The Eclipse of Liberal Protestantism in the Netherlands
Religious, Social, and International Perspectives on the Dutch Modernist Movement (1870-1940)
Published on 19. September 2019
Book
Hardback
678 pages
978-90-04-41007-7 (ISBN)
Description
In The Eclipse of Liberal Protestantism in the Netherlands, Tom-Eric Krijger is the first to offer a synthesis of the development of the Protestant modernist movement in Dutch religious, social, cultural, and political life between 1870 and 1940. In historiography, the liberal Protestant community is said to have lost appeal and influence in these decades due to a lack of theological clarity, inner harmony, and organisation.
Analysing liberal Protestants' self-perception vis-a-vis Christian orthodoxy, self-understanding as a faith community, attitude towards other alternatives to orthodoxy, class-consciousness, literary criticism, political commitment, and involvement with foreign mission, Krijger challenges this view. Making an international comparison, he argues that the Dutch modernist movement failed to make headway primarily due to liberal Protestant expectations and discourse.
Analysing liberal Protestants' self-perception vis-a-vis Christian orthodoxy, self-understanding as a faith community, attitude towards other alternatives to orthodoxy, class-consciousness, literary criticism, political commitment, and involvement with foreign mission, Krijger challenges this view. Making an international comparison, he argues that the Dutch modernist movement failed to make headway primarily due to liberal Protestant expectations and discourse.
Reviews / Votes
"This study [may] turn out to be a standard work." Lodewijk Winkeler, Lecturer, Radboud University, in: DNK Dcoumentatieblad voor de Nederlandse Kerkgeschiedenis na 1800, Volume 44.94 (2021).More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 163 mm
Thickness: 43 mm
Weight
1247 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-04-41007-7 (9789004410077)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Tom-Eric Krijger, Ph.D. (2017) University of Groningen, is a historian and religious studies scholar who has lectured at that university and at Leiden University. He has published on various aspects of the history of post-Reformation Dutch Christianity, including its worldwide expansion.
Content
Preface
Notes to Reader
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Abbreviations of Names of Organisations
Bibliographical Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Modernising Christianity and Christianising Modern Society
2 Methodological Considerations
3 Historiography
4 A New Perspective
5 Synopsis
The Dutch Modernist Movement
1 The Genesis of the Modernist Movement
1 'The First Characterisation of Modernism'
2 A Characterisation of Modernism
3 The Roots and Dual Character of Modernism
4 Modernism before the Founding of De Hervorming
2 The Modernist 'Tribune'
1 A Liberal Protestant 'Gentleman'
2 Nieuw Kerkelijk Weekblad
3 De Hervorming (I): Its Position within the Dutch Periodical Press
4 De Hervorming (II): From 1875 to 1934
5 The Agency of De Hervorming within the Modernist Movement
Modernising Christianity: Ecclesial-Religious Life
3 Modernism, Orthodoxy, and Self-Identification
1 'Chinese in Europe'
2 The 'True Heirs to the Reformation'
3 Criticising Modernist Identity
4 Revising Modernist Identity
5 Formulating Modernist Identity
6 Identifying Modernism: An Evaluation
4 Envisioning the Faith Community of Tomorrow
1 "The Ape of God's Kingdom"
2 The NPB and the Free Congregation as Alternatives to the Existing Churches
3 Disappointment and Renewed Appreciation for the Institution of the Church
4 Ecclesial Competition and Introversion
5 The Modernist Movement and Church Reforms: An Evaluation
5 Little Religions, 'Liberal' Tendencies, and Atheism
1 Liberal Protestantism Broadened into 'Free Religiosity'?
2 Modernism and the Rise of 'a Hundred and One Prophets'
3 Modernists and Adherents of Little Religions: Attraction or Repulsion?
4 Potential Fellow Reform Movements
5 Atheism and Nondenominationalism
6 The Modernist Movement and Other Alternatives to Orthodoxy: An Evaluation
Liberal Protestant Discourse
6 A Spiritual Aristocracy of Tutors
1 Stained-Glass Windows Exemplifying Liberal Protestant Discourse
2 Defining 'Spiritual', 'Aristocrats', and 'Tutoring'
3 Liberal Protestant Discourse in the Context of the Church: The Case of Lay Preaching
4 Liberal Protestant Discourse in the Context of Society: The Case of District Nursing
5 Liberal Protestant Discourse: An Evaluation
Christianising Modern Society: Socio-Cultural and Political Life
7 Conquering the Lower Classes
1 What Now?
2 The Social Question and the NPB
3 Views on Modernism in the Socialist Labour Movement
4 Views on Socialism in the Modernist Movement
5 The Modernist Movement and Socialism: An Evaluation
8 Captivating the Intellectual Class
1 A Bourgeois Movement
2 Modernism in Intellectual Life
3 Modernist Responses to Intellectuals
4 The Modernist Movement and Contemporary Literature: An Evaluation
9 Becoming a Pillaret
1 The Uncontrollable Need to Organise
2 Politically Liberal 'by Nature'
3 Non-Socialist Modernist Criticism on Political Liberalism
4 Modernist Group Formation within Political Liberalism
5 Dissatisfaction with 'Neutrality' (I): Public Education
6 Dissatisfaction with 'Neutrality' (II): Associations on a General Basis
7 Case I: The Association for the Support of the Uncared-For and Fallen Women
8 Case II: Liberal Protestant Student and Youth Leagues
9 Case III: The Liberal Protestant Radio Broadcasting Corporation VPRO
10 The Modernist Movement and the Process of Pillarisation: An Evaluation
The International Context
10 Fields Ripe for Harvest?
1 "A Difficult Combination"
2 Foreign Missions as a 'Problem'
3 Discussing Foreign Missions
4 Liberal Protestant Discourse in a Missionary Context
5 The NPB in the Dutch East Indies
6 The Modernist Movement and Foreign Missions: An Evaluation
11 The International Liberal Protestant 'Family'
1 "A Grand Global Movement"
2 Germany
3 France
4 Switzerland
5 Alsace-Lorraine
6 Hungary
7 Sweden
8 Estonia
9 Unitarians in the United Kingdom and the United States
10 Liberal Protestants Elsewhere
11 Dutch Modernists and Like-Minded Groups Abroad: An Evaluation
Concluding Remarks
1 Recapitulating the History of the Modernist Movement
2 Interpreting Modernist History: The Significance of the NPB and De Hervorming
3 Evaluating the History of the Modernist Movement
4 The Modernist Paradox
5 A Final Word
Bibliography
Index of Names
Notes to Reader
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Abbreviations of Names of Organisations
Bibliographical Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Modernising Christianity and Christianising Modern Society
2 Methodological Considerations
3 Historiography
4 A New Perspective
5 Synopsis
The Dutch Modernist Movement
1 The Genesis of the Modernist Movement
1 'The First Characterisation of Modernism'
2 A Characterisation of Modernism
3 The Roots and Dual Character of Modernism
4 Modernism before the Founding of De Hervorming
2 The Modernist 'Tribune'
1 A Liberal Protestant 'Gentleman'
2 Nieuw Kerkelijk Weekblad
3 De Hervorming (I): Its Position within the Dutch Periodical Press
4 De Hervorming (II): From 1875 to 1934
5 The Agency of De Hervorming within the Modernist Movement
Modernising Christianity: Ecclesial-Religious Life
3 Modernism, Orthodoxy, and Self-Identification
1 'Chinese in Europe'
2 The 'True Heirs to the Reformation'
3 Criticising Modernist Identity
4 Revising Modernist Identity
5 Formulating Modernist Identity
6 Identifying Modernism: An Evaluation
4 Envisioning the Faith Community of Tomorrow
1 "The Ape of God's Kingdom"
2 The NPB and the Free Congregation as Alternatives to the Existing Churches
3 Disappointment and Renewed Appreciation for the Institution of the Church
4 Ecclesial Competition and Introversion
5 The Modernist Movement and Church Reforms: An Evaluation
5 Little Religions, 'Liberal' Tendencies, and Atheism
1 Liberal Protestantism Broadened into 'Free Religiosity'?
2 Modernism and the Rise of 'a Hundred and One Prophets'
3 Modernists and Adherents of Little Religions: Attraction or Repulsion?
4 Potential Fellow Reform Movements
5 Atheism and Nondenominationalism
6 The Modernist Movement and Other Alternatives to Orthodoxy: An Evaluation
Liberal Protestant Discourse
6 A Spiritual Aristocracy of Tutors
1 Stained-Glass Windows Exemplifying Liberal Protestant Discourse
2 Defining 'Spiritual', 'Aristocrats', and 'Tutoring'
3 Liberal Protestant Discourse in the Context of the Church: The Case of Lay Preaching
4 Liberal Protestant Discourse in the Context of Society: The Case of District Nursing
5 Liberal Protestant Discourse: An Evaluation
Christianising Modern Society: Socio-Cultural and Political Life
7 Conquering the Lower Classes
1 What Now?
2 The Social Question and the NPB
3 Views on Modernism in the Socialist Labour Movement
4 Views on Socialism in the Modernist Movement
5 The Modernist Movement and Socialism: An Evaluation
8 Captivating the Intellectual Class
1 A Bourgeois Movement
2 Modernism in Intellectual Life
3 Modernist Responses to Intellectuals
4 The Modernist Movement and Contemporary Literature: An Evaluation
9 Becoming a Pillaret
1 The Uncontrollable Need to Organise
2 Politically Liberal 'by Nature'
3 Non-Socialist Modernist Criticism on Political Liberalism
4 Modernist Group Formation within Political Liberalism
5 Dissatisfaction with 'Neutrality' (I): Public Education
6 Dissatisfaction with 'Neutrality' (II): Associations on a General Basis
7 Case I: The Association for the Support of the Uncared-For and Fallen Women
8 Case II: Liberal Protestant Student and Youth Leagues
9 Case III: The Liberal Protestant Radio Broadcasting Corporation VPRO
10 The Modernist Movement and the Process of Pillarisation: An Evaluation
The International Context
10 Fields Ripe for Harvest?
1 "A Difficult Combination"
2 Foreign Missions as a 'Problem'
3 Discussing Foreign Missions
4 Liberal Protestant Discourse in a Missionary Context
5 The NPB in the Dutch East Indies
6 The Modernist Movement and Foreign Missions: An Evaluation
11 The International Liberal Protestant 'Family'
1 "A Grand Global Movement"
2 Germany
3 France
4 Switzerland
5 Alsace-Lorraine
6 Hungary
7 Sweden
8 Estonia
9 Unitarians in the United Kingdom and the United States
10 Liberal Protestants Elsewhere
11 Dutch Modernists and Like-Minded Groups Abroad: An Evaluation
Concluding Remarks
1 Recapitulating the History of the Modernist Movement
2 Interpreting Modernist History: The Significance of the NPB and De Hervorming
3 Evaluating the History of the Modernist Movement
4 The Modernist Paradox
5 A Final Word
Bibliography
Index of Names