History of the Christian Reformed Church 

The following items and information may be helpful for researching the history of the Christian Reformed Church at Hekman Library. (The library has multiple copies of many of the items listed below, with duplicates in the Theological Reference Collection, the 4th floor circulating collection, and Heritage Hall. For precise details, find the record for the item on the online catalog, WebCat.)

Handbooks, Directories, and Indexes
Minutes and Proceedings of CRC Synods
Periodicals
Books and Articles on the History of the CRC
Web Resources
Citing Sources in Turabian/Chicago Format

Handbooks, Directories and Indexes: 

Christian Reformed Church in North America. Jaarboekje. 1858-1913. BX6807 .A3

Christian Reformed Church in North America. Yearbook. 1914- . BX6807 .A3

Christian Reformed Church in North America. Index [to] Synodical Decisions, 1857-2000. Grand Rapids: Christian Reformed Church, 2001. [includes accompanying CD-ROM] BX6820 .A32 2001

Engelhard, David H., and Leonard J. Hofman, eds. Manual of Christian Reformed Church Government. 2001 revision. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 2001. BX6826 .C47 2001

Harms, Richard H., ed. Historical Directory of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Grand Rapids: Historical Committee of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, 2004. BX6807 .A55 2004

Christian Reformed Church Ministers Database (CRCMD)
Contains ecclesiastical information about all current and former CRC ordained pastors, including images.

Christian Reformed Church Periodical Index (CRCPI)
Contains over 100,000 records of periodical articles from The Banner and other CRC-related journals and magazines (official publications of the Christian Reformed Church or its institutions, or those which have a significant number of contributors who are affiliated with the CRC or its institutions).

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Minutes and Proceedings of CRC Synods 

The Acts and Agendas of CRC Synods are indexed in: Index [to] Synodical Decisions, 1857-2000. Grand Rapids: Christian Reformed Church, 2001. [includes accompanying CD-ROM] BX6820 .A32 2001

ACTS OF SYNOD: BX6820 .A3 1857 -

For 1857-1880:

Minutes of the Highest Assembly of the Christian Reformed Church, 1857-1880. Grand Rapids: Calvin Seminary, 1936. BX6820 .A3 1857-80 --"Mimeographed upon orders of 1936 Synod by Calvin Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1937." The text of this printing is indexed in the Index to Synodical Decisions, 1857-2000 (and therefore may be useful) but there is a better online transcription with accompanying interlinear English translation (see next item).
 

Minutes of the Highest Assembly of the Christian Reformed Church, 1857-1880. Trans. Richard H. Harms, 2000.
These are minutes of the "highest assembly" of the CRC from 1857-1880.

For 1881-1930

Acta van de Synode der Christelijke Gereformeerd Kerk (and variations, see below). BX 6820 .A3 1881-1930 -- Acts of Synod for these years are in the Dutch language, with some English language reports and other materials appearing in the proceedings from the 1920s. The Acts for these years are variously entitled (with minor variations): Handelingen van de Synodale Vergadering der Hollandsche Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk, Synodale Handelingen der Hollandsche Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk [in Amerika], Acta van de Synode der Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerk [in Amerika] 1896-1930.

Heritage Hall and Hekman Library have bound copies of English translations for each of these years. BX6820 .A3 En

For 1932- present

Acts of Synod 1932 - . BX6820 .A3

AGENDA FOR SYNOD: 1904 - present

Agenda for Synod. BX6820 .A321 1904 - Prior to 1986 the Agenda for Synod was reprinted, with new pagination, in the Acts of Synod for each year. From 1986 on the Agenda and Acts for each year are bound together with continuous pagination.

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Periodicals: 

Periodicals published by the CRC or related to the Christian Reformed denomination are indexed in the Christian Reformed Church Periodical Index (CRCPI), an online database maintained by Hekman Library. For a full listing of periodicals indexed and coverage, see “About the CRC Periodical Index.”

The Banner. Vols. 1 - .(1866- ) BX6801.B3 (The Banner is currently indexed in CRCPI from 1948-2005)

De Wachter. Vols. 1 - 118 (1869-1985) BX6801 .W3

Origins: The Historical Magazine of the Heritage Hall Archives. Vols. 1 - . (1983 - .) BX6801 .O7

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Books and Articles on the History of the CRC:

Beets, Henry. The Christian Reformed Church: Its Roots, History, Schools and Mission Work, A.D. 1857-1946. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1946. BX6821 .B42

Blei, Karel. The Netherlands Reformed Church: 1571-2005. Trans. Allan J. Janssen. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006. 4th fl and Her Hall BX9474.2 .B54 2006
The best English-language treatment of the Dutch historical roots of the Christian Refomed Church.

Bratt, James D. Dutch Calvinism in Modern America: A History of a Conservative Subculture. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984. BX9424.5 .U6 B73 1984

Bruins, Elton J., and Robert P. Swierenga. Family Quarrels in the Dutch Reformed Churches in the Nineteenth Century. Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999.BX9515 .S84 1999

De Jong, James A. Henry J.Kuiper: Shaping the Christian Reformed Church, 1907-1962. Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America 55. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007. BX6843 .K85 D__ 2007

De Klerk, Peter, and Richard De Ridder, eds. Perspectives on the Christian Reformed Church: Studies in Its History, Theology, and Ecumenicity. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983. BX6809 .P43 1983

Hoezee, Scott. Grace through Every Generation: The Continuing Story of the Christian Reformed Church. Grand Rapids: Faith Alive, 2006. BX6819 .N7 H64 2006

Hoezee, Scott, and Christopher H. Meehan. Flourishing in the Land: A Hundred-Year History of Christian Reformed Missions in North America. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996. BV2766 .C553 H64 1996

Hofman, Tyman E. The Canadian Story of the CRC: Its First Century. Belleville, Ont.: Guardian Books, 2004. 4th floor and Her Hall BX6819 .C3 H63 2004

Kromminga, Dietrich H. The Christian Reformed Tradition: From the Reformation to the Present. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1943. BX6815 .K7

Kromminga, John H. The Christian Reformed Church: A Study in Orthodoxy. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1949. BX6815 .K75

Schaap, James C. Our Family Album: The Unfinished Story of the Christian Reformed Church. Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 1998. BX6816 .S33 1998

Sheeres, Janet Sjaarda. Son of Seccession [sic]: Douwe J. Vander Werp. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006. 4th fl and Her Hall BX6843 .V36 S54 2006

Swierenga, Robert P. Dutch Chicago: A History of the Hollanders in the Windy City. The Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America 42. Grand Rapids: A. C. Van Raalte Institute, Hope College; William B. Eerdmans, 2002. F548.9 .D9 S9 2002

Zwaanstra, Henry. Reformed Thought and Experience in a New World: A Study of the Christan Reformed Church and Its American Environment, 1890-1918. Kampen: J. H. Kok, 1973. BX6816 .Z83

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Web Resources:

Christian Reformed Church in North America

Heritage Hall: The Archives of the Christian Reformed Church, Calvin College, and Calvin Theological Seminary

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CRC Biography

Grace Through Every Generation
Christian Reformed Church, 1857-2007
Artist: Chris Stoffel Overvoorde

For biographical information on members of the Christian Reformed Church there are a number of resources:

Schaap, James C. CRC Family Portrait : Sketches of Ordinary Christians in a 125-Year-Old Church. (4th fl and Her Hall) BX6841 .S3 1982

Vanden Bosch, Jacob Gradus. Christian Reformed Church Worthies. A Series of Biographies. Comp. and ed. by John H. Bratt. [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1961].
(4th fl and Her Hall) BX6841 .V3

Individual biographies or autobiographies:

De Jong, James A. Henry J. Kuiper: Shaping the Christian Reformed Church, 1907-1962. Grand  Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007.  BX6843 .K85 D__ 2007. 

Sheeres, Janet Sjaarda. Son of Secession: Douwe J. Vander Werp . BX6843 .V36 S54 2006

Hulst, John B. A Doorkeeper in God's Household : The Memoirs of John B. Hulst. Sioux Center, IA: Dordt College Press, 2005.(5th fl, Her Hall) LD1681 .D7 H8 2005

Bruxvoort, Elaine Vogel. For some have never heard : three generations of ministry in the Christian Reformed Church [Herman Fryling, Jan Jannsen, Brandt Bruxvoort, Ralph Bruxvoort] BX6843 .F786 B788 2004

Kamp, Thomas G. How firm a foundation : an autobiography of Thomas G. Kamp, Sr.
BX6843 .K36 A3 2000

Van Dellen, Lubbert W. On the potter's wheel. BX6843.V3 V368 1998