2 days Ago
Churches Recognize the Pain, But Draw the Line at Sorry
The Interkerkelijk Contact in Overheidszaken, or CIO, which represents around 30 Dutch church denominations, has acknowledged that church organizations played a role in the forced separation of mothers and their newborns. Between 1956 and 1984, roughly 15,000 young women — many of them unmarried — had their babies taken away, often right after birth. The pressure came from multiple directions: families, child-protection agencies, and church bodies that collectively treated unmarried motherhood as something shameful and unacceptable. Babies were routinely moved into institutions or placed with foster families, with little say from the mothers themselves.
The CIO called these separations "a drastic and painful event" and said it recognizes the suffering caused. But when it comes to a formal apology — something the affected women have specifically demanded — the organization says it sees no grounds for one. CIO spokesman Arthur Miedema was direct about the group's position: "Our statement contains everything we want to say about this, and we think this does justice to the situation."
A Biblical Standard the Church Admits Wasn't Always Followed
There's a certain irony in how the CIO framed its response. The group pointed to Biblical values around family, noting that keeping mothers and children together has long been a guiding principle for the church. "That is precisely why it is painful to see that the practice at that time was not always in line with those intentions," the CIO said — essentially admitting a gap between what was preached and what was practiced.
In the future, the organization says it will give affected parents and children access to any records churches may hold. It also promised pastoral guidance and support, describing these efforts as contributing to "recognition, care, and, where possible, processing and healing." Meanwhile, the Dutch government is separately preparing to issue its own statement of regret, expected this summer, as cabinet ministers move to address the decades-old scandal through official channels.
