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The emblem of the Reformed Church in America is an adaptation of the coat of arms of William the Silent, the first Prince of Orange, whose political savvy (and three serial marriages) brought together the provinces of the Netherlands and Holland to form the free Dutch republic in which the mother church of the RCA, the Dutch Reformed Church, took shape.

Seated atop the achievement of arms is a crowned helm. During his reign Charles the Great granted the privilege to bear the crown to the house of Orange. The fully faced helmet signifies its princely estate. The central inescutcheon is that of Jane of Geneva, who married one of the minor princes of Orange. Beneath Jane's shield is a second inescutcheon which combines the colors of Chalons, on the chief dexter and base sinister portions, and the symbols on the chief sinister and base dexter quadrants connoting the house of Orange whose bugles called citizens to defend their faith against the Moors and Saracens.

The largest shield is party per cross. Contained in the chief dexter quadrant is an or (gold) lion rampant and seventeen gold billets, symbolizing the union of the seven states of Holland and the ten states of the Netherlands under William. The three remaining quadrants represent locations in Luxembourg, the German Palatinate, and France with which William was associated.

The church, in adopting this achievement of arms, added the golden pillars topped by the rare five-pointed stars, and two mottoes. At the top, "Nisi dominus frustra" is the incipit, or first line, of Psalm 127, "Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it." evidencing their conviction that the reformers were doing the Lord's work. Emblazoned on the bottom ribbon is "Eendracht maakt macht", Dutch for "Unity makes strength" a watchword of the reformers in defense of their principles.

This page was last edited on August 24, 2009