Posted on 12/22/2011 11:30:31 AM PST by Cardhu
A drastic exodus from the church is underway in the Netherlands. With two churches shuttered each week, one man has become the country's top advisor on how to repurpose the once holy buildings. Some are demolished, while others find new life as mosques, stores and even recreation centers.
The church pews will be sold according to size. The shortest ones, at 3.6 meters (12 feet) long, can be purchased for €40 ($52), the longer six-meter pews for €60. Churchgoers in the Dutch town of Bilthoven have already carried 17 pews out of their sanctuary.
The pews will not be a problem, says Marc de Beyer. But the organ and the baptismal font weighing hundreds of kilos at the back of the church will be more difficult.
Marc de Beyer is an art historian in Utrecht, located about a half an hour by train from Amsterdam, but one could also call him a liquidator. He's a man who shuts down churches. When a parish is dissolved, when a church is shuttered, de Beyer is there. And he has a lot to do.
Some 4,400 church buildings remain in the Netherlands. But each week, around two close their doors forever. This mainly affects the Catholics, who will be forced to offload half of their churches in the coming years.
"And that's just the beginning," says de Beyer.
His voice echoes in the vaulted building, where the dim autumn sunshine falls sideways through the window panes. De Beyer stands behind a block as large as a freezer chest. Until July 1, 2006, it was the altar at the St. Lawrence church in Bilthoven, north of Utrecht. But on that day the church become real estate and the altar where believers had been blessed, married and mourned became a hunk of cement.
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
“Bare ruined choirs, where late the sweet birds sang...”
“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition...”
2 Thessalonians 2:3
The Dutch worship socialism, weed, and prostitutes now. The only people of faith left are the Muslims.
More fruits of Vatican II. Catholic leaders need to bring back the old-time religion.
In Europe the mosques are packed five times a day. The great cathedrals are empty except when the tourists come by. Europe is the most secular continent on earth.
the end results in the land that championed Calvinism
Well, FRiend Cronos, the article does mention that the closings mostly affect the Roman Catholics.
True, because they’re the only ones left. however, I said “the land that championed Calvinism” — as the Netherlands once did, now it seems to champion abortion, euthanasia, legalized prostitution, drug use etc.
Be fair, Cronos, it is hardly the Calvinists who advocate the abortion, euthanasia, prostitution and drugs.
however I may disagree with their theology, the believing Christians are not the ones who are advocating these evils now. I repeat what I said "“the land that championed Calvinism” -- Netherlands once did that -- now the Netherlands is mostly godless and it champions abortion etc.
however I may disagree with their theology, those believing Christians are not the ones who are advocating these evils now. I repeat what I said "“the land that championed Calvinism” -- Netherlands once did that -- now the Netherlands is mostly godless and it champions abortion etc.
I say it with the same sadness about the Spaniards — in fact I say it with more sadness — these were the people on the forefront of the war against terror from 700 to 1500 and beyond. And now they reduce to cowards.
Uh oh.
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