- ISSN: 0167-0441
- E-ISSN: 3051-3634
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oa Doperse Weerloosheid uitgedaagd. François Adriaan van der Kemp (1752-1829), doopsgezind leraar en patriot
- Amsterdam University Press
- Source: Doopsgezinde Bijdragen, Volume 51, Issue 1, sep. 2025, p. 131 - 150
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- 01 sep. 2025
Samenvatting
François Adriaan van der Kemp was a Mennonite pastor who served in Leiden and Huizen from 1777 to 1787. A scholar with a broad academic background, he studied in Groningen and Amsterdam. In addition to his pastoral duties, van der Kemp was a fervent and outspoken patriot, even presiding over a militia in Leiden, a role that set him apart from traditional Mennonite practices. In Mennonite historiography, he has often been viewed as an outsider or, in some interpretations, a deviation from the faith’s principles.
This article seeks to rehabilitate van der Kemp as both a beloved pastor to his congregation and an important figure in Mennonite history. His militant stance should not be seen as a departure from the Mennonite tradition of non-violence, but rather as a response to the specific political and social context of his time. During the second half of the 18th century, he was not the only Mennonite to serve in a militia, though pastors in such roles were rare. His case invites a broader exploration of the tensions between Mennonite pacifism and the political realities of the era, a theme also seen in other Christian denominations.
Research in the Leiden Archives and a close reading of his autobiography reveal that van der Kemp’s militia involvement was not an isolated incident. Influenced by figures such as the Mennonite Seminary professor Heere Oosterbaan and the pastor/publicist Johannes Stinstra, van der Kemp’s actions reflect a broader shift in Mennonite thought. The turbulent years of the anti-Orangist uprisings prompted a reevaluation of the traditional non-violent stance, suggesting that, during this period, pacifism within the Mennonite community was increasingly open to challenge.
This article builds on the work of Karel Vos, who in 1923 explored the evolving attitudes towards non-violence within the Dutch Mennonite tradition, offering a nuanced understanding of how van der Kemp’s story fits into this larger historical context.
