Stevenistenkerkje

This is one of the few stevenist churches in Belgium. It is located in the street named after Pastor Winnepenninckx who was a leader of stevenism. Stevenism is a tear-off of the Catholic faith, which originated two hundred years ago at the time of Napoleon. It still exists today in parts of the Pajottenland. Vicar General Stevens wanted the relationship between church and state to be preserved as it was before the French Revolution. After the arrest warrant against him, Cornelis Stevens went into hiding in his hometown of Wavre (Walloon Brabant), where he could count on much support. Stevens denounced not only Napoleon but also the bishops' slavish subservience to the emperor. The moderate Stevenists, who were initially strongly represented mainly in the Wavre region, disappeared as a group after the defeat of Napoleon and the departure of the French in 1814. However, a small group of extremists continued to argue that by accepting the so-called Organic Articles (a number of provisions that Napoleon had unilaterally added to the text of the concordat), the bishops had become disloyal to the pope and had formed a kind of state church. They broke communion with the official clergy and formed a non-hierarchically organized sect. This consisted of a circle Namur-Tournai (led by pastor Theys from Jumet near Charleroi), a circle Brabant (with pastor Winnepennickx from Leerbeek in the Pajottenland) and the circle West Flanders (in Gits near Hooglede, between Torhout and Roeselare).

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