Dutch Reformed Church

[Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk]

The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), founded in the 17th century by Dutch settlers in southern Africa, includes more than one million members and three theological faculties. A founding member of WCC, the DRC broke its relationship with WCC in the 1960s, due to harsh criticism from the ecumenical fellowship on the DRC’s involvement in and support of apartheid. Beginning in 1986, the DRC rejected all forms of racism and opened its membership to all believers. DRC was readmitted in the confessional family of  the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (now: World Communion of Reformed Churches) in 1998 and became, for the first time, a member of the All Africa Conference of Churches in 2012, as well as a member of the South African Council of Churches.