Where oh Where Wednesday: The Hague

In just 10 days we will be in The Hague again for our annual gathering of Dutch-speaking churches. The Hague is also called “Den Haag” or, to make things even more challenging, “’s Granevnhage”. That last one is the official version which was first used I the 15th century and means “the count’s grove (or hedge)”. 

The Hague is the administrative center and seat of government for the Netherlands. So although Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands, parliament meets in The Hague. It is here that you will find the “little tower” where the prime minister meets, here that parliament meets and makes laws, here that the highest courts of the land make judgements. 

The Hague is part of the province of South Holland (whereas Amsterdam is part of North Holland). It is the 3rd largest city in the Netherlands with a population around half a million. With its greater urban area the population comes closer to 800,000 and joins the other major areas which make up the “Randstad” - including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht - where roughly half the population of the Netherlands lives. 

The city itself is set along the sea and has a lively variation of activities. You can find Madurodam - a mini park where most of Europe is  shown in miniature, the beach and area of Scheveningen (which also houses a high security prison for international criminals), the International Court of Justice, Europol and a judicial arm of the United Nations. There is a world famous theater, a panoramic museum on the pier of Scheveningen and plenty of modern architecture. It is in the parks of The Hague that activists gather to make their voices heard. 

And this is where, in the 1970’s the church grew due to its international character. The international businesses of Shell, Dow and more meant that the congregation had a varied membership. When Shirley and I arrived in 1981 on a campaign, it was the members of the church here that touched our hearts and called us to return. We spent days delivering flyers I the city. And it was on the steps of the building in The Hague that we had our first kiss (on May 31 1981). 

On June 9 we will enjoy meeting with the various churches from around Belgium and the Netherlands in the building in The Hague. This time we will also spend the afternoon in a park nearby, enjoying fellowship and the beauty of the city. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Discoverers and travelers

I love maps. Shirley knows that if I had a choice I would decorate our walls with world maps. Old maps. Maps with all the countries. Simple geographical maps. Brown, tea-stained maps in great frames behind glass. Globes sitting on tables (maybe made into a lamp). I love maps. 

I have always loved traveling. Maybe that was because my family grew up traveling. We lived in 4 countries before I was in 3rd grade and I had already traveled in a ship, a plane, a train and a bus in that period. I always say that I was born with ‘wanderlust’ in my veins (the desire to travel). So maybe it is not strange that I love maps - and that we live in Belgium and work in the Netherlands. 

Mercator - the one who made the Mercator projection of the world, the map that most people are familiar with when thinking about world maps (and which grossly misrepresents the sizes of continents) - was a Belgian, born in Rupelmonde in the area of Antwerp. Gerardus Mercator was a geographer, cartographer and cosmographer. All of those ‘graphers’ means he put it on paper. His world map saw the light in 1569 and was used for sailors. 

And many of those sailors in those days were Dutchmen opening up the world with their sailing voyages of discovery. New Holland (later to be known as Australia), New Zealand (the original “Zeeland” is in the Netherlands), New Amsterdam (later known as New York) were all Dutch. The Dutch East India Company opened trade to Indonesia, China and India. 

The Dutch were also busy in the West, putting their stamp on South America (Surinam) and the Caribbean (Curaçao, Saint Martin, Aruba, Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba) through the Dutch West India Company. This was the golden era of sailing, trade and discovery (I wrote about this here).

What is thrilling is the idea that whether we stay where we are or travel, the world is at our feet and God is everywhere. We have talked about all the cultures present in our worship services every Sunday and how we have been blessed to travel to visit and work with the church in so many places. It amazes me to see that God’s kingdom is everywhere - wherever He is King. Is He King of your life? 

Whodunit Wednesday: Scholars

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘scholar’? If you search for important scholars throughout the ages, you come upon several connected with the Netherlands. 

Many university students would like to get an Erasmus scholarship. The Erasmus program encourages and assists with international study through its scholarships. The scholarship and program is named after the scholar Erasmus, who was full out: Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, or Erasmus of Rotterdam. He was a philosopher and scholar in the mid-15th through beginning of the 16th century. He wrote about changes that needed to be made from within the Catholic Church during the reformation and is considered a Christian Humanist.

Baruch Spinoza, or Benedictus de Spinoza was born in Amsterdam in the 17th century to Portuguese-Jewish parents. He was one of the exponents of rationalism and pushed the idea of the Enlightenment. He developed ideas against the authenticity of the Hebrew Bible and was considered by many as an ‘atheist’, which meant that his works were banned for a time. 

More recently, Somali-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali has made a name in philosophical and scholarly circles. She was a member of the Dutch parliament before moving to the US in 2006. She has especially been outspoken against the Muslim faith and considers herself and atheist. She continues to work against the influence of Islam, especially as it has to do with women. This has put her high on the death-threat list for terrorists. 

These philosophers, scholars and politicians have greatly shaped the Netherlands and how people here think - about God, about the world, about religion.

(PHOTO: Yeager-Crasselt, Lara. “Scholar in His Study” (2017). In The Leiden Collection Catalogue, 3rd ed. Edited by Arthur K. Wheelock Jr. and Lara Yeager-Crasselt. New York, 2020–. https://theleidencollection.com/artwork/scholar-in-his-study/ (accessed December 14, 2022).)

Whodunit Wednesday - Fashion

(The picture is of Sean and Jill's dog, Pierre)

I remember when I figured out that Haägen Dazs ice cream was not some European brand (it sounds somewhat Danish), but simply American. It was at that time that I realized that things aren’t always what they sound like. 

This is also true when you think of fashion. Perhaps there are some (real fashionistas) who have heard of the “Antwerp Six” and know that Antwerp is a Belgian city. Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulenmeester and Walter Van Beirendonck were all part of the Antwerp Six. Others, like Diane von Furstenberg (who was born in Belgium) and Liz Claiborne, simply sound German or Amnerican. They are Belgian, as is Raf Simons, the head of Dior. 

Even brands can sound like something else. Scapa, which has an English aesthetic, is a Belgian fashion brand. America Today, G-Star Raw and Scotch & Soda, despite what they might sound like, are Dutch brands. Viktor & Rolf are two Dutch fashion designers

It reminds me of how beautiful I have always found the idea of a melting pot in the United States. People come from everywhere. You cannot tell from a last name where someone might be from. When we first came to Belgium and The Netherlands, our last name helped. Raab is originally a German name and the double “a” makes perfect sense in the Dutch/Flemish language. Even better, in the family of God, we can come from everywhere and still belong, no matter what your name sounds like. We just want to wear the right fashion. 

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.    Galatians 3:26-29

Whodunit Wednesday - Look familiar?

Although both The Netherlands and Belgium are quite small countries, they have and continue to contribute to the ranks fo famous people in the world. Of course, within the countries there are far more Belgiands and Dutch actors and musicians who are famous or recognized. But even in the wider world many of these names will be known. 

In Music

Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone around 1840. Anyone who loves sax music can thank this Belgian for his contribution (which carries his name). A well-known jazz sax player is Candy Dulfer, a Dutch woman. And staying in the jazz and blues tones, anyone who has ever heard a harmonica knows the name of legendary Belgian Toots Thielemans. 

But there are all types of music in the world. DJ Tiësto was one of the first and most well-known dj’s. He is a Dutchman. These days, you might listen to the Belgian Charlotte de Witte when listening to a dj set. Some other well-known Belgian artists are Angele and Stromae. 

Even when we move to different genres and times, we find Belgians and Dutchmen. Goerge Baker (Una Paloma Blanca) was from The Netherlands, as is country singer Ilse de Lange. For those who like classical music, Andre Rieu tours the world with his  orchestra getting people from Australia to Switzerland to sing along and start a waltz. He is from right here in Maastricht. 

In Film

For those watching the screen (or the small screen) there are also plenty of Dutch and Belgians actors. Some are more recognizable than others. Most people know that Jean-Claude van Damme is Belgian. He is called “the muscles from Brussels”. But perhaps people didn’t know that Veerle Baetens and her co-star in Broken Circle Breakdown are Belgian. Matthias Schoenaerts from “Rust and Bone” and “The Danish Girl” is also Belgian. 

Most people will definitely know Famke Janssen, either from the X-men or as a James Bond badgirl. She is a more recent Dutch actress. Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner) and Jeroen Krabbé (Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Bond baddie, The Fugitive) have been representing The Netherlands on the silver screen for quite some time. Most recently perhaps has been Carine Van Houten in Game of Thrones.