nd one of the best theologians in the CRC. The Standard Bearer, a Protestant Reformed Church magazine stated, "Friend and foe alike recognized Rev. Hoeksema as a truly great preacher" (29).
             In 1924 he was Pastor of Eastern Avenue Chr. Ref. Church, which was the largest church in the CRC with more than 500 families. Hoeksema devoted any extra time to studying and writing. According to the Standard Bearer the Protestant Reformed Church believes that Rev. Hoeksema was a powerful reformer who "purified the church of the destructive heresy of common grace" (31). But is common grace a destructive heresy? Schaap points out "it is important to allow some legitimacy to both sides [. . .] because no one side holds the whole truth" (247).
             The main controversy was over the issue of common grace, but the whole issue started with controversies about Prof. Ralph Janssen's teachings. Problems started to arise already in 1920 when Rev. Hoeksema criticized Janssen of higher criticism, which is giving natural causes and scientific explanations for miracles. Gertrude Hoeksema, wife of Rev. Herman Hoeksema's son Homer, writes "that Dr. Janssen was teaching his unbelieving theories of criticism under the umbrella of common grace." However, she says his theory of common grace justified his views, but "denied the infallibility of God's Word" (17).
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