Family Quarrels in the Dutch Reformed Church in the Nineteenth Century, a book co-authored by Drs. Robert P. Swierenga and Elton J. Bruins, was published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. in 1999. Dr. Swierenga is a Senior Research Fellow of the Van Raalte Institute and adjunct professor of history at Hope College. Dr. Bruins is the Evert J. and Hattie E. Blekkink Professor Emeritus of Religion at Hope College and was the Director of the A. C. Van Raalte Institute 1994-2002.

Family Quarrels focuses on the religious history of the Dutch Calvinist emigration from the Netherlands to West Michigan and the church struggles of the early settlers. The book explores the reasons that Dutch religious separatists emigrated to the United States, founding settlements like Holland; the Holland Classis joining the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in the U.S.; the 1857 secession that produced the Christian Reformed Church; and the Masonic controversy that led to more secessions in 1882.

The book deals with the division and strife within the Dutch Reformed Church, but according to the authors grew out of a spirit of reconciliation and an ardent desire for unity.

The 158-page illustrated and annotated volume came out of a lecture series sponsored in March 1997 by the Pillar Christian Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan, in celebration of its sesquicentennial. It was preceded by a "Unity Service" -- a joint service of the Pillar Church with its long-estranged daughter church, First Reformed Church of Holland -- to celebrate Dominie Van Raalte's founding of the town and church.

The authors themselves are members of the Reformed Church in America and the Christian Reformed Church. Swierenga is a long-time member of the CRC and currently a member of the Pillar Church. Bruins is an ordained minister in the RCA and a long-time member of Third Reformed Church of Holland.

In their introduction, the authors observe that they are celebrating the rich religious history of the Dutch-born Reformed Churches -- "a history of factiousness and strife, but also of deep piety, love of Christ's church, defense of biblical truth, and bold action to work out the faith in 'world and life.'" In his preface to the book, the Rev. Michael De Vries of Pillar Church also noted, "Becoming knowledgeable about these early struggles within the colony will help us understand the past and, hopefully, encourage us to go forward in faith and hope."

Family Quarrels is the thirty-second volume in the Historical Series of the Reformed Church in America. General editor of the series is Dr. Donald J. Bruggink, professor emeritus of historial theology at Western Theological Seminary.

Copies of Family Quarrels in the Dutch Reformed Church in the Nineteenth Century may be ordered through the Order Department of the Hope Geneva Bookstore at Hope College. You may contact them by phone at (800)946-4673 or through their web site at www.hope.edu/bookstore. VISA, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted.