local church council can be appealed to classis. A number of classes are grouped together in a regional synod (Dutch particuliere synode). The highest body is the national or general synod, which convenes every three years. The general synod only has limited jurisdiction.
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) maintain their own seminary
, the Theological University in Kampen (Broederweg).
, to the Nicene Creed
, the Apostles' Creed
, the Athanasian Creed
and the Three Forms of Unity
(the Heidelberg Catechism
, the Belgic Confession
and the Canons of Dort
).
As Calvinists, the Reformed Churches (Liberated) practise infant baptism for the children of believers (as well as adult baptism for adult converts). Children are taught the tenets of the faith and encouraged to publicly profess their faith (usually in late teens), by which they become professing (and voting) members of the church. The Lord's Supper is typically "closed", meaning that only professing members are permitted to participate, although many congregations will allow guests to participate if prior notice (through the use of so-called communion letters []) or satisfactory proof of a living faith is given. Children who have not professed their faith are excluded from participation in the Lord's Supper.
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) are conservative in doctrine and practice. They do not allow women to hold special offices (elders, deacons, pastors), but in the 1990s they did approve women voting in church elections. They reject modern textual criticism of the Bible. Liturgically, they favour the use of the Genevan Psalter in their worship services, although in the last decade a number of classical hymns has also been approved for use in the worship service. In recent years evangelical
influences have become stronger (e.g. a more contemporary style of the worship, including new songs and hymns and the use of a praise band). On the other hand a small minority of the members and ministers are questioning some of the orthodox doctrines, and are asking for a different approach in issues like ordination of women in office, homosexual relationships, etc. A large middle group, however, wants to hold on to the classical Calvinism.
. By the early twentieth century disputes were starting to arise within this denomination, especially about Abraham Kuyper
's view of the covenant
. These came to a head during World War II, when the general synod ruled in favour of Kuyper's view that essentially questioned the inclusion of children of believers into the covenant. A number of theologians and pastors disagreed with this ruling, arguing that it contradicted the plain facts of Scripture, and attempted to appeal the decision. The general synod enforced this view strictly, demanding among others that new licentiates (recent graduates from the theological seminary seeking a call) subscribe to the Kuyperian view. The protesters also objected that the general synod was abusing its authority by remaining functional for longer than the three years allowed under the rules of the Church Order. In 1944, when a number of protesting pastors and theologians were defrocked by the general synod, a large number of local congregations separated from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, led by Prof. Dr. Klaas Schilder
among others, to form their own denomination, an event referred to as the Liberation (). No serious attempts at reconciliation were ever made by either side.
The first decades after the Liberation were marked by a considerable inward turn. The Reformed Churches (Liberated) shunned outside contacts. They formed their own cultural, societal and political organisations. In these early years there was a powerful radical wing that supported the view that the Liberated churches were the "only true Church" in the Netherlands. This view led in part to the schism of 1967, when a group that formed the Netherlands Reformed Churches
broke away. The "only true Church" movement soon waned in influence, though it remained in existence until the turn of the 21st century. By the 1990s serious attempts to connect with like-minded orthodox churches were being made. Currently there are close contacts with the Christian Reformed Churches
and the Netherlands Reformed Churches
, at the local level even including a few complete mergers and many close collaborations.
In 2003 a small number of members separated from the Reformed Churches (Liberated) to form the New Reformed Churches out of protest against recent rulings by the general synod. This schism was instigated largely by the Reformanda movement, a continuing element of the radical wing of the church, which still held to the "only true church" view. This movement objected to what it saw as liberalising tendencies within the denomination, in particular to the introduction of hymns (Reformanda approves only the Psalter) and the synod's decisions regarding the Fourth Commandment (keeping of the Sabbath) and remarriage after divorce. Reformanda alleged that in these areas the Liberated churches were violating Scripture and the movement urged local congregations to refuse to confirm the synod's Acts. Only a few congregations followed this call. The objectors decided to secede.
Until 2004 the Reformed Churches (Liberated) enjoyed slow but steady growth. However, in the years since, the denomination has seen a reversal. In 2004 nearly 800 members left, in 2005 the church lost 340 members. Most departing members of 2007 joined the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
, while many left for the Netherlands Reformed Churches
, the Christian Reformed Churches
and evangelical
churches.
originated within the Reformed Churches (Liberated) and, although it now serves a wider Christian and Reformed audience, still has strong ties to the denomination.
A political party, the Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond (GPV) was organised as well. Traditionally, this party was always a small conservative party with roughly 2 out of 150 seats in the Netherlands
House of Commons (Dutch Tweede Kamer) of parliament. In the 1980s
and 1990s
the party became more progressive. This party often collaborated with the RPF and the SGP, two similar political parties of comparable size, organised by other orthodox Reformed denominations. In 2001, the GPV and RPF merged to form the ChristenUnie. In the 2006 elections
this party gained 6 seats in parliament as well as a pivotal role in the resulting coalition government
. Former GPV politician Eimert van Middelkoop
became Minister of Defence.
The Liberated Churches also maintain a number of primary and secondary schools. These private schools enjoy special protection by Royal Decree, which means these schools cannot be forced to accept pupils from backgrounds that are incompatible with their Reformed views. Partly as a result of this Royal Decree, they can only employ staff who are members of the Reformed Churches (Liberated), although they will enroll pupils from families willing to comply with the Reformed doctrines.
. They maintain strong relations with many foreign Reformed and Presbyterian churches. Their relationships with the Canadian Reformed Churches and Free Reformed Churches of Australia
are particularly strong, seeing as these federations were founded shortly after World War II by Dutch immigrants who had come out of the Liberation.
The Liberated Churches are very active on the mission field and collaborate closely with other Reformed and Presbyterian churches.
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands was the second largest Protestant church in the Netherlands until it merged into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2004.-History:...
. Prof. Dr. Klaas Schilder
Klaas Schilder
Klaas Schilder was a theologian and professor in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and later in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands .Schilder was born into a state church family...
played an important role in the Liberation. There are currently 270 affiliated local congregations with a total of 125,253 members (1 October 2007).
Name
After the Liberation the church maintained that they were the legitimate continuation of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and thus adopted that name (Dutch Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland). However, because the denomination from which they had separated continued using that name, the addition "liberated" was used colloquially, although never officially, to distinguish the new denomination. Members of the Liberated church referred to the denomination from which they separated as the synodical church, which signified the remaining members' adherence to the rulings by the National SynodSynod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
against which the Liberated churches protested. An older name for the Reformed Churches (Liberated) was Article 31 Churches in reference to one of the articles in the Church Order
Church order
Church Order is the systematically organised set of rules drawn up by a qualified body for the church. From the point of view of civil law, the church order can be described as the internal law of the church...
at the centre of the dispute between the two groups.
Organisation and government
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) are presbyterian in organisation, with strong emphasis on the authority vested in each congregation. Local congregations are ruled by a church council or consistory, made up of the pastor(s) and the elders. The church council rules and organises the congregation. Most meetings of the church council are open to the members, except when matters of church discipline are discussed. All congregations also have a number of deacons who assist the church council with more practical matters. Elders and deacons are elected for limited terms.Nationwide the Reformed Churches (Liberated) are organised in three hierarchical levels. A group of local congregations are organised in a classis. Decisions by the local church council can be appealed to classis. A number of classes are grouped together in a regional synod (Dutch particuliere synode). The highest body is the national or general synod, which convenes every three years. The general synod only has limited jurisdiction.
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) maintain their own seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, the Theological University in Kampen (Broederweg).
Doctrine and practice
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) are an orthodox (Neo-)Calvinist Protestant denomination. They subscribe to the infallibity of the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, to the Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
, the Apostles' Creed
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
, the Athanasian Creed
Athanasian Creed
The Athanasian Creed is a Christian statement of belief, focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicumque vult, is taken from the opening words, "Whosoever wishes." The Athanasian Creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century...
and the Three Forms of Unity
Three Forms of Unity
The Three Forms of Unity is a collective name for the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism, which reflect the doctrinal concerns of Continental Calvinism and are accepted as official statements of doctrine by many of the Reformed churches.-History:From 1618 to 1619...
(the Heidelberg Catechism
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine...
, the Belgic Confession
Belgic Confession
The Confession of Faith, popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a doctrinal standard document to which many of the Reformed churches subscribe. The Confession forms part of the Reformed Three Forms of Unity...
and the Canons of Dort
Canons of Dort
The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands, is the judgment of the National Synod held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in 1618–19...
).
As Calvinists, the Reformed Churches (Liberated) practise infant baptism for the children of believers (as well as adult baptism for adult converts). Children are taught the tenets of the faith and encouraged to publicly profess their faith (usually in late teens), by which they become professing (and voting) members of the church. The Lord's Supper is typically "closed", meaning that only professing members are permitted to participate, although many congregations will allow guests to participate if prior notice (through the use of so-called communion letters []) or satisfactory proof of a living faith is given. Children who have not professed their faith are excluded from participation in the Lord's Supper.
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) are conservative in doctrine and practice. They do not allow women to hold special offices (elders, deacons, pastors), but in the 1990s they did approve women voting in church elections. They reject modern textual criticism of the Bible. Liturgically, they favour the use of the Genevan Psalter in their worship services, although in the last decade a number of classical hymns has also been approved for use in the worship service. In recent years evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
influences have become stronger (e.g. a more contemporary style of the worship, including new songs and hymns and the use of a praise band). On the other hand a small minority of the members and ministers are questioning some of the orthodox doctrines, and are asking for a different approach in issues like ordination of women in office, homosexual relationships, etc. A large middle group, however, wants to hold on to the classical Calvinism.
History
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) came out of the Reformed Churches in the NetherlandsReformed Churches in the Netherlands
The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands was the second largest Protestant church in the Netherlands until it merged into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2004.-History:...
. By the early twentieth century disputes were starting to arise within this denomination, especially about Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
's view of the covenant
Covenant Theology
Covenant theology is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall flow of the Bible...
. These came to a head during World War II, when the general synod ruled in favour of Kuyper's view that essentially questioned the inclusion of children of believers into the covenant. A number of theologians and pastors disagreed with this ruling, arguing that it contradicted the plain facts of Scripture, and attempted to appeal the decision. The general synod enforced this view strictly, demanding among others that new licentiates (recent graduates from the theological seminary seeking a call) subscribe to the Kuyperian view. The protesters also objected that the general synod was abusing its authority by remaining functional for longer than the three years allowed under the rules of the Church Order. In 1944, when a number of protesting pastors and theologians were defrocked by the general synod, a large number of local congregations separated from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, led by Prof. Dr. Klaas Schilder
Klaas Schilder
Klaas Schilder was a theologian and professor in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and later in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands .Schilder was born into a state church family...
among others, to form their own denomination, an event referred to as the Liberation (). No serious attempts at reconciliation were ever made by either side.
The first decades after the Liberation were marked by a considerable inward turn. The Reformed Churches (Liberated) shunned outside contacts. They formed their own cultural, societal and political organisations. In these early years there was a powerful radical wing that supported the view that the Liberated churches were the "only true Church" in the Netherlands. This view led in part to the schism of 1967, when a group that formed the Netherlands Reformed Churches
Netherlands Reformed Churches
The Netherlands Reformed Churches are a conservative Reformed Protestant Christian denomination in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The denomination came into existence in 1967 out of a schism within the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands ....
broke away. The "only true Church" movement soon waned in influence, though it remained in existence until the turn of the 21st century. By the 1990s serious attempts to connect with like-minded orthodox churches were being made. Currently there are close contacts with the Christian Reformed Churches
Christian Reformed Churches
The Christian Reformed Churches are a Protestant church in the Netherlands with about 75,000 members.The original name of the church was Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands . The church was formed in 1869 by the merger of two churches, both separated from the Dutch Reformed Church in 1834...
and the Netherlands Reformed Churches
Netherlands Reformed Churches
The Netherlands Reformed Churches are a conservative Reformed Protestant Christian denomination in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The denomination came into existence in 1967 out of a schism within the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands ....
, at the local level even including a few complete mergers and many close collaborations.
In 2003 a small number of members separated from the Reformed Churches (Liberated) to form the New Reformed Churches out of protest against recent rulings by the general synod. This schism was instigated largely by the Reformanda movement, a continuing element of the radical wing of the church, which still held to the "only true church" view. This movement objected to what it saw as liberalising tendencies within the denomination, in particular to the introduction of hymns (Reformanda approves only the Psalter) and the synod's decisions regarding the Fourth Commandment (keeping of the Sabbath) and remarriage after divorce. Reformanda alleged that in these areas the Liberated churches were violating Scripture and the movement urged local congregations to refuse to confirm the synod's Acts. Only a few congregations followed this call. The objectors decided to secede.
Until 2004 the Reformed Churches (Liberated) enjoyed slow but steady growth. However, in the years since, the denomination has seen a reversal. In 2004 nearly 800 members left, in 2005 the church lost 340 members. Most departing members of 2007 joined the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
, while many left for the Netherlands Reformed Churches
Netherlands Reformed Churches
The Netherlands Reformed Churches are a conservative Reformed Protestant Christian denomination in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The denomination came into existence in 1967 out of a schism within the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands ....
, the Christian Reformed Churches
Christian Reformed Churches
The Christian Reformed Churches are a Protestant church in the Netherlands with about 75,000 members.The original name of the church was Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands . The church was formed in 1869 by the merger of two churches, both separated from the Dutch Reformed Church in 1834...
and evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
churches.
The Church and society
After the Liberation a number of church-related political and cultural institutions were founded. The daily newspaper Nederlands DagbladNederlands Dagblad
The Nederlands Dagblad is a Dutch newspaper, available throughout the country, with a daily circulation of about 33,000 issues in 2006. In 2000, the circulation was 32,000 issues....
originated within the Reformed Churches (Liberated) and, although it now serves a wider Christian and Reformed audience, still has strong ties to the denomination.
A political party, the Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond (GPV) was organised as well. Traditionally, this party was always a small conservative party with roughly 2 out of 150 seats in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
House of Commons (Dutch Tweede Kamer) of parliament. In the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
and 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
the party became more progressive. This party often collaborated with the RPF and the SGP, two similar political parties of comparable size, organised by other orthodox Reformed denominations. In 2001, the GPV and RPF merged to form the ChristenUnie. In the 2006 elections
Dutch general election, 2006
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 22, 2006. And followed the call for new elections after the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet....
this party gained 6 seats in parliament as well as a pivotal role in the resulting coalition government
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
. Former GPV politician Eimert van Middelkoop
Eimert van Middelkoop
Eimert van Middelkoop is a Dutch politician of the ChristianUnion party.From 2007 till 2010 he was Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Balkenende IV...
became Minister of Defence.
The Liberated Churches also maintain a number of primary and secondary schools. These private schools enjoy special protection by Royal Decree, which means these schools cannot be forced to accept pupils from backgrounds that are incompatible with their Reformed views. Partly as a result of this Royal Decree, they can only employ staff who are members of the Reformed Churches (Liberated), although they will enroll pupils from families willing to comply with the Reformed doctrines.
International relations
The Reformed Churches (Liberated) are a member of the International Conference of Reformed ChurchesInternational Conference of Reformed Churches
The International Conference of Reformed Churches is a federation of Reformed or Calvinist churches across the world. Its theology is more conservative than the larger World Alliance of Reformed Churches and Reformed Ecumenical Council and is similar to that of the World Reformed Fellowship.-...
. They maintain strong relations with many foreign Reformed and Presbyterian churches. Their relationships with the Canadian Reformed Churches and Free Reformed Churches of Australia
Free Reformed Churches of Australia
The ' is a federation of 15 congregations, 13 in Western Australia and two in Tasmania, with over 4000 members. Their historical roots are in the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands as a result of post-World War II immigration, and their doctrinal roots are in the sixteenth century Protestant...
are particularly strong, seeing as these federations were founded shortly after World War II by Dutch immigrants who had come out of the Liberation.
The Liberated Churches are very active on the mission field and collaborate closely with other Reformed and Presbyterian churches.
See also
- Seakle GreijdanusSeakle GreijdanusSeakle Greijdanus was a Reformed theologian in the Netherlands, who first served in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and later in the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands ....
- Kampen Theological University of the Reformed Churches (Liberated)