# History of the Netherland Reformed Congregations



## yeutter (Oct 21, 2008)

Can someone help me get my history of the Netherland Reformed straight? 
As I understand it Gerrit H. Kersten brought togather two threads of seperatist Reformed pietists to form the Netherlands Reformed Congregations. One thread was called the Ledeboerianen the other thread was called Kruisgemeenten.
Is this information correct? 
What were the issues that seperated these two Church federations?
Which of these two federations was called 'Churches Under the Cross'?


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## TimV (Oct 21, 2008)

_Kruis Gemeenten_ is Dutch for cross and congregations, and the last word can be used as synonymous with churches, and is short for Churches under the cross.


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## BertMulder (Oct 21, 2008)

Both the Lebeboer churches (LK), as well as the 'churches under the cross(KG)' came out of the Dutch state church, the 'Nederlands Hervormde Kerk' (NHK).

The KG came from the Afscheiding in 1836, under de ****, Scholte, van Raalte et al. These churches were, initially, much subject to persecution, until such a time that the government permitted their existence, provided they ask permission. This most did, forming the Christelijk Gereformeerde Kerken. There were those, however, that (and theologically correctly) insisted that the civil state did not rule over the church, and as such, refused to ask permission. Hence the KG.

The Ledeboer churches came from Ds. Ledeboer, who, among other things, was deposed from the NHK for his refusal to use the new hymnbook. The churches following him remained largely on their own, always hoping for the possibility to return (to the NHK). Their theology was very similar to the KG.

For follow up history:

The CGK united with the Doleantie churches that exited the NHK under Dr. Kuyper, as the Gereformeerde Kerken Nederland (CRC in N. America).

The NHK are known in N. America as the RCA.

The NHK united with the GKN (and the Lutherans) in the last decade, and are now known as Protestantse Kerk Nederland (PKN). The process was named 'Samen op weg' (together on the way).


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 21, 2008)

There is a diagram of the historical roots of the _Gereformeerde Gemeenten_ organized in 1907 by Kersten, made up of the _Kruis Gemeenten_ and the Ledeboerian Churches (Van Dijke branch which emphasized "sanctification," in contrast with the Bakker branch which emphasized "justification," this Ledeboerian split occurring in 1865), in M. Golverdinger, _Rev. G.H. Kersten: Facets of His Life and Work_, p. 29 (this book covers a great deal of the history before and after this merger).

For a quick online reference, see here:

Dutch Reformed Timeline

Golverdinger may be consulted along with the article below on this history as well as details concerning Cornelius Steenblok:

How to Cope with Modernity? Conservative Calvinists of the Netherlands’ Reformed Congregations in a Secular Society


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## yeutter (Oct 21, 2008)

Very helpful links. Thank you.


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## yeutter (Oct 21, 2008)

The Netherlands Reformed Church website Netherlands Reformed Church Resource Web Site lists a Netherlands Reformed Congregation on Beckwith Ave. NE in Grand Rapids which I take to be the one that emerged when the Heritage Reformed split from the older Netherland Reformed denomination. 
Elsewhere I find a listing of a Netherlands Reformed Church on Covell Street in Grand Rapids that is on neither the Heritage or the Netherland Reformed Congregation list. Is this yet another division in the Netherland Reformed ranks?


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## Gesetveemet (Oct 22, 2008)

yeutter said:


> The Netherlands Reformed Church website Netherlands Reformed Church Resource Web Site lists a Netherlands Reformed Congregation on Beckwith Ave. NE in Grand Rapids which I take to be the one that emerged when the Heritage Reformed split from the older Netherland Reformed denomination.
> Elsewhere I find a listing of a Netherlands Reformed Church on Covell Street in Grand Rapids that is on neither the Heritage or the Netherland Reformed Congregation list. Is this yet another division in the Netherland Reformed ranks?




The Netherlands Reformed Church *does not *have a website. The link you have provided *is not theirs* but the website of a former displeased and discontented member.


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## yeutter (Oct 22, 2008)

Gesetveemet said:


> The Netherlands Reformed Church *does not *have a website. The link you have provided *is not theirs* but the website of a former displeased and discontented member.


If I had read the website thoroughly; not just looked at the list of congregations, on it I would have realized that it was not their own web site. Thanks


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