Archief van de Hervormde Gemeente; Kerkenraad
Item
Country
NL
Name of institution (English)
Amsterdam City Archives
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
dut
Contact information: postal address
Vijzelstraat 32, 1017 HL Amsterdam
Contact information: phone number
0031 202511511
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
stadarchief@amsterdam.nl
Reference number
376
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Archives of the Reformed Congregation; Church Council
Title (official language of the state)
Archief van de Hervormde Gemeente; Kerkenraad
Language of title
dut
Creator / accumulator
Nederlands Hervormde Gemeente
Kerkenraad
Date(s)
1578/1975
Language(s)
dut
Extent
c. 1,650 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Archief van de Hervormde Gemeente fonds comprises documentation related to the Kerkenraad (Church Council) of Amsterdam. It includes meeting proceedings, deeds, protocols, correspondence, as well as photos and periodicals.
In the first series of this fonds (Algemeen), which gathers the protocols of the Church Council organised chronologically, it is possible to find references to underprivileged Jews who decided to convert to the Reformed Church in order to gain assistance and improve their chances in the labour market. That was the case of Elias Senior Coronel (12, p. 76 [February 4, 1670], and p. 83 [March 13, 1670]) and Joseph Musaphia (25, p. 129 [January 31, 1765], p. 132 [February 14, 1765], p. 136 [February 28, 1765], and p. 139 [March 7, 1765]). Other Portuguese Jews also turned to the Reformed Church seeking assistance, such as Samuel Aboab (alias António Sanches de Pas), who was imprisoned for theft (10, p. 55 [May 8, 1659], p. 57 [May 29, 1659] and p. 76 [September 11, 1659]). The opposite course was also taken by some Portuguese Jews, particularly those belonging to the most disadvantaged social strata. For instance, Sara Lumbrosa had been a member of the Reformed Church (9, p. 210-211 [July 12 and 19, 1657], p. 215 [September 6, 1657]; 11, p. 249-250 [October 21 and 28, 1666], p. 252 [November 4, 1666] and p. 296 [April 28, 1667]), and later became registered with Abodat Ahesed, a workhouse founded in 1642 by the Portuguese Jewish community to house underprivileged Jews and improve their condition by means of work. See these and other cases in Bernfeld (2012). Digital copies of the books containing the aforementioned records are available online.
In the first series of this fonds (Algemeen), which gathers the protocols of the Church Council organised chronologically, it is possible to find references to underprivileged Jews who decided to convert to the Reformed Church in order to gain assistance and improve their chances in the labour market. That was the case of Elias Senior Coronel (12, p. 76 [February 4, 1670], and p. 83 [March 13, 1670]) and Joseph Musaphia (25, p. 129 [January 31, 1765], p. 132 [February 14, 1765], p. 136 [February 28, 1765], and p. 139 [March 7, 1765]). Other Portuguese Jews also turned to the Reformed Church seeking assistance, such as Samuel Aboab (alias António Sanches de Pas), who was imprisoned for theft (10, p. 55 [May 8, 1659], p. 57 [May 29, 1659] and p. 76 [September 11, 1659]). The opposite course was also taken by some Portuguese Jews, particularly those belonging to the most disadvantaged social strata. For instance, Sara Lumbrosa had been a member of the Reformed Church (9, p. 210-211 [July 12 and 19, 1657], p. 215 [September 6, 1657]; 11, p. 249-250 [October 21 and 28, 1666], p. 252 [November 4, 1666] and p. 296 [April 28, 1667]), and later became registered with Abodat Ahesed, a workhouse founded in 1642 by the Portuguese Jewish community to house underprivileged Jews and improve their condition by means of work. See these and other cases in Bernfeld (2012). Digital copies of the books containing the aforementioned records are available online.
Archival history
The documents of the reformed churches were often kept in the respective parishes or in the clerks' homes. Any inventory or arrangement of the archives only became apparent in the late 18th century, when pastors and others started to compile lists of archival records. In the 1960s, during the process of merging institutions and congregations, the archives of reformed churches were eventually transferred to the Amsterdam City Archives.
Administrative / Biographical history
The most important bodies of the Hervormde Gemeente (Reformed Congregation) in Amsterdam were the Centrale Kerkenraad (Central Church Council) and the College van Kerkvoogden (College of Churchwardens), formerly known as "Kerkmeesters". The Centrale Kerkenraad mainly acted as a council focused on general policy, community life and management of baptism, marriage and membership registers.
In the 20th century, Amsterdam had numerous churches and ecclesiastical congregations with their own Wijkkerkenraad (District Church Council) and/or Wijkcommissie (District Committee.) The individual congregations were relatively independent in terms of governance. However, the College van Kerkvoogden centrally directed the Wijkkerkenraaden and Wijkcommissies in certain areas. In 1948, the Generale Synode der Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church) established the Hervormde Jeugdraad (Reformed Youth Council) to take the lead in post-war youth work. In 1961, the Reformed Congregation in Amsterdam together with the Dutch Reformed Churches started looking for better cooperation between the different Christian churches in the Netherlands. This took shape in the Samen op Weg (literally, Travelling Together) initiative. In 1986, the Evangelical Lutheran Churches also joined.
After years of extensive debates, in which the Reformed Youth Council played a decisive role, it was decided, at the beginning of the 21st century, to give concrete shape to this intended cooperation. On May 1, 2004, the Samen op Weg churches merged into one congregation, the Protestantse Kerk Nederland (Protestant Church of the Netherlands).
In the 20th century, Amsterdam had numerous churches and ecclesiastical congregations with their own Wijkkerkenraad (District Church Council) and/or Wijkcommissie (District Committee.) The individual congregations were relatively independent in terms of governance. However, the College van Kerkvoogden centrally directed the Wijkkerkenraaden and Wijkcommissies in certain areas. In 1948, the Generale Synode der Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church) established the Hervormde Jeugdraad (Reformed Youth Council) to take the lead in post-war youth work. In 1961, the Reformed Congregation in Amsterdam together with the Dutch Reformed Churches started looking for better cooperation between the different Christian churches in the Netherlands. This took shape in the Samen op Weg (literally, Travelling Together) initiative. In 1986, the Evangelical Lutheran Churches also joined.
After years of extensive debates, in which the Reformed Youth Council played a decisive role, it was decided, at the beginning of the 21st century, to give concrete shape to this intended cooperation. On May 1, 2004, the Samen op Weg churches merged into one congregation, the Protestantse Kerk Nederland (Protestant Church of the Netherlands).
Sources:
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: corporate bodies
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is divided into 20 series organised by types of documents or institutions. Internally, documents are arranged chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Digital copies of some documents are available online.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Linked resources
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|---|---|---|
| Stadsarchief Amsterdam | Collections (official language of the state) |