Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism
The religious history of the Netherlands during the last two centuries exhibits some of the same dynamics and tensions as those evidenced in neighbouring countries. This article selects from religious history three historiographical issues salient to transnational patterns. The first pertains to Dut...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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openjournals.nl
2010-01-01
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| Series: | BMGN: Low Countries Historical Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://bmgn-lchr.nl/article/view/5549 |
| _version_ | 1828865620171554816 |
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| author | James C. Kennedy Jan P. Zwemer |
| author_facet | James C. Kennedy Jan P. Zwemer |
| author_sort | James C. Kennedy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The religious history of the Netherlands during the last two centuries exhibits some of the same dynamics and tensions as those evidenced in neighbouring countries. This article selects from religious history three historiographical issues salient to transnational patterns. The first pertains to Dutch churchstate relations in the nineteenth century, most notably a relatively early disestablishment. The second theme concerns the so-called ‘pillarization’ (verzuiling) of Dutch society, and to what extent pillarization – to the extent it is a useful concept at all – can be regarded as a quintessentially ‘Dutch’ way to manage religious pluralism.
The last theme focuses on secularization, a concept which historians have used to analyse the decline of organized religion in the Netherlands, particularly the sharp decline in religious participation and adherence after 1960. Religion, however, has remained an important focus of debate in recent decades, as the Dutch sought again to renegotiate the politics of pluralism.
This article is part of the special issue 'The International Relevance of Dutch History'. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:32:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65685f4724694f83b4020239b22bff2b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0165-0505 2211-2898 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T04:32:39Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | openjournals.nl |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMGN: Low Countries Historical Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-65685f4724694f83b4020239b22bff2b2022-12-21T23:59:29Zengopenjournals.nlBMGN: Low Countries Historical Review0165-05052211-28982010-01-011252-3Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of PluralismJames C. KennedyJan P. ZwemerThe religious history of the Netherlands during the last two centuries exhibits some of the same dynamics and tensions as those evidenced in neighbouring countries. This article selects from religious history three historiographical issues salient to transnational patterns. The first pertains to Dutch churchstate relations in the nineteenth century, most notably a relatively early disestablishment. The second theme concerns the so-called ‘pillarization’ (verzuiling) of Dutch society, and to what extent pillarization – to the extent it is a useful concept at all – can be regarded as a quintessentially ‘Dutch’ way to manage religious pluralism. The last theme focuses on secularization, a concept which historians have used to analyse the decline of organized religion in the Netherlands, particularly the sharp decline in religious participation and adherence after 1960. Religion, however, has remained an important focus of debate in recent decades, as the Dutch sought again to renegotiate the politics of pluralism. This article is part of the special issue 'The International Relevance of Dutch History'.https://bmgn-lchr.nl/article/view/5549Church and StatePillarizationReligion |
| spellingShingle | James C. Kennedy Jan P. Zwemer Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism BMGN: Low Countries Historical Review Church and State Pillarization Religion |
| title | Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism |
| title_full | Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism |
| title_fullStr | Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism |
| title_short | Religion in the Modern Netherlands and the Problems of Pluralism |
| title_sort | religion in the modern netherlands and the problems of pluralism |
| topic | Church and State Pillarization Religion |
| url | https://bmgn-lchr.nl/article/view/5549 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jamesckennedy religioninthemodernnetherlandsandtheproblemsofpluralism AT janpzwemer religioninthemodernnetherlandsandtheproblemsofpluralism |