# Bert Laeyendecker

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Dutch sociologist (1930–2020)

**Leonardus** **"Bert"** **Laeyendecker** (18 June 1930 – 8 August 2020) was a Dutch sociologist. He was professor of sociology at [Leiden University](/source/Leiden_University) from 1973 to 1989. He specialized in [sociology of religion](/source/Sociology_of_religion).

## Life

Laeyendecker was born on 18 June 1930 in [Utrecht](/source/Utrecht).[1] He obtained his doctorate in social geography at the [University of Amsterdam](/source/University_of_Amsterdam) in 1967 under professor S. Hofstra with a thesis titled: "Religion and conflict: the so-called sects in sociological perspective".[2] From August 1967 to October 1973 he was lector of sociology at the University of Amsterdam. In October 1973 he became professor of sociology at [Leiden University](/source/Leiden_University).[1] His appointment ended in February 1989 due to a reorganization.[1][3] From 1989 to 1992 he served as director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Church and Society (Dutch: *Multidisciplinair Centrum voor Kerk en Samenleving*).[3]

During the 1960s Laeyendecker started research on [sociology of religion](/source/Sociology_of_religion), especially that of the [Catholic Church in the Netherlands](/source/Catholic_Church_in_the_Netherlands), and continued to do so throughout his career.[3] Kees de Groot and Erik Sengers stated that Laeyendecker was one of the greatest sociologists in the Netherlands between the 1970s and 1980s.[4]

In early 1970, Laeyendecker resigned as Father [Augustinian](/source/Augustinians) because of [Clerical celibacy in the Catholic Church](/source/Clerical_celibacy_in_the_Catholic_Church) which was also propagated by Dutch Cardinal [Bernardus Johannes Alfrink](/source/Bernardus_Johannes_Alfrink).[5] In 1993 Laeyendecker concluded that the [Second Vatican Council](/source/Second_Vatican_Council) had inspired a counter-reaction and that official authority of the Catholic Church over believers had greatly diminished in the second half of the 20th century.[6]

Laeyendecker was elected a member of the [Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences](/source/Royal_Netherlands_Academy_of_Arts_and_Sciences) in 1989.[7]

He died on 8 August 2020 at the age of 90.[8]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ul_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ul_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ul_1-2) ["Leonardus Laeyendecker"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200620153605/https://hoogleraren.leidenuniv.nl/id/1517) (in Dutch). Leiden University. Archived from [the original](https://hoogleraren.leidenuniv.nl/id/1517) on 20 June 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Dr. L. Laeyendecker, 1930 -"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200622183151/http://www.albumacademicum.uva.nl/cgi/b/bib/bib-idx?type=simple;lang=nl;c=ap;rgn1=entirerecord;q1=Laeyendecker;x=0;y=0;cc=ap;view=reslist;sort=achternaam;fmt=long;page=reslist;start=1;size=1) (in Dutch). University of Amsterdam. Archived from [the original](http://www.albumacademicum.uva.nl/cgi/b/bib/bib-idx?type=simple;lang=nl;c=ap;rgn1=entirerecord;q1=Laeyendecker;x=0;y=0;cc=ap;view=reslist;sort=achternaam;fmt=long;page=reslist;start=1;size=1) on 22 June 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-banning_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-banning_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-banning_3-2) Herman Noordegraaf (22 September 2014). ["Maatschappijkritiek van oudheid tot heden"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190516121052/https://www.banningvereniging.nl/maatschappijkritiek-van-oudheid-tot-heden/) (in Dutch). Banning Vereniging. Archived from [the original](https://www.banningvereniging.nl/maatschappijkritiek-van-oudheid-tot-heden/) on 16 May 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*Sociologies of Religion: National Traditions*](https://books.google.com/books?id=1-l5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA147). BRILL. 7 August 2015. p. 147. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-29758-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-29758-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Dijk2013_5-0)** Marc van Dijk (18 October 2013). [*De paus van Amsterdam: biografie van Huub Oosterhuis*](https://books.google.com/books?id=PvIvAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT141). Atlas Contact, Uitgeverij. p. 141. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-450-2651-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-450-2651-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Groot2017_6-0)** Kees de Groot (13 September 2017). [*The Liquidation of the Church*](https://books.google.com/books?id=32A1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT57). Taylor & Francis. p. 57. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-317-10476-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-317-10476-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Leo (Bert) Laeyendecker"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200511190638/https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/members/4430). Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Archived from [the original](https://www.knaw.nl/en/members/members/4430) on 11 May 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Overlijdensbericht Bert Laeyendecker"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200813171934/https://images.nrc.nl/G8jgokhEYP8WKPjIV__EmeqesCA=/x/filters:no_upscale%28%29:format%28jpeg%29:fill%28f8f8f8,true%29/s3/nrchub/clippings/NH/20200813/304-advertisement-215609_1269066_laeyendecker01-d30421.png). NRC Handelsblad. 13 August 2020. Archived from [the original](https://images.nrc.nl/G8jgokhEYP8WKPjIV__EmeqesCA=/x/filters:no_upscale():format(jpeg):fill(f8f8f8,true)/s3/nrchub/clippings/NH/20200813/304-advertisement-215609_1269066_laeyendecker01-d30421.png) on 13 August 2020.

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