Evadoc is an archive and documentation center for churches, various religious organizations, and individuals from the Protestant-Evangelical faith community. It also extends its services to related faith communities. In collaboration with its cultural heritage communities, Evadoc engages in sustainable activities to preserve, catalog, research, publicize, and share its heritage. Through these efforts, Evadoc makes a meaningful contribution to developing the Protestant-Evangelical biography of Flanders, within its Belgian and international context.
History
Evadoc was established as an archive and documentation center for churches, various religious organizations, and individuals from the Protestant-Evangelical faith community. Plans for such a center had been in the making for many years due to a well-founded concern that significant archives, publications, and audiovisual documentation of the Protestant-Evangelical movement in Belgium would be lost. Current issues often take precedence over preserving archives. In 2005, discussions began within the Evangelical Theological Faculty Leuven(ETF) to formalize these plans. Given that the Federal Synod of Protestant and Evangelical Churches in Belgium (FS) represents the evangelical movement to the government, it was also involved in these discussions. This eventually led to the founding of the nonprofit organization Evadoc on May 26, 2009.
A cooperation protocol was signed with KADOC, the Documentation and Research Center for Religion, Culture, and Society, an interfaculty center at KU Leuven to offer a comprehensive and integrated heritage service. This collaboration enabled KADOC to secure financial support from the Flemish government for Protestant-Evangelical heritage. Consequently, Aaldert Prins was appointed as a part-time Evadoc staff member within KADOC starting September 1, 2009. Over the years, Evadoc’s work within KADOC has been integrated into the regular cultural heritage funding from the Flemish government. Numerous personal and organizational archives and publications have since been acquired or managed, and advice and training are provided on the full spectrum of Protestant-Evangelical heritage in its Flemish, Belgian, and international contexts. Additionally, Protestant-Evangelical heritage has been highlighted through various means, such as exhibitions, lectures, and publications.
Collaboration
Evadoc collaborates intensively with KADOC – KU Leuven Documentation and Research Center for Religion, Culture, and Society at KU Leuven to achieve its objectives. This partnership allows Evadoc to utilize KADOC’s expertise and infrastructure for the preservation, description, and accessibility of heritage materials. A protocol governs the Evadoc-KADOC collaboration, and a joint Steering Committee coordinates contacts and outlines the heritage service’s strategy.
Another key partner is the Evangelical Theologisal Faculty Leuven. The ETF frequently draws on Evadoc’s expertise for guest lectures or study days. Conversely, ETF students assist the Evadoc consultant in various aspects of Evadoc’s broad activities, for example, through internships.
