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Collection Overview
Abstract
Minister of the Christian Reformed Church and professor of systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary. The collection includes materials on theological, doctrinal, ethical, and confessional matters; reports, minutes and correspondence detailing synodical committees, i.e., Interchurch Relations, Form of Subscription, Report 44 of 1972, Confessions, Heidelberg Catechism, and SCORR; minutes for the Meeter Center; articles; papers; materials on the alternate seminary and women's issue controversy; correspondence; letters of call; course materials; home missionary reports; retirement materials; and material on the Gerald Klooster court case with clippings, articles, correspondence, court proceedings, and videos. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]
Biographical Note
Fred H. Klooster was born in Munster, Indiana on December 23, 1922. While attending Chicago Christian High, Klooster's Bible teacher told him he had the ability to become a pastor and encouraged him to pursue an education in ministry. Klooster took his teacher's word to heart and enrolled at Calvin College. After graduating with his B.A. in 1942, he went on to Calvin Theological Seminary where he earned his Th.B. in 1947. Klooster decided to further his education by obtaining his Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1949. Klooster had the honor of studying as a Fulbright scholar at the Free University of Amsterdam, earning his Th.D. in 1951.
Once he completed his education, Klooster was ordained on September 21, 1952 at South Holland, Illinois. He served as a Home missionary in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois until 1953. Klooster went on to become a lecturer at his alma mater, Calvin College, from 1953 to 1956. Klooster accepted the position of Professor of Dogmatics at the Seminary, and later taught Systematic Theology. Over the course of 35 years, he proudly prepared several generations of pastors for the CRC. Klooster retired in 1988.
Klooster's real passion was teaching, but he also enjoyed writing and scholarly research on the Heidelberg Catechism. He has written many articles and books including Our Only Comfort: A Comprehensive Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism, 2001. He was also the founding editor of the Calvin Theological Journal. He served his church in many capacities as well, such as serving on numerous synodical committees and leadership roles in the Reformed Ecumenical Synod.
On a personal level, Klooster married Leona De Waard in 1946. Together they had five children. When Klooster was not teaching, writing, or involved with a committee, he was gardening, playing ping-pong, or running around with his family. Fred H. Klooster passed away due to subdural hematoma on December 27, 2003 at the age of 81.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: [General Materials]],
[
Series 2: Articles and Papers],
[
Series 3: Academic Materials, 1961-1996],
[
Series 4: Committee Materials, 1982-1997],
[
Series 5: Academic Materials, 1982-1997],
[
Series 6: Correspondence],
[
All]
- Series 1: [General Materials]
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Biographical information
- Folder 2: Retirement Articles and Documents
- Folder 3: Notes on Thesis: "The Incomprehensibility of God in the Orthodox Presbyterian Conflict"
- Folder 4: Outline for a Study of the Heidelberg Catechism
- Folder 5: Final draft of Catechism Comparisons --- April 1989
- Folder 6: Article on the Heidelberg Catechism written for Psalter Hymnal Handbook --- 1987
- Folder 7: Material dealing with publication of A Mighty Comfort
- Folder 8: Material on evaluation of Dutch confession "God Met Ons"
- Folder 9: Two Latin catechisms
- Folder 10: Speech to Bible conference
- Folder 11: Articles on the Westminster Assembly and Confession
- Folder 12: "Reflections upon the Document - Communion of Saints," paper
- Folder 13: "Reformed Confessions and the Identity of the Church," paper
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Minutes of Report 44 Study Committee
- Folder 2: Report 44 Committee memos
- Folder 3: Commentaries on Report 44
- Folder 4: Correspondence with Report 44 Committee
- Folder 5: Papers on biblical authority (various authors)
- Folder 6: Seminarian N. Overduin paper on Report 44
- Folder 7: Report 44 Committee Report to Synod --- 1972
- Folder 8: Dordt College Conference on Biblical Authority --- 1976
- Folder 9: Papers by Report 44 committee members on biblical authority
- Folder 10: Papers/articles on Report 44 (by non-committee members)
- Folder 11: Appeals to Synod re: Report 44
- Folder 12: Report 44 Committee Member comments on final reports for committee meetings
- Folder 13: Report to the (6) Midwest CRC classes re: Report 44 --- 1983
- Folder 14: Correspondence between Report 44 committee members
- Folder 15: Klooster correspondence re: Report 44
- Folder 16-17: Correspondence received re: Report 44
- Folder 18: Banner articles on Report 44
- Item 1: Guardian articles
- Item 2: Reformed Journal articles
- Item 3: Christian Beacon article
- Item 4: Outlook articles
- Item 5: De Wachter article
- Box 3
- Folder 1: RES Conference on Scripture --- 1972
- Folder 2: Reformed Ecumenical Synod Correspondence
- Folder 3: NAE Theology Committee material
- Folder 4: National Association of Evangelicals material
- Folder 5: Presbyterian Confession of 1967 material
- Folder 6: CRC/RCA Relations material
- Folder 7: Discussions between Interchurch Relations Committee and PCA
- Folder 8: Discussions between Interchurch Relations Committee and RCA
- Folder 9: Discussions between Interchurch Relations Committee and OPC
- Folder 10: Interchurch Relations Committee minutes --- 1988-1992
- Folder 11: D. Feddes vs. Neal Punt on Universalism
- Folder 12: The Theology of the New Hermeneutics
- Folder 13: Willis De Boer material
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: [General Materials]],
[
Series 2: Articles and Papers],
[
Series 3: Academic Materials, 1961-1996],
[
Series 4: Committee Materials, 1982-1997],
[
Series 5: Academic Materials, 1982-1997],
[
Series 6: Correspondence],
[
All]
