Christ the Only Head of His Church

What is it about?

Through sermons, generations of Reformed Christians in the Netherlands came into contact with the theology and spirituality of the Heidelberg Catechism. Sermons and commentaries on Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 54 were driven by the ecclesiastical discussions of their time. The dispute with Rome was long-running and enduring in the context of the Dutch Republic. Sermons on Q&A 54 strongly emphasize that Christ is the only head of the church. The expositions are clearly polemical in tone toward Rome when it comes to the government of the church and the pope. Also on the subject of election the content of the sermons and commentaries was shaped by the theological discussions going on in the church. After the conclusion of the Synod of Dordt, the content of the sermons and commentaries was strongly influenced by the ideas expressed in the Canons of Dordt. The relationship to the government also determined the content of the sermons. The theme of discipline had much to do with the relationship between the church and civil government. This makes most sermons speak cautiously about discipline. This is not true for the minister Lansbergen. He emphasizes the importance of discipline in his interpretation of the Heidelberg Catechism. The conflict, which led to his deposition in 1613, involved a mayoral appointment of a candidate suspected of Roman sympathies by the Calvinists.

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