Brief Immigration History of the Christian Reformed Church in North America
The Christian Reformed Church in North America has an immigration story. We are an immigrant denomination, and the immigrant experience is a significant part of our story. Though the denomination today consists of congregations of many ethnicities and nationalities, it was originally established by Dutch Reformed immigrants who made their way to North America in the mid-1800s.
In pursuit of better economic opportunities and religious freedom, many immigrants from the Netherlands emigrated to the United States and Canada in the mid-1800s. They brought with them Reformed theology, Calvinist doctrines, and a desire for independence from the Reformed Church of the Netherlands, which led to the establishment of the Christian Reformed Church in North America in 1857. Immigration from the Netherlands increased dramatically in the latter part of the 19th century, causing the number of CRC churches to multiply across the U.S. and Canada. Many post-war Dutch people found their way to Canada, in part because of Canadian soldiers’ role in liberating the Netherlands from Nazi rule, and joined CRC churches.
Like many immigrant stories, the migration journey for the Dutch was long and difficult, and the challenges did not stop upon arrival: loved ones were left behind, lives were lost at sea, many fell ill. Some were taken advantage of or lied to. Promised opportunities sometimes resulted in dashed hopes and dirt floors.
Because of these hardships, CRC churches came together to sponsor and support newly-arriving Dutch immigrants. Like many immigrants today, immigrants from the Netherlands could not make the transition alone, so they supported one another. Immigration was and is our story.
It must be acknowledged, however, that immigration is not everyone’s story. Many Native Americans and African Americans are an integral part of the CRC, and their stories are wrought with trauma, suffering, forced labor, and displacement, often at the hands of Dutch immigrants themselves.
The truth is that we are not all immigrants. The heart-breaking and infuriating truth is that for many CRC congregants today, the story is, “we were enslaved,” “we were trafficked,” “we were forcibly displaced,” “we survived.” We must be honest with ourselves about this history too; we must lament it and do our part in God’s kingdom to ensure that neither systems nor individuals repeat this history.
The immigration story unfolding in North America continues to grow and evolve, as it does in the Christian Reformed Church as well. It is our hope that in remembering our largely immigrant identity, we will be encouraged to welcome the stranger, pursue justice for the immigrant, and create a compassionate story - both inter-personally and systemically - that future generations can be proud of.
