A CHRONOLOGY OF PROTESTANT BEGINNINGS:  SURINAM

by Drs. Daryl L. Platt and Clifton L. Holland

(last revised on May 27, 2003)

Historical Overview of Surinam:

Claimed as English Plantation Colony:                                                                                  1650

Ceded from England to Holland for New York City (became Dutch Guiana):                              1667

Slavery abolished in Dutch Colonies:                                                                                    1863

34,000 East Indian laborers immigrated:                                                                        1873-1916

32,000 Javanese laborers immigrated:                                                                           1891-1939

Incorporated into Kingdom of the Netherlands:                                                     1922 Constitution

Gained Independence from Holland:                                                                                      1975

 

Number of North American agencies in 1989:                                                                            27

Number of North American agencies in 1996:                                                                            19        

Indicates European society*

Significant Protestant Beginnings or Events:

     1668      -    *Reformed Church of Surinam among Dutch colonists:  missionary Rev. Basseliers; achieved independence from the Netherlands Reformed Church in 1957.

     1735      -    *German Moravian mission work among African slaves

     1738      -    *Moravian mission work among Arawak Indians

     1945      -    Wesleyan Church World Missions

     1945      -    General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

     1945      -    Pilgrim Holiness Church

     1954      -    World Team (formerly, West Indies Mission) (1957)

     1959      -    Assemblies of God, General Council

     1961      -    International Missions, Inc.

     1964      -    Missionary Aviation Fellowship

     1967      -    Wycliffe Bible Translators (USA & Canada)

     1967      -    Independent Faith Mission

     1971      -    Southern Baptist Convention, Board of Foreign Missions (now, International Mission Board)

     1972      -    Fellowship International Mission

     1982      -    Church of God World Missions (Cleveland, TN)

     1984      -    Church of the Nazarene

     1985      -    Mennonite Board of Missions

     1987      -    Orthodox Presbyterian Church

     1987      -    Christian & Missionary Alliance

     1992      -    Church of God of Prophecy

 

 

Date of Origin Unknown:

 

                        African Methodist Episcopal Church

                        Biblical Ministries Worldwide

                        Full Gospel Grace Fellowship

                        National Baptist Convention

                        New Jerusalem Church

 

 

NOTES:

(1)        Dates listed indicate the earliest recorded ministry or in case of discrepancies, the date most frequently indicated.

 

(2)        North American Agencies include U.S. and Canadian.

SOURCES:

(1) Daryl L. Platt, "Who Represents the Evangelical Churches in Latin America? A Study of the Evangelical Fellowship Organizations." Pasadena, CA: an unpublished Doctor of Missiology Dissertation, School of World Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary, June 1991. Used by permission of the author.

(2) PROLADES (Latin American Socio-religious Studies Program), international headquarters in San José, Costa Rica: www.prolades.com, prolades@racsa.co.cr

            (3) Dayton Roberts and John Siewert, editors:  Mission Handbook of U.S. and Canadian Christian Ministries Overseas (MARC 1989).

            (4) John A. Siewert and Edna G. Valdez, editors: Mission Handbook of U.S. and Canadian Christian Ministries Overseas (MARC 1997).

            (5)   Jean-Jacques Bauswein and Lukas Vischer, The Reformed Family Worldwide (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999).