The "original" Reformed Church in The Netherlands is the denomination now called Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (NHK). This church was begun as part of the Protestant Reformation, shaped by Calvinistic theology and world views. The NHK functioned in many ways as a state church, and was considered the volkskerk for most Dutch people. Its current membership is about 2,900,000. The NHK is strongly ecumenical (W.A. Visser 't Hooft represented the NHK), both nationally and internationally. The church also contains a wide spectrum of theological positions, from openly liberal to a strong segment of ultra-orthodox congregations. The other denomination under discussion here is the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland (GKN). These churches separated from the NHK in the secessions of 1834 and 1886 and joined as a denomination in 1892. Until the 1950s the GKN was firmly orthodox in theology, traditional in life-style, and a strong influence in the national life of the country. Since then the church has undergone vast changes, and the theological spectrum is similar to that in the NHK. The membership of the GKN is approximately 800,000. Since the 1970s these two denominations (along with a small Lutheran church) have had discussions about reuniting. That process (Samen op Weg) is now well advanced. In 1993 a name was chosen for the new denomination, Verenigde Protestantse Kerk in Nederland. In addition, there are a number of smaller Reformed denominations, all of which are theologically more conservative than the two discussed here, both in theology and worship practices.