Reformed Churches (Netherlands)

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Reformed Churches
Classification Protestant
Orientation Continental Reformed
TheologyConfessional, Conservative and Calvinist
Polity Presbyterian
Associations International Conference of Reformed Churches [1]
Region Netherlands
OriginOctuber 5, 2024
Merger of Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) and Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (2009)
Congregations31 (2024)
Members3,500 (2024) [2]

The Reformed Churches (Dutch: Gereformeerde Kerken) are a conservative continental reformed denomination in the Netherlands, since 2024, from the merger of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (2009) and Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored). [3]

Contents

Both denominations, however, trace their origins to churches that split from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) in the 2000s and 2010s. [4] [5] [6]

History

In 2002, the Synod of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated) decided that Sunday keeping was not a doctrine taken directly from the Bible, but came from a church tradition. Therefore, restrictions were imposed on church discipline regarding this commandment. Furthermore, the synod began to permit the use of a new hymnal, established ecclesiastical relations with other denominations that allow textual criticism of the Bible, changed its marriage formula. [4] [7] [5] [8] [6] [9]

Consequently, in 2003, a group of dissatisfied churches broke away and formed the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) (known by its Dutch acronym, De Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland or DGK), in an event that became known as the "new liberation" (in reference to the event known as the "liberation" that gave rise to the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)). The first synod of the DGK was held in 2005. [8] [7]

In 2009, some of the churches of the denomination separated and formed the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (2009), in Dutch Gereformeerde Kerken Nederland or GKN. [10]

In 2021, the DGK began negotiations on reunification with the GKN. [11] [12] [13] [14] In addition, the denomination holds joint conferences with the Restored Reformed Church [15]

In 2024 the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) (DGK) and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (2009) (GKN) decided to reunify. A joint extraordinary synod has been scheduled for October 5, 2024. [16] [17]

On that date, a unified synod was formed and the new denomination was formally constituted. The name chosen was Reformed Churches (in Dutch Gereformeerde Kerken). [3] [2]

After the merger, the denomination had 31 churches and 3,500 members. [2]

Doctrine

The denomination subscribes to the Apostles' Creed, Athanasian Creed, Nicene Creed, Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort. [5]

Interchurch relations

In 2022, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (2009) were admitted as members of the International Conference of Reformed Churches. The merged denomination will continue as a member of the organization in succession to the previously member denomination. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "The Reformed Churches of the Netherlands (GKN) have been admitted as a member of the International Conference of Reformed Churches". 18 October 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "The name of the religious association after the merger of the DGK and GKN: Reformed Churches". Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "DGK and GKN are now one denomination". Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 Pauline Weseman (September 2, 2008). "New Liberation brings mainly quarrels" . Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "History of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored)". Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "History of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored)" . Retrieved December 22, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. 1 2 "Acta Generale Synode Mariënberg 2005" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 27, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) banned women from voting". July 27, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Report of the 2002 Synod of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)". p. 25. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ "The (in)visibility of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands" . Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "Synods of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) negotiate merger". 25 May 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  12. ↑ "Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored) negotiate merger fusion". Reformatorisch Dagblad. May 18, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  13. ↑ Elaine Kuiper (May 4, 2021). "Separating, tearing apart, and uniting: how two small churches find each other again" . Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  14. ↑ "GKN and DGK moving towards 'association state'". May 3, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Joint conference of the Restored Reformed Church, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored)" . Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Decisions of GS Kampen 2023 (GKN) and GS Dalfsen 2024 (DGK) in preparation for the joint extraordinary general synod concerning the union of both church associations". 21 March 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  17. ↑ "DGK and GKN want merger in October". 21 March 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
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