Christian Reformed Churches
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Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands | |
---|---|
Classification | Protestant |
Theology | Evangelical Calvinist |
Polity | Presbyterian |
Associations | International Conference of Reformed Churches |
Region | Netherlands |
Origin | 1869 Netherlands |
Separated from | Dutch Reformed Church |
Separations | Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (1892) Reformed Congregations (1907) |
Congregations | 180 (2014) |
Members | 73,692 (2014)[1] |
The Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Dutch: Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland) is a Protestant church in the Netherlands.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Lutjegast_-_chr.geref.kerk.jpg/220px-Lutjegast_-_chr.geref.kerk.jpg)
History[]
The original name of the church was Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands (Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk in Nederland, CGKN). The church was formed in 1869 by the merger of two churches, the Reformed Churches under the Cross and the Separated Christian Congregations, both separated from the Dutch Reformed Church in 1834; an event known as the Afscheiding. Most of the CGKN merged into the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands in 1892; a small part remained independent, and carried this name until it was renamed in 1947 to Christian Reformed Churches.
At the first Synod eight congregations were represented. A Theological Seminary was opened in The Hague and later was moved to Apeldoorn in 1919. Since then the churches grew steadily till 1985, when membership was 75,000, and today membership fluctuates around this number. It has 11 classes. The church withdrew from the Reformed Ecumenical Council in 1989, and joined the International Conference of Reformed Churches in 1995.[2][3]
It has a theological institute in Apeldoorn, the Theological University of Apeldoorn. It offers the Bachelor of Theology and the Master of Divinity.
Developments[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Number_of_adherents_to_the_Christian_Reformed_Churches_in_the_Netherlands_by_municipality_%282008%29.svg/220px-Number_of_adherents_to_the_Christian_Reformed_Churches_in_the_Netherlands_by_municipality_%282008%29.svg.png)
Several congregations for example in Rotterdam and in Zwartsluis dissolved or merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) like in Doesburg. In 2012, many Christian Reformed missions were constituted as full-fledged congregations. On 1nJanuary 2013, the denomination had 33 more members than in their previous years.
Theology[]
The church subscribe to the infallibility of the Bible, 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).
Statistics[]
In January 2012, the church has 74,286 members in 181 churches. In recent years membership was steady. In the next year in early 2013 membership grew by more than 30.
Interchurch relations[]
The Christian Reformed Churches in the Netherlands seek cooperation with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) and with other Dutch Reformed Churches. It supports missions in Thailand, and Sulawesi, Indonesia, the Toraja Mamasa Church was founded by missionaries of the Christian Reformed denomination.[4] Complete correspondence:
- Free Reformed Churches in North America
- Free Church of Scotland
- Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
- Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Reformed Churches in South Africa
- Igrejas Evangelicas Reformadas do Brasil
- Reformed Churches of New Zealand
Limited Correspondence:
- Dutch Reformed Church in Botswana
- Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- Reformed Church in Japan
- Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin)
- Christian Reformed Churches of Australia[5]
See also[]
- Free Reformed Churches of North America, the North American affiliate of the Christian Reformed Churches
- Christian Reformed Church in North America, a denomination not affiliated with the Christian Reformed Churches but having a coincidentally similar name in North America.
References[]
- ^ https://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2014/april/11/cgk-lijdt-grootste-ledenverlies-ooit
- ^ "CGK | Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken".
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2012-07-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ "Zondag".
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2012-07-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links[]
- Christian denominations in the Netherlands
- Religious organizations established in 1869
- Reformed denominations in the Netherlands
- 1869 establishments in the Netherlands