afscheiding

Afscheiding is a Dutch term that means separation or secession. In religious history it refers most prominently to a movement in the Netherlands in the 1830s in which orthodox congregations broke away from the state-supported Dutch Reformed Church to form independent churches.

The Afscheiding began in 1834 as a reaction against state influence in church matters and perceived liberal trends within the Dutch Reformed Church. Conservative ministers and lay members demanded strict doctrinal standards, tighter church discipline, and greater autonomy for local congregations. The first major break occurred around Ulrum in Groningen, led by dominee Hendrik de Cock, after which similar secessions spread to other regions and communities.

The secession produced new church bodies, traditionally referred to as the Secession churches. They emphasized Calvinist orthodoxy, confessional loyalty, and self-governing congregations, rather than alignment with the state church. Over the following decades the movement influenced Dutch Protestant life by fostering independent congregations, schools, and a distinct ecclesiastical culture. It also contributed to subsequent splits and reorganizations within Dutch Protestantism, eventually giving rise to enduring denominations such as the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland.

In later centuries these churches underwent mergers, reorganizations, and shifts within the broader Dutch Protestant landscape. Today the term Afscheiding remains a historical label for this particular secession, while the descendant churches participate in a diverse spectrum of Dutch Protestant denominations that trace their roots to the 1834 movement. Outside this historical context, afschiding (afscheiding) simply means separation or division and is used in everyday Dutch to describe various kinds of splits.