This week in Christian history: new pope elected, Reformed Church founded, Jesus Daily launched
Christian Reformed Church founded — April 8, 1857
This week marks the anniversary of when the Christian Reformed Church in North America, which had stemmed from Dutch immigrants to the United States, was founded.
The denomination was formed by about 130 families from four churches who took issue with certain practices of the American arm of the Dutch Reformed Church.
These included claims of doctrinally unsound preaching, usage of hymns rather than Psalm-singing, and the practice of allowing all Christians, not just church members, to receive communion.
In the present day, the denomination has nearly a quarter of a million members divided into around one thousand congregations in the United States and Canada.