Reformed Christian confessions of faith

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Calvinism
John Calvin
Background Christianity St. Augustine The Reformation John Calvin Five Solas Synod of Dort
Theology Five Points (TULIP) Covenant Theology Regulative principle
Documents Calvin's Institutes Confessions of faith Geneva Bible
Influences Theodore Beza John Knox Huldrych Zwingli Jonathan Edwards Princeton theologians
Churches Reformed Presbyterian Congregationalist Reformed Baptist Low church Anglican
Peoples Afrikaners Huguenots Pilgrims Puritans Scots
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Reformed Christian confessions of faith are documents of the faith of various Reformed churches. They express their consensus of faith in various creeds. A few creeds are shared by many denominations, which have made their choices from among the various creeds for primarily historical reasons. Some of the common creeds are (with year of writing):

Continental

• Three Forms of Unity:
  • Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
  • Belgic Confession (1566)
  • Canons of Dordt (1619)
• Gallic Confession (1559)
• Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
• Theological Declaration of Barmen (1934)

The Three Forms of Unity are common among Reformed churches with origins in the European continent (especially those in the Netherlands).

In addition to these confessions, Continental Reformed leaders responded to the Lutheran Formula of Concord by releasing their own Harmonia confessionum fidei (Harmony of the Confessions of Faith) in 1581.

Presbyterian

• Scots Confession (1560)
• Westminster Standards:
  • Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
  • Westminster Shorter Catechism (1649)
  • Westminster Larger Catechism (1649)
• A Brief Statement of Faith (1991)

The Westminster Standards are common among Reformed churches (known commonly as the Presbyterian churches) with origins in the British Isles. The largest Presbyterian denomination in the United States, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has adopted the Book of Confessions, which incorporates versions of both Continental and Presbyterian Reformed confessions of faith. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in America still confess the Westminster Standards.

Congregationalist

The Independents declined from Reformed theology on issues of the role of the magistrate, and the powers of higher church courts, but retained the Calvinist system touching many other issues.

• Savoy Declaration (1658)

Baptist

Some of the Baptist churches came alongside of the Puritan movement in England, and in doing so sought to agree as far as conscience allowed, in the Calvinistic form of doctrine which prevailed among the Presbyterians and many Congregationalists. Except for their few exceptions concerning congregational church governance, and adult baptism, these "Particular" Baptists adopted the Reformed faith.

• London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)

African

• Belhar Confession was first adopted in South Africa in 1986 and has since been adopted by many Reformed churches

Further reading

• Cochrane, Alfred C., ed. Reformed Confessions of the 16th Century. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, ©2003.

Schaff, Philip The Creeds of Christendom. New York, 1931