Wednesday, April 8, 2026

It is the 8th of April 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

I’ve been doing this show long enough to recognize some patterns- we might call them “things Christians like to do”- one is to fret over the implication of unity and division amongst church bodies on a local and national level. The second is to establish an identity based on a formative division- sometimes with reference to a distinct historical event or year. Here at 1517, we know a thing or two about this.

But today’s story takes us back to our Dutch friends in the Netherlands, the second wave of immigrants to America in the 19th century- specifically those in Western Michigan and the fateful year of 1857 and the creation of the Christian Reformed Church (or the CRCNA, that is, the Christian Reformed Church in North America).

The reformed tradition- the “second wave” of the Reformation centered in Geneva made its way to the Low Countries (The Netherlands and Belgium) initially through the French-speaking congregations and merged with the long tradition of humanism and spirituality that marked that region in the late Middle Ages. On this show, we’ve discussed the Canons of Dordt- the crystallization of what we call “Calvinism” in the early 1600s. The first wave of Dutch Reformed to America came to settle New Amsterdam (and were led, in part, by the van Voorhis family). This would be the foundation of the Reformed Church in America.

Back in the old country, things came to a head in the early 1800s with the Afscheiding of 1834- the Secession of those reformed Christians who believed the state church was turning its back on the historic confessions (these are the 3 Forms of Unity- the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Confession, and the Canons of Dordt). Those Christians who split with the national church found themselves socially marginalized and decided to call on their compatriots in America. Through American reformed communities and newspapers, the plight of these more conservative Calvinists came to light, and soon many were on their way, first through New York and then to the wilds of Western Michigan. It was there that Albertus Christiaan van Raalte would help found “Holland, Michigan”.

These immigrants were, as is often the case, an independent group wary of associations and the kind of political backlash and marginalization they experienced in the old world. But, despite this- and historians have had a time trying to square this- these immigrants would merge with the earlier immigrants (which, for ease, we will refer to as the RCA- Reformed Church in America- a more moderate to progressive group). Why they did this is beyond the scope of our story today- but there were bound to be issues. The RCA was perceived as lax in its confessional standards. The RCA allowed for hymnal and hymns to be sung as opposed to the exclusive psalmody of the historic Reformed church. The RCA was accused of practicing “open communion”- that is, communion was offered to any Christian regardless of their understanding and confession of what the Lord’s Supper is, and they were charged with innovations in preaching. It was the practice to preach from the Heidelberg Catechism- the more conservative groups claimed that American and revivalist tendencies were seeping into their churches. This fits a pattern across denominations in their move to the United States- to what extent should your church reflect the new culture or stand against it- a perennial question in church history.

The Reverend Koenraad van den Bosch led a group of dissenters in the Holland Classis to call for a secession from the RCA. And it was on this, the 8th of April in 1857 that the Christian Reformed Church was formed- many stayed with the Dutch Reformed- the RCA and their affiliated college in Holland- Hope College, but the CRC would go on to form Calvin College and Seminary a school and tradition that has included names like Berkhof, Vos, Van Til, Plantinga and Wolterstorff and Eerdmans to name just a few- the Christian Reformed Church in North America today has over 900 congregations and some 120,000 regular worshiping members. The church body that came from secession and union and secession again- and formed on this, the 8th of April in 1857.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and Matthew 28:

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 8th of April 2026, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man whose favorite Dutch inventions include the doughnut and splitting the check; he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a descendant of Deacon Coert Stephen Van Voorhis of the Reformed Dutch Church of Flatbush, Long Island- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.