Klaas Hendrikse (September 1, 1947, Groot-Ammers – June 26, 2018, Middelburg) was a Dutch minister of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN) who was known as de atheïstische dominee ('the atheist pastor').
[citation needed] He gained national attention as "the atheist pastor" after he stated in a number of newspapers, including Trouw and Volkskrant, that he did not believe in God's literal existence but as something that "happens".
[3] Hendrikse later said that he did not consider himself to be an atheist, but tried to stay close to atheism in his choice of words and away from the "jargon of the church".
PKN authorities stated that such a case would result in "a protracted discussion about the meanings of words that in the end will produce little clarity.
"[5] Hendrikse said that he would "rather remain as a louse in the fur of the PKN" than leave and form his own religious community.