Restored Reformed Church

The Restored Reformed Church (Dutch: Hersteld Hervormde Kerk, abbreviated HHK) is a Calvinist denomination in the Netherlands. It was founded in 2004, from congregations which made up the orthodox-reformed wing of the Dutch Reformed Church; they had previously been part of groups named Het Gekrookte Riet ("The Bruised Reed") and the still existing Gereformeerde Bond ("Reformed Association") within the Dutch Reformed Church. The Church has grown steadily since its founding.[2]

Not to be confused with Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Restored).
Restored Reformed Church
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationCalvinist
PolityPresbyterian
Origin1 May 2004
Netherlands
Separated fromDutch Reformed Church
Congregations118 (2013)
Members60,159 (2021)
Ministers60 + 25 (retired) + 20 (students, assistant ministers) (2010)
Missionaries1 (2010)
HHK Staphorst (2300 seats)
Headcovering in the Restored Reformed Church of Doornspijk
Opheusden Restored Reformed Congregation
Elspeet Restored Reformed Church[1]

History

The Restored Reformed Church was founded on 1 May 2004, by a minority of the Calvinist Bond inside the Dutch Reformed Church (Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk) who opposed that church's merger with two other Protestant churches into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (Protestantse Kerk in Nederland). The first president of the denomination was Dirk Heemskerk.[3] Later several free churches joined this new federation in Rotterdam, Alblasserdam, Schiedam, Waddinxveen and an Old Reformed Church voted to affiliate with Restored Reformed Church.[4] Many congregations have their own church buildings, but several churches meet in storehouses and schools. In the towns of Elspeet, Sommelsdijk, Sint-Annaland, Putten, Terschuur, Barneveld Restored Reformed congregations have new buildings and others are preparing for this.[2] In 2014, the Church had a membership of 58,821 in 118 congregations.[5][6] The church established the Reformed Seminary which in 2011 had seventy students; the rector is Wim van Vlastuin.[7]

Character, statistics

The Restored Reformed Church is a Calvinist church of presbyterian polity. It cooperates with the Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands in youth programmes. There is also a possibility to exchange ministers. Officially the denomination use only the Statenvertaling translation of the Bible. Almost all the congregations are in the Dutch Bible Belt. Staphorst, Ouddorp, Lunteren, Katwijk, Urk, Elspeet, Doornspijk and Opheusden are towns where large Restored Reformed churches can be found. The church has seven presbyteries (Dutch: Classis): Classis North, Classis North Veluwe, Classis Center, Classis East, Classis South East, Classis West, and Classis Southwest. These classes form the General Synod.[8][9]

Theology

Creeds

Confessions

Missions

It conducts missionary work in Malawi, where the Dutch minister Rev. R.J. Oomen works in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Malawi (RPC). The church consists of 170 congregations in Malawi, mainly in the central and southern part of Malawi. The church there has about 15,000 members. The work is to advise the governing bodies of the church and to teach the leaders and students. There is a mission point in Suriname in Paramaribo and in the village of Klein Powakka among the Arowak Indians.[12][13] On 14 August 2012 a Canadian congregation was added to the Restored Church, the Springford Reformed Church.

The largest congregations are those of Staphorst and Ouddorp.[14]

Membership

In 2004/2005 the Restored Reformed Church had 53,900 members. In 2014, there were 58,821 members in the Netherlands and in Ontario, Canada.[15] In 2021, the church had 60,159 members.[16]

Notable members

References
  1. "Gemeente". www.kerktijden.nl.
  2. "Hersteld Hervormde Kerk", Wikipedia (in Dutch), 2023-06-01, retrieved 2023-06-06
  3. "Historie". Archived from the original on 2013-12-04.
  4. "Giften – Hersteld Hervormde Kerk". www.hersteldhervormdekerk.nl.
  5. According to the church office of the Hersteld Hervormde Kerk, April 17, 2008
  6. "Gemeenten – Hersteld Hervormde Kerk". www.hersteldhervormdekerk.nl.
  7. Hersteld Hervormd Seminarie
  8. "Generale synode". www.hersteldhervormdekerk.nl. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
  9. "Classes". Archived from the original on 2013-04-01. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  10. "Nederlandse Geloofsbelijdenis". www.theologienet.nl.
  11. "HHG Barneveld e.o." www.hhgbarneveldeo.nl. Archived from the original on 2013-09-29.
  12. "Welkom – Hersteld Hervormde Kerk". www.evangelisatiehhk.nl.
  13. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-06-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "EO Visie – Het grootste christelijke magazine van Nederland". www.kerknieuws.nl. Archived from the original on 2011-11-10.
  15. "Cookies op ND.nl". Nederlands Dagblad.
  16. "Ledental Hersteld Hervormde Kerk opnieuw gegroeid". Reformatorisch Dagblad.
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