ur churches are
relatively new to the North American continent in that
the first Canadian Reformed church was instituted in 1950
and the first American Reformed Church in 1955. In spite
of our relatively brief presence here, we have a long
history that goes back to Europe, to Asia, to Israel and
to the very beginnings of time.
Naturally, we do not have the space here to deal with that entire history, but a few highlights are of importance.
The Reformation
ike almost
every church in North America, our roots go back to
Europe. As a Protestant church we trace our roots to the
Reformation of the Sixteenth Century. During that time,
men such as Martin Luther in Germany, Ulrich Zwingli in
Switzerland, John Calvin in France and Switzerland and
John Knox in Scotland were used by God to bring the
church back to the obedience of the Word of God.
The Netherlands
he Reformation
impacted on many different parts of Europe, including the
Netherlands from which our immediate roots come. There,
in what are sometimes called the Low Countries, the cause
of the Reformation made great inroads and led to the
establishment of a vigorous Reformed church life. Over
time, these Reformed churches came under attack
repeatedly from various quarters and this led to some
significant events and developments.
The Synod of Dordrecht 1618-19
his Synod,
which included delegate from many different countries in
Europe, had to deal with the teachings of Jacob Arminius.
His attempt to inject a more man-centered emphasis in to
the matter of salvation was refuted and the sovereignty
of God's grace was maintained.
The First Secession of 1834
n 1834, a
number of ministers and members were either expelled or
departed from the Dutch Reformed (State) Church. This
Church has drifted away from its biblical and
confessional basis. It had also adopted a hierarchical
form of church government which left no room for the
autonomy of the local church. As a result, the Reformed
churches of the Netherlands were established and laid
claim to being the continuation of the true Reformed
church.
The Second Secession of 1886
n 1886 there
was a second expulsion/exodus out of the Dutch Reformed
Church. The causes can be traced one again to deviation
from biblical standards and heirarchy in church
government. This movement was led by the well-known
theologian and stateman Abraham Kuyper.
In 1892, the Churches of the First and Second Secession merged and became the Reformed churches in the Netherlands.
The Third Secession of 1944
n 1944, another
secession (or Liberation) took place under the leadership
of Klaas Schilder and S. Greijdanus. The causes related
once again to doctrine and church government. The Synod
of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands made
particular views regarding covenant and baptism binding
on all ministers and members. When certain ministers,
elders and deacons refused to conform, they were deposed
and excommunicated.
Those who were expelled and those who departed of their own accord formed the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated).
North America
fter the second
World War there was a massive immigration from the
Netherlands to North America, especially to Canada. When
members of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
arrived in Canada, they first took up contact with
already existing churches of Reformed persuasion in the
hope that they could join with them. That hope soon
disappeared when it became clear that one of those
churches, the Protestant Reformed Church, expected the
newly arrived immigrants to accept an unbiblical
doctrinal statement relating to election and the
covenant. This they refused to do.
The other Reformed church under consideration was the Christian Reformed Church; however, joining with it also proved impossible when it became clear that this Church sided with those in the Netherlands who had earlier expelled the newly arrived immigrants.
The consequence was that on April 16, 1950, the first Canadian Reformed church was institued in Lethbridge, Alberta. It was soon followed by churches in Edmonton, Neerlandia, Orangeville, New Westminster and elsewhere.
As the Canadian Reformed Churches move into the 21th century, they are continuing to experience further growth and development. The number of local churches now numbers just over 50, with an additional 2 house congregations. They are to be found in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario, as well as in the American states of Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Colorado.
