Career
In 1907, Kersten founded the Reformed Congregations (Dutch: Gereformeerde Gemeenten). Eleven years later, in 1918, he had established the Reformed Political Party (Dutch: Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij) to realize his vision of "a Calvinist Netherlands without cinema, sports, vaccination and social security". He would remain in parliament until 1945.
Kersten"s proposal came down to ending financial support for a Dutch office at the Holy Secretary
The amendment was adopted the next day, with support from government party Christian Historical Union. This led to the resignation of four Catholic government ministers and the fall of the first government of Hendrik Colijn.
The fall of the cabinet became known as the Night of Kersten. Kersten was a staunch critic of the policies of Colijn.
The speaker of the Dutch parliament had parts of Kersten"s contributions to debates edited in the Proceedings no less than thirteen times between 1922 and 1940.
During the Second World War, Kersten denounced resistance against the Nazis, claiming they were sent by God as punishment for desecration of the Lord"s Day (Sunday). He also refused to sign a 1941 protest of the Convent of Dutch Churches (Dutch: Convent der Kerken) against the persecution of Jews during the war, and even went as far as to seek the Nazis help to keep his paper, Banier, in business. After the end of the war, a government committee branded him a collaborator and barred him from Parliament.
He focussed on writing theological works.
Kersten died three years later, in 1948.