handelingen

Handelingen is a Dutch term that broadly denotes acts, proceedings, or formal records of an event. In archival and library practice, a handeling or handelingen refers to the records of a meeting, council, court, or similar body, as well as the published volume that collects the reports, papers, and decisions from those proceedings. The word is commonly used for historical or official documents and for the published results of organized gatherings.

In religious use, Handelingen is most familiar as the Dutch name for the biblical Acts of the Apostles. In Dutch translations of the New Testament, the book is titled Handelingen der Apostelen and describes the early Christian church’s spread and activities.

In scholarly and scientific contexts, especially from the 17th through the early 20th centuries, many learned societies published serial volumes titled Handelingen or Handelingen van [Society]. These volumes gathered papers presented at meetings, along with addresses, announcements, and reports. Today these publications are typically treated as historical primary sources and bibliographic records. Modern terminology in similar contexts often uses Verhandelingen (transactions), Proceedings, or Transactions to indicate a collection of papers presented at a meeting.

Usage and naming conventions vary by region and period. In catalogs, Handelingen is often followed by the name of the society and the year. Although less common in contemporary Dutch publishing, the title remains recognizable in historical bibliographies and in religious texts, where it continues to denote the Acts of the Apostles.