De oecumene van het hart: kanttekeningen bij de opmars van de Evangelische Omroep

Samenvatting

Although the Dutch broadcasting company Evangelische Omroep ([Evangelical Broadcasting Co] EO) has been subject to doubt regarding its survival almost since its foundation in 1967, it is now one of the Netherlands' biggest public broadcasting companies. Its success is examined against the background of developments in Dutch Orthodox Protestantism, with which it has always been affiliated. Drawing on national data on religion discussed by H. C. Stoffels (1995) & yearly member surveys conducted by the EO, it is found that the dramatic decrease in religiosity since the 1960s has practically bypassed Orthodox Protestantism. Due to relatively high birth rates among Orthodox Protestants & some membership gain resulting from the liberalization of other Protestant denominations, a shift in the core of Dutch Protestantism toward Orthodoxy is noted. Further, although Orthodox Protestantism has traditionally been divided along Calvinist vs Evangelical lines, the influence of the more Evangelical style of the EO is found to have caused a gradual shift toward Evangelicalism among all of Dutch Orthodox Protestantism. 3 Tables, 1 Figure, 17 References. Adapted from the source document.