The Netherlands is a fascinating as well as a frightening place in which to visit, study and live. For the Reformed Christian it is a laboratory of church history and theological developments. Church history is not only documented at the ancient libraries but the church movements and theological developments arising out of history have taken social and religious forms in Holland. The Hollanders were champions of religious freedom. The Reformed Church formation in the 1600’s, the Secession of 1834, the Doleantie of 1886, the formation of the Gereformeerdebond (Reformed League within the Reformed Church) of 1906 and the Liberation movement of 1944, were all movements of Christian freedom against the bondage of hierarchical dominance, theological apostacy and liberalism. As members of the Christian Reformed Church and other Reformed churches in North America, we are historically and theologically related to the above mentioned liberation movements. However, the frightening reality is that the apostacy and oppression which the Reformed forefathers fought against have come back and possessed the hierarchy of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands (GKN) and continued through the liberal modalities of the Reformed Church (NHK). What can we learn from the obedience and disobedience within the Reformed churches in the Netherlands? Does their history teach us any lessons as we face the same forces of obedience and disobedience in the Christian Reformed Community?

We increasingly hear about the degeneration of Biblical interpretation, confessional integrity and ethics among the left-wing radical Calvinists in the Netherlands. The Reformed Ecumenical Synod has been trying to exercise discipline toward the Reformed Churches (GKN) concerning their stance on the homofiel and the hermeneutics of the report God Met Ons. The GKN is responding by hoping to change the RES from a synod which can discipline to a council which will not be able “to continually get on their case.” For the Reformed family at large it will be important to pray for and encourage the RES to continue to discipline the GKN. It is encouraging to know that there are ecumenical councils which seek to exercise Christian discipline over the member denominations. Let us also pray that the CRC delegates take the task of discipline more seriously, not only at the RES but in their own household of faith, where the trends which have led to the GKN apostacy are visible as well.

The signs of degeneration should alert us to the necessity of regeneration. The regenerating power of the Holy Spirit comes to us through prayer, the proclamation of the Word, the faithful exercise of disciple and administration of the sacraments. By the faithful use of the spiritual means of grace the hope of the GKN could look bright. There are congregations and leaders who are so inclined in the GKN but they are not influencial enough to direct the denomination as a whole. It seems to be only a matter of time before the “concerned” take on organized form.

In the Netherlands there is a growing ‘right wing’ in the Reformed churches. C. Jansen in his recent doctor’s thesis Bewoor Het Pond calls them the “bevindelijke gereform eerden” (experiential Reformed). The experiential Reformed hold to a strict interpretation of the Confessions and also have a strong emphasis on the necessity of conversion. The gospel needs to be experienced in a personal and spiritual way and one should be able to witness to that experience. It is a fundamentalistic movement in that fundamental doctrines such as the total depravity of man, the sovereignty of God and other basic Reformed doctrines are emphasized. The doctrine of salvation is stressed in preaching.

The experiential Reformed have kindred movements among the German pietists. English and New England Puritans. Scotch Free Church Presbyterians, Strict Baptists and Reformed Baptists. Literature, sermons and conferences are shared and there is some cooperation on the mission field between the above mentioned groups.

The experiential Reformed are distinct from the experiential Arminians and the experiential Liberals . However, there are interesting similarities between the experiential Arminians. such as the Pentecostals and the experiential Reformed. as well as with the experiential Liberals, who in the line of Schleiermaker, emphasize “feeling’” or, in the line of Barth, emphasize the experience with the transcendent God. What make the Reformed experientials distinct and different is that their experience leads to a conversion and lifestyle which are different from those of the above mentioned groups. Upon conversion a literal and even allegorical reading of Scripture is taken; prayer, attending to the preaching of the Word, Christian fellowship, Sunday observance , separation from worldliness, such as theater , dancing, sports. card-playing, and other locally defined cultural activities. are practised. Ecclesiastical and Christian isolation from the world is considered a virtue and a strength. According to denominational and group distinctions. there are minor variations in doctrine and lifestyle.

In the Netherlands the experiential Reformed are to be found in denominations such as the Gereformeerde Gemeente (Reformed Congregations : 86,886 total membership in 1984), the Oud Gereformeerde Gemeente (several thousand), the Nederlondse Gereformeerde Gemeente (16.244 membership 1984). the right wing of the Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk (Christian Reformed Church, not associated with the CRC of North America) called Bewoor Het Pond, as well as the large Gereformeerdebond (Reformed League) which is the conservative modality within the large Dutch Reform ed Church (NHK. which accounts for over 200,000 souls). The experientials exist in other denominations, but not in an organized form.

The organization of the experiential Reformed exists as individual congregations, small denominations or as an organization within a larger denomination. Most of the experiential Reformed groups have their own mission boards (both foreign and home), church periodicals, youth and adult societies, Christian elementary schools, high schools and some have teacher’s colleges. The smaller denominations have their own seminaries in which training is given in close relationship to the congregation and through apprenticeship under more experienced ministers. The Reformed League is influential at the theological faculty of the State University in Utrecht where their minister candidates are trained. Several ‘bonders’ are theologians there.

There is also interdenominational working together such as with the small SGP political party which has a few seats in the Dutch government, a daily newspaper (Reformatorische Dagblod). mission projects like the Spanish Mission Society and projects at the community level.

Perhaps the reader is reminded of the Reformed Church (GKN) in the Netherlands before World War II. Many of the above mentioned characteristics were reflected in the conservative Reformed churches (GKN). albeit with a less subjective and mystical emphasis. The question that must be asked is whether it was beneficial for the conservatives within the GKN to have gone along with the ecclesiastical and theological changes within the GKN or have the experientials something to highlight in the stubborn refusal to change rapidly?

Most CRC visitors and students of the conservative side would feel at home among another group, the “confessionals,” in the GKN and NHK. The CGK, the Reformed Church (Liberated) as well as the splinter group (NGK) are confessional as a denomination, in that the whole denomination holds to the Three Forms of Unity. Like the experiential Reformed, they are well organized and have their own organizations, periodicals, political parties, as well as interdenominational projects among themselves.

When the adult members of the confessional Reformed and the experiential Reformed are put together their number includes several hundred thousand Christians. which is perhaps the largest concentration of conservative Reformed Christians in the world. That fact should be highlighted in an age where radical Christian groups are getting the upper hand in denominational and ecumenical affairs. On the other hand, the zeal for purity and isolation has separated many of these Christians into smaller separated groups, which has decreased their collective influence.

The history of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands should teach us not to be idealistic about reforming the church. Many approaches are being taken: the church within a church (Reformed League), separatistic congregations being led by a small number of ministers (Reformed Congregations), militant (i .e. ‘church militant’) denominationalism (Reformed Church Liberated and Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands (CGK)in which church leaders seek to exercise openness and yet strict doctrinal and ecclesiastical discipline, and finally, the silent majority which seeks to preserve personal and perhaps congregational integrity in relationship to Scripture, the Confessions and the Christian life. but who have not organized into a modality. There are other reformation efforts, such as Reformed Christians prophetically being involved in the ecumenical movements such as the World Council of Churches or in the hierarchies of their own liberal denominations. But since these renewal and reformation groups are not institutionally organized they are hard to locate and identify, and it is difficult to observe and learn from them. This article was written about Reformed Christians who have preserved their orthodoxy, not only at a personal level but as part of the Christian community and on a communal level. The Church as well as Christians need a model for reformation.

The CRC should strive towards unity rather than pluriformity. Denominational unity is far healthier for the congregations, Christian organizations, the advance of the kingdom work, rather than continually being confronted with pluriformity. However, if pluriformity , as a consequence of sin and covenant unfaithfulness sets in the CRC community, the church model of Reformation may very well take the form of Christians organizing as a church within the denomination or separating into smaller groupings, like the Orthodox Christian Reformed Church. All of the alternatives and approaches are widely displayed in the history of the Netherlands. The trends are appearing in the CRC. In one form or another, the Church will continue.

The greatest highlight in the lowlands is that God has many of His people there. May we pray together and look to Him for our comfort and direction, and in that way find one another in obedience.

Neal Hegeman is a Christian Reformed Missionary to the Dominican Republic.