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Trajecta : Religion, Culture and Society in the Low Countries
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This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 0778-8304 - ISSN (Online) 2665-9484
Published by Amsterdam University Press

[19 journals]

Introduction: Religion and revolution, the 1960s and the religious history
of the Low Countries
- Authors: Bart Wallet
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Claiming Conscripts
- Authors: Leonard van ’t Hul
  Abstract: AbstractThe twentieth century is widely considered a period in which Christendom lost its central position in the West. In the Netherlands, the influx of counter-cultural ideas and beliefs from the 1960s onwards brought about a decline in church membership and voter turnout for Christian parties. Simultaneously, societal critiques grew louder against the state’s accommodation of religion and its privileged positioning of Christianity. This article argues that the societal shifts stemming from the cultural turn of the 1960s, did not result in structural changes in the dialogue between church and state. I use the political negotiations that addressed spiritual care in the Dutch armed forces between 1946 and 1984 as a case study. My focus is on the Humanist League’s drive to obtain for the Humanist Service for Spiritual Care a status equal to that enjoyed by the churches. My analysis shows that the Humanist League mounted a forceful struggle to get access both before and after the 1960s. While the Humanist Service was formally installed in the army in 1967, no structural adaptations to the criterion to distribute positions followed. The ministry of Defense was unprepared to accommodate the humanists, and church-organizations were unwilling to give up their privileged position without a fight. The continuity in Dutch church-state relations and the comparative maneuverability of the churches can be understood by emphasizing the reluctance of state-actors to adapt existing policies. It is the degree of what I call institutional integration of religious organizations with the state which determined the leverage of institutions.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Youth Work for Baby Boomers
- Authors: Fred van Lieburg
  Abstract: AbstractThis article deals with the first decades of the Reformed Youth Council of the Netherlands Reformed Church. It was founded in 1941 to challenge young people in local congregations to join the public task of the national Protestant church. Because religious youth work had been left to particular organisations for many years previously, tensions between them and the new umbrella movement had to wait until after World War II to be resolved. Meanwhile, all parties were faced with the general decline of traditional club life and the call for ‘open youth work’ in the form of societal criticism and activism in the ‘roaring sixties’. Curiously, both the orthodox wing of the church and the evangelical Youth for Christ movement succeeded in keeping young people committed to personal faith. Most baby boomers, however, would find their religious place outside organised religion.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Catholicism: stumbling or starting block for sustainable development'
- Authors: Hanne-Lise Frateur
  Abstract: AbstractIn considering Broederlijk Delen, the Flemish Catholic development NGO, it is instructive to understand the role of its Catholic affiliation in its changing interpretation of development aid, and in particular, its evolving ideas on sustainability as the essential ecological principal. From the end of the 1960s to 1990, Broederlijk Delen gradually introduced elements into its discourse and operations that originally were not ecologically inspired, but were later woven into its ideas on sustainability. The question is, did these elements spring from and connect to Catholicism' The article also traces how affiliation with Catholicism hindered ecological concerns by introducing elements at odds with the environmentalism. The notion of moderation deduced from Christian Lent figured centrally in Broederlijk Delen’s evolution in thinking about development. Other elements played a role in Broederlijk Delen’s emerging ideas as well, such as respect for human dignity, land ownership of the poor, and the Appropriate Technology Movement. Overall, religion played a subtle defensive role and was a response to leftist aspects in Broederlijk Delen’s operation when it turned to ecology.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Een doodgewoon Rooms boek'
- Authors: Maarten van den Bos
  Abstract: AbstractAfter publication of De Nieuwe Katechismus (translated mostly as The Dutch Catechism, literally: The New Catechism) in 1966, a harsh conflict broke out between the authors of the book and the Vatican. According to censors appointed by the Vatican, the book may have not contained heresy, but some parts were not in accordance with the Church’s teachings. Three years later, an appendix was published. The appendix was accepted by the Dutch episcopacy, responsible for the book, but the authors remained in opposition. They considered De Nieuwe Katechismus to be nothing more than ‘just another catholic book’. Both in older as more recent studies on (Dutch) Catholicism in the sixties, the conflict on the De Nieuwe Katechismus frequently appears as showcase for the troubled relations between the progressive Dutch church province and the orthodox or conservative powers in the Vatican. Meanwhile, both the conception and content of the book are poorly analysed. In this article, I present a contextualised history of the book and the ideas of its authors of what it meant to be catholic in the modern age. Conclusion is that, in order to truly understand both the religious revolution of the sixties and the provenance of important ideas on self-expression and self-fulfilment that shaped our understanding of modernity after the sixties, we ought to take a closer look on new perspectives on modernity and religion that arose in religious communities after the Second World War. From that perspective, the ideas behind the publication of De Nieuwe Katechismus is of greater historiographical relevance then the conflict that broke out after publication.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Opvallend orthodox
- Authors: Christoph van den Belt
  Abstract: A new newspaper, the Reformatorisch Dagblad (RD), came into existence in the sixties. The driving force behind its emergence was the dissatisfaction over the social changes at the time. Many Orthodox Protestants of the time had the feeling that trusted certainties, in terms of sexual morality, the Sunday and the authority, have been suddenly relinquished. Media such as Trouw played an important role in this process. Unlike before, this daily newspaper wanted to organise discussions, even about Holy Houses. The RD had to safeguard the certainties and protect the Orthodox Protestant environment from society. Therefore, the symbols of the sixties, such as sports and television, were excluded from the new newspaper. Owing to this disposition and the binding to the Orthodox Protestants, the RD holds a unique position in Dutch journalism. Only by going back to the sixties will it be possible to comprehend this newspaper.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Pionier tegen wil en dank
- Authors: Charlotte Ardui; Sven Sterken
  Abstract: AbstractContrary to popular belief, almost as many churches were built in Flanders after the Second World War as in the first half of the 20th century. Besides obvious stylistic differences, the post-war churches were above all distinctive in terms of their location and typology. In the first place, they were a response to the strong demographic growth and the spatial policy (or rather: the lack thereof) that led to a ubiquitous expansion with new developments in the periphery of the existing cities. In addition, the changing role of the Catholic Church in the post-war society also called for different kind of church buildings; the sense of community became central. In Flanders, this theological, liturgical and typological quest was best expressed in the work of Marc Dessauvage (1931-1981); as unofficial architect of the archdiocese, he built twelve churches and two chapels in ten years. However, the progressive élan embodied in his oeuvre was rather short-lived: from the 1970s onwards, its public support disappeared systematically. Dessauvage’s churches proved to be especially vulnerable in this process: because of their peripheral location, often poor building physics and brutalist style, they were the first victims of the rationalisation of the parish landscape that was imposed from the 1980s onward. This article discusses the Sint-Jozef Arbeiderkerk in Vosselaar, which Dessauvage built between 1959 and 1967. The hypothesis is that this building is not only particularly representative of the cultural context of the 1960s, but can also be considered a pilot project from both a historical and a contemporary perspective. It embodies, like no other, the innovative vision of church-building favoured by the progressive Catholic elite in the context of Vatican II, and also it fulfils a pioneering role today as the first listed parish church in Flanders to be given a radically different purpose. A brief sketch of the genesis of this building and its subsequent experience, together with a critical look at its current adaptive reuse, allows us to make some general statements about the historical significance and future stance of post-conciliar churches, and those of Dessauvage in particular.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Uit beeld verdwenen
- Authors: Wouter Prins
  Abstract: AbstractMore than in music, literature or film, religion faded into the background in the visual arts during the 1960s. The close, longtime connection between Western visual art and Christianity and its visual language seemed to have been lost. In particular in the Netherlands, for a century most loyal to the authority of Rome, religious art was discredited. It was only in the course of the 1980s that interest in religious art returned, albeit modest and cautious. In 2021 there are new opportunities for the visual arts. Although the churches are struggling with empty pews, the church building remains an inspiring environment for artists. In addition, the number of artists with a migration background is increasing. Religion plays an important role within this group, which is reflected in the themes that are depicted.
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
‘Je moet als historicus het geloof niet opsluiten in kerkelijke
structuren’
- Authors: Wim Berkelaar
  PubDate: 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z
Franciscan Women Religious in Nineteenth-Century Belgium
- Authors: Kristien Suenens
  Abstract: AbstractThis article examines the revival of female Franciscan religious communities in the nineteenth-century as a platform for analyzing the mechanisms and networks behind the restoration and renewal of female convent life in Belgium. The analysis is conducted from a threefold perspective: the specific role of male and female protagonists, the struggle with old and new identities, and the material backgrounds of the revival. The diverse landscape of old and new, contemplative and apostolic, and urban and rural Franciscan convents and congregations offers an interesting platform for research. The interaction between secular clergy, lay and religious women and the male Friars Minor is examined within the context of changing political regimes, social changes, religious revival and diocesan centralization. Mechanisms of material recovery and the (re-)constructions of gendered, canonical and religious identities are used as a framework for evaluating the importance of old and new models and examining to what extent this nineteenth-century history was a genuine Franciscan revival.
  PubDate: 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z
Decentering the Status Quo
- Authors: Jan Adriaan Schlebusch
  Abstract: AbstractIn his strategic political positioning and engagement in the nineteenth century, Groen van Prinsterer looked towards both the past and the future. Rhetorically, he appealed to the past as a vindication of the truth and practicality of his anti-revolutionary position. He also expressed optimism for the success of his convictions and political goals in the future. This optimism was reflected in the confidence with which he engaged politically, despite experiencing numerous setbacks in his career. Relying on the phenomenological-narrative approach of David Carr, I highlight the motives and strategies behind Groen’s political activity, and reveal that the past and the future in Groen’s narrative provide the strategic framework for his rhetoric, and the basis for his activism. I accentuate how the emphasis of his narrative shifts away from the status quo and thus enables a type of political engagement that proved historically significant for the early consolidation of the Dutch constitutional democracy.
  PubDate: 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z
Catholic Patriotism and Suffering in the Wartime Letters of the Belgian
Mystic Berthe Petit
- Authors: Tine Van Osselaer
  Abstract: AbstractThis article focuses on the use of patriotic feelings and shared experiences of suffering to promote a new devotion. Studying her wartime letter-writing campaign, we examine the strategies that the Belgian mystic Berthe Petit (1870-1943) adopted to promote the devotion of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. By examining the letter writing of Petit and her father confessor during the Great War, we will show how, in 1909, the campaign initially focused on her own mystical experiences and corporeal suffering, but shifted during the war to emphasize that the future of Belgium, France and Britain, was linked to their consecration to the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Stressing the historicity of the mystic, we show how the war (1) provided new opportunities for mystically inspired, non-approved devotions; and (2) how the uncertainties and sorrows of the Great War offered female mystics new openings and lines of thought to explore.
  PubDate: 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z
Muslim Women’s Activism and Organizations in the Netherlands and
Belgium
- Authors: Margaretha A. van Es; Nella van den Brandt
  Abstract: AbstractThis article is a thematic exploration of the organizations that Muslim women have established in the Netherlands and Belgium since the 1970s, and the forms of activism they have engaged in. The article provides insight into the complex dynamic between the lived experience of Muslim women in Dutch and Flemish societies, the shifting forms of their collective identities, and their efforts to bring about social change. We discuss the early organizational activities of migrant women from predominantly Muslim countries during the first few decades after their arrival. We explain the emergence of Islamic organizations and the growing participation of women in these organizations. We also explore the attempts made by Muslim women for feminist mobilization across ethnic and religious boundaries. Finally, we examine Muslim women’s engagement in (mixed-gender) anti-racist and LGBTQ movements. Our results indicate a rising visibility of Muslim women’s activism in the public sphere, and an increase in transversal mobilizations across ethnic and religious boundaries. The article concludes with the latest developments in Muslim women’s activism, and provides suggestions for future research.
  PubDate: 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z
Literature alerts
- Authors: Kim Christiaens; George Harinck, Koos-jan de Jager, Hans Krabbendam, Kristien Suenens, Amr Ryad, Bart Wallet Sabine Wolsink
  PubDate: 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z
Foreword
- Authors: George Harinck editor-in-chief
  PubDate: 2020-07-01T00:00:00Z
From Turks and Renegades to Citizens and Radicals
- Authors: Martijn de Koning
  Abstract: AbstractIn contemporary debates on religion and multiculturalism in the Netherlands, Islam is hypervisible as a ‘problem' originating from outside Europe – the discussion of which draws a clear distinction between the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Muslims. Yet, at the same time, almost no reference is made to the Dutch history of Islam and Muslims prior to World War II. Based on a study of the literature on the history of Islam and the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries and covering the colonial rule of Indonesia and the rise of Indonesian communities in the Netherlands during the interwar period, I trace how the distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Muslims resonates throughout Dutch history. I show how the trope of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Muslims can be found in different, and sometimes contradictory ways and was determined by the local and global interests of the ruling elites and their desire to maintain peace and order to prevent politically dissenting Islamic ideas and transnational movements from influencing local Muslims.
  PubDate: 2020-07-01T00:00:00Z
Witchcraft, Calvinism and Rural Society in the Netherlands: Storytelling
in the Twentieth Century
- Authors: John Exalto
  Abstract: AbstractThe disenchantment of the world initiated by the Enlightenment was not a linear process. Folktales show that a magical world-view persisted in rural society until about 1900. An analysis of two types of folktales demonstrates that even in orthodox Calvinism there were people to whom witchcraft was ascribed. The persistence of belief in witchcraft must be explained both from the rural context and in light of orthodox Calvinism, which held a literal belief in the powers of good and evil personified by God and the devil.
  PubDate: 2020-07-01T00:00:00Z
Christelijke vakbonden van hoop naar ontgoocheling
- Authors: Jos Claeys
  Abstract: AbstractThe implosion of Communism between 1989 and 1991 in Central- and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the following socio-economic transitions had a strong impact on Western European social movements. The international trade union movement and trade unions in Belgium and the Netherlands were galvanized to support the changing labour landscape in CEE, which witnessed the emergence of new independent unions and the reform of the former communist organizations. This article explores the so far little-studied history of Christian trade union engagement in post-communist Europe. Focusing on the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) and its Belgian and Dutch members, it reveals how Christian trade unions tried to recruit independent trade unions in the East by presenting themselves as a ‘third way’ between communism and capitalism and by emphasizing the global dimensions of their movement. The WCL ultimately failed to play a decisive role in Eastern Europe because of internal disagreements, financial struggles and competition with the International Confederation of Trade Unions.
  PubDate: 2020-07-01T00:00:00Z
Processiecultuur in Vlaanderen
- Authors: Joris Colla; Peter Heyrman
  Abstract: AbstractDe rijke processiecultuur in Vlaanderen is een merkwaardig en opmerkelijk persistent fenomeen dat uiteenlopende betekenissen in zich draagt. Die vinden hun neerslag in divers en waardevol materieel en immaterieel erfgoed. De lokale traditiedragers en erfgoedgemeenschappen hebben nood aan ondersteuning en begeleiding. Initiatieven zoals die van het consortium ‘Op handen gedragen’ (Histories, PARCUM en KADOC-KU Leuven) spelen daarop in. Door het faciliteren van expertise-uitwisseling en de aanmaak van een centraal repertorium van processietradities wordt de zorg voor het betrokken erfgoed versterkt, een essentiële voorwaarde voor meer en vernieuwend onderzoek naar de historische en actuele praktijken. We bieden een stand van zaken en schetsen de contouren van een onderzoeksagenda.
  PubDate: 2020-07-01T00:00:00Z