All Articles For Bouwman, Harm

Translated by Peter Vander Schaaf Edited by Douglas J. Kuiper §62. The Binding Authority of the Decisions of the Broader Assemblies. It will be clear after what we have written about the jurisdiction of the broader assemblies that the authority of the broader assemblies is limited. The Reformed did not wish the autonomy and the rights of the local churches to be compromised, and sought to cut off an oligarchy, a governance by a few people in the church, or a monarchy, as in the Romish Church. In the old church orders it was also stated that no matter should...

from Gereformeerd Kerkrecht Translated by Peter Vander Schaaf   Second Book. Second Part: The Church and Her Government Chapter I. The Church Gatherings in General. The Church Federation. § 58. The organization of the church develops. The church has need of leadership and care. So not only are the service of the Word and sacraments necessary, but also bodies who watch in Christ’s name over the maintenance of order and discipline. According to the rules given by the apostles in the Lord’s name, men must be appointed in every church as overseers whose task is to hold spiritual oversight over...

by Harm Bouwman, Translated by Peter Vander Schaaf   A. In the Scriptures The Reformed (Gereformeerden) recognized a big difference between the Sabbath and the ecclesiastical holidays, in that the Sabbath was an ordinance of God and the holidays were set by the church. In reaction against the Romish misuses of holidays, the Reformed sometimes overreacted; but the principle from which they set out was unimpeachable. God had prescribed a specific number of feasts for Israel. These formed an organic whole, a cycle formed according to the holy count of seven, which had its beginning in the Sabbath. Just as God...

by H. Bouwman, Translated by Peter Vander Schaaf Introduction Wherever there are Reformed Churches, Gereformeerd Kerkrecht1 is regarded as one of the fundamental texts on the Church Order; but finding any biographical information on its author is difficult. I have yet to find any sources in English. I am grateful to the librarians at the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary for providing two Dutch books which give some insight into the life and times of Dr. Harm Bouwman. These are: Onder Veilige Hoede: De Theologische School Te Kampen Gedurende de Jaren 1854-1924 (Under Safe Care: The Theological School of Kampen during the...