De Reformatie. Weekblad tot ontwikkeling van het gereformeerde leven 1920-1940

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Summary

This study focuses on De Reformatie, weekblad tot ontwikkeling van het kerkelijkgereformeerde leven [The Reformation, weekly magazine for the development of the Reformed Church] and how it contributed to the developments of the Reformed Church between 1920 and 1940.

De Reformatie adhered to a policy of giving equal coverage to all of the different branches in the Reformed community. Within a few short months of its introduction, the magazine acquired the largest readership of all of the Christian weekly's in the Reformed community. Its editor-in-chief was Dr. V. Hepp, who, following in Dr. A. Kuyper's footsteps, launched De Reformatie on a course of gradual development. In following this course, he collided headlong with the resistance of other members of the editorial staff, Professor F.J.J. Buijtendijk and Dr. B. Wielenga. Initially, the conflicts were resolved - Dr. C. Tazelaar, a man of letters, was even appointed as a new editor - but progressive members of the Reformed community gradually broke away from the magazine.

In 1924, the publisher announced plans to economize in consequence of the dwindling readership. In the same year, the members of the editorial staff had a falling out over an article which Hepp wrote about the evils of the theatre. Hepp managed to retain K. Schilder and Dr. J. Waterink as co-editors, as well as Tazelaar. Having done so, he believed that he had ridden out the storm. But in the mid-twenties Karl Barth acquired quite some influence in the Netherlands. Although Schilder rejected Barth's theology as a potentially fatal threat to Kuyper's teachings, they stimulated him to take up modern issues. More and more he started tot question the reformed tradition, writing on a wide variety of subjects in a anti-barthian, anti-traditional but solidly confessional reformed way.

This shift in emphasis, as well as other developments, rocked the boat in the editorial department. In 1930 the tensions gave rise to a new conflict concerning the cooperation between different Reformed churches, a conflict which culminated in Hepps' resignation. He was not replaced, and as Schilder had taken a long leave of absence to study abroad in 1930 and 1931, Waterink gained complete control of the editorial department. He devoted more attention to general cultural topics. When Schilder resumed his post as editor, he added a new dimension to the Christian character of the magazine with his re-evaluated views on the Reformed faith. His modern, polemic articles met

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with criticism as well as approval, and attracted attention even outside of the Reformed community, including that of the Protestant theologians, Dr. K.H. Miskotte and Professor Th.L. Haitjema, who were extremely critical of his views.

Tensions among the editorial staff mounted in 1934, when Schilder - who had just been appointed as a professor of dogmatics at the Kampen School of Theology - attacked Hepps understanding of the church in De Reformatie. Hepp had claimed that Schilder's concrete approach to striving towards one church was in conflict with the teachings of Calvin. The staff split in the next year after a conflict between Schilder and Waterink about Waterink's duties with regard to the international Calvinist conference in Amsterdam. The publisher sided with Schilder, a move which made Waterink and Tazelaar decide to leave.

No other editors were appointed in 1935, which left Schilder on his own. He established his position on even firmer ground, tested and clarified the Reformed faith, and defended it against opposing views at the time, including those of the Protestant theologian Dr. O. Noordmans.

The synod of the Reformed Church of 1936 decided to set up a committee, which included Schilder and Hepp, to deal with press disputes. Initially Schilder acquiesced, but when Hepp publicly denounced Schilder's views and those of others as heresy to the faith, he demanded that Hepp either be expelled from the committee or forced to withdraw his pamphlets. Schilder failed to accomplish either goal, a failure which caused a great deal of bad blood in the press.

The Second World War led to rapid changes. Schilder used his polemic power in De Reformatie to boost the morale of the defeated Dutch population and encourage them to retain their identity. The German occupators, who saw these views as a potential danger, prohibited further publication of De Reformatie in 1940 and imprisoned Schilder. Despite his unexpected release in december 1940, Schilder was silenced by a German ban forbidding him any contribution to the press.