Nadere Reformatie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nadere Reformatie is a Dutch term that refers to a period of church history in the Netherlands, following the Reformation, from roughly 1600 until 1750. The term is most often translated into English as either "Dutch Second Reformation" or "Further Reformation."
In broad terms, the period and its representatives are known for their desire to apply the principles of the Reformation to their day — their homes, churches, and, indeed, all sectors of Dutch society in the seventeenth and early eighteenth century. In their balance and value of both orthodoxy as well as piety the Nadere Reformatie resembles English Puritanism. In fact, Puritanism had much influence on the Nadere Reformatie. Many Puritan works were translated into Dutch during this time.
The two leading figures of the period are a professor, Gisbertus Voetius, and a pastor, Wilhelmus a Brakel. Brakel's main work, the Redelijke Godsdienst, an explanation, defense, and application of the Reformed faith, has been translated into English.
While much had been written on the period in Dutch language church historical literature in the past decades, very little can be found in English. Dr. Joel Beeke of the Puritan Reformed Seminary is one of very few scholars who has written in English on the subject. Several students of Dr. Richard Muller, professor at Calvin Theological Seminary, have also shown interest in the period. One wrote a dissertation in 2003 on a lesser known, but representative figure from the period, Simon Oomius.de:Nähere Reformation fy:Fierdere Reformaasje nl:Nadere Reformatie
