PRAYING AGAINST THE NEW CHURCH

On the first of May 2004 most of the Protestant churches will merge into one, the Protestant Church of the The Netherlands (PKN). The new religious organisation will count around 2.5 million members. Most of the members will come from the Dutch Reformed Church, with around 1.5 million members. Some of the congregation indicated that they will not take part in the PKN. In some of the Reformed Reformed congregations in the Dutch Bible belt the churchgoers are in doubt and families are in danger to fall apart. Some family members threaten: ‘If you go along, you do not have to come back here anymore.'

One of the Dutch reformed communities established a special commission that should try to keep the opponents and the supporters together. The tensions within the strict protestant communities are very serious and it remains to be seen what the consequences will be for these societies. One of the priests: I will stay vicar, but it is the question where. I might have to change to an other location.' Instead of fighting the secularization the new church might actually contribute to this process. 'In the new church the bible does not have any authority anymore. The PKN will have to make concessions to keep the followers of the three different churches happy.

A colleague from the same strict congregation: The merging process has been terribly amateurish. And this is unworthy for a church. The new church is like a cheese with holes. A church that is only interconnected through compromises'. He will still participate; ‘It is a farce to think that one can continue the real church while you are getting out'. The opponents do not want to be accused of separation. The PKN is the new church, they are separating.' more features

January 19, 2004