Reformed Church In America Colleges
The Reformed Church in America (RCA)is considered a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination (formerly a part of the Dutch Reformed Church and known as the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of North America). It is also the oldest non-Anglican Protestant church with a continuous ministry. Its history dates back to the early 1600s with early Dutch settlers in the US. In 1794 the Reformed Church held its first general church council, and in 1867 formally adopted the name "Reformed Church in America". With roughly 270,000 members, this denomination has congregations in both the United States and Canada.
Reformed Church in America Higher Education Overview
The first college the RCA became affiliated with dates back to 1784 with the beginning of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, which is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. New immigrants from the Netherlands during the mid-19th century led to the church’s development in the Midwest, and in 1792, Hope College and Western Theological Seminary were founded in Holland, Michigan, as well as Central College at Pella, Iowa. The largest of RCA schools is Hope College, a private, liberal arts school, originally founded as The Pioneer School in 1851. It now offers more than 80 majors leading to a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Enrollment at Hope exceeds 3,000 students every year. Hope College has been recognized nationally for their outstanding undergraduate research programs.
| School | City | Students | Highest Degree | Tenure System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central College | Pella, IA | 1,558 | Bachelor's | yes |
| Hope College | Holland, MI | 3,238 | Bachelor's | yes |
| New Brunswick Theological Seminary | New Brunswick, NJ | 220 | yes | |
| Western Theological Seminary | Holland, MI | 230 | yes |
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