Christianity in Netherlands

Christianity in NL Christianity is the most common and deep-rooted religion in the Netherlands. Here are the bullet points: Protestantism in the Netherlands
The origins of Protestantism in the Netherlands go back a long way:
• At the time of the Reformation, some Dutch Protestants followed
  the teachings of Martin Luther.
• Most, however, followed the more radical John Calvin of France
• Calvinism’s key characteristic was a belief in ‘predestination’.
 Predestination  means that some people are destined for a place
  in heaven, whilst others are simply not.
• Sobriety is also greatly favoured by Calvinists.
• Over the years, these ideas have evolved in the Netherlands, and
  different streams and communities of Protestantism have developed .
                                        Protestantism in NL Today 
• Today, Protestantism in the Netherlands is a lot more varied
• Most provinces in Holland are predominantly Protestant.
• The three main categories of modern-day Dutch Protestantism are:
1. ‘Nederlands Hervormd‘, or ‘Dutch Reformed’. 7% of the Dutch
   population are of this denomination.
2. ‘Protestantse Kerk in Nederland‘, or ‘Protestant Church in the Netherlands’.
   6% of Dutch people subscribe to this stream of Protestantism.
3. ‘Gereformeerd‘ , or ‘Reformed’. Just 3% of Dutch people are
   part of this branch of Protestantism.
4. There are other groups as well! Some examples are: Evangelical, Lutheran, Baptist, Apostolic, Pentecostal, the list goes on Catholicism in the Netherlands
• The southern provinces of Brabant and Limburg are predominantly.

 Catholic in the Netherlands 

• In the 1960s and 70s, the Dutch Catholic Church became extremely progressive • A series of subsequent, rather conservative, Popes has led to its
  being less so today.
• Still, a wide range of Catholic communities exist in the Netherlands
• Some parishes still use the Latin liturgy, whilst others are committed
  to the most modern ideas and practices. There are even Byzantine
  Catholic communities in some regions.
• There are more registered members of the Roman Catholic Church
  (4.2 million), than of the Protestant Church (1.7 million)
• Yet, only 17% of Catholics living in the Netherlands go to church
  regularly, compared to 22% of Protestants.
                                                         Islam in NL 
• There are approximately 850,000 practicing Muslims living in
   the Netherlands today.
• That means 5% of the Dutch population are Islamic.
• Islam has become one of the major religions in the Netherlands
• Mosques have been built in most larger Dutch cities, by communities
   of immigrants from Turkey, Morocco and Indonesia.
• The Dutch public is gradually learning more about Islam.
• Consequently, the people of the Netherlands are becoming more
   accommodating and respectful of, for example, pupils who are
   fasting for Ramadan.

Judaism in NL 

• Before and during the Second World War, when Hitler’s awful anti-
  Semitism took hold in Europe, many Jews came to the Netherlands.
• Unfortunately, the Netherlands was occupied during the war. Therefore,
  it was unable to be the safe haven the Jewish people had hoped it would be
• Still, there is currently a sizeable Jewish community in the Netherlands
• Around 35,000 Jews remain in the Holland.
• Their Jewish center is in Amsterdam, but Synagogues can be
  found in many other Dutch cities.

 Other Religions in the Netherlands .

Other religions that have smaller, but active, communities 

in the Netherlands include: 

                          • Hinduism • Buddhism • Baha’i • Jehovah’s Witness