Koopmans, Rinse (1770-1826)

Rinse Koopmans, the son of Claes Rinses Coopmans, a butter merchant, who in 1722-d. 1792 was a lay preacher of the Mennonite congregation of Leeuwarden. Rinse Koopmans was born 9 March 1770 at Grouw in Friesland. After completing his study at the Mennonite Seminary in Amsterdam in 1794 he was a ministerial candidate and served successfully in Blokzijl (September 1794), Dokkum (April 1795), and Amsterdam (February 1796). This career bears witness to his excellent preaching ability; his skill as a pastor and a comforter of the sick was equally highly praised. In 1812 he was chosen to succeed Gerrit Hesselink as professor at the Mennonite Seminary in Amsterdam, but could not give his speech of acceptance until two years later when French dominion was overthrown (8 June 1814). Characteristic of Koopmans is the theme of this address: "To the application of the divine authority of revealed doctrine against those who, while they elevate human speech, the excellence of the Gospel, as well as the wisdom and character of Jesus Christ by their words of praise, reject the divine authority of revelation, especially that of Jesus Christ." Koopmans had the ability to unfold to his students without partiality the views and opinions of others. Hearty and cheerful as he was, he was rather the type of a pious father – he had a large family – than of a scholar. His Redevoeringen en Verhandelingen (2 vols., Amsterdam, 1819) treat literary as much as philosophical subjects. As a theologian he acquired fame by a prize-winning (Teylers Godgeleerd Genootschap award) treatise, "De zoenoffers des Ouden Verbonds en den dood van Christus met derselve vergeleken." In 1797 he married Janke Cnoop (d. 1823) of Bolsward.

On 5 September 1826 Koopmans died at his country home "Bovenburen" near Koudum in Friesland.

Bibliography

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1892): 86; (1898): 21; (1901): 18. 

Doopsgezind Jaarboekje (1850): 124 146-153.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 547.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam, 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: I, Nos. 688, 691-93, 696.

Naamlijst der tegenwoordig in dienst zijnde predikanten der Mennoniten in de vereenigde Nederlanden (Amsterdam, 1815): 58-63; (1829): 24.

Visscher, H. and L. A. van Langeraad. Biographisch Woordenboek von Protestantsche Godgeleerden in Nederland, 5 vols. Utrecht, 1903-: V. 206-210.

Author(s)	Nanne van der Zijpp
Date Published	1957

Cite This Article

MLA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. "Koopmans, Rinse (1770-1826)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 25 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Koopmans,_Rinse_(1770-1826)&oldid=145620.

APA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. (1957). Koopmans, Rinse (1770-1826). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Koopmans,_Rinse_(1770-1826)&oldid=145620.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 225. All rights reserved.

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