reformed confessions

[Esdra]

Hi

How many reformed confessions are there in the USA?
I know so far of the Westminster and Belgic confession.
Are there great difference between the confessions or are they rather compatible?

Esdra

 

[The Conductor]

To be honest, I don't know much about the difference, but there's also the London Baptist Confession of 1689, which is used by Reformed Baptists.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

Obviously, being credobaptist, it's not entirely compatible with the others.

There's also the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, which may be in use somewhere.

Anglicans Online | The Thirty-Nine Articles

 

[Esdra]

To be honest, I don't know much about the difference, but there's also the London Baptist Confession of 1689, which is used by Reformed Baptists.

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

Obviously, being credobaptist, it's not entirely compatible with the others.

There's also the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, which may be in use somewhere.

Anglicans Online | The Thirty-Nine Articles

Are the thirty-nine-articles considered Calvinist?

But besides credo-baptism the London Baptist confession is compatible to other Calvinist confessions?

 

[The Conductor]

Are the thirty-nine-articles considered Calvinist?

But besides credo-baptism the London Baptist confession is compatible to other Calvinist confessions?

XVII. Of Predestination and Election.

Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

As for LBC 1689, yeah, as far as I can tell.

 

[hedrick]

PCUSA uses Scotts, Heidelberg, Second Helvetic, Westminster Confession and Catechisms, the Confession of 1967, and a Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith

RCA uses Heidelberg, Belgic, Dordt, and Belhar

My impression is that of these Westminster has historically been the most influential within the Presbyterian tradition, and Heidelberg within the continental Reformed tradition. The PCUSA churches I'm familiar with tend to use Heidelberg and the Brief Statement the most.

These churches also use some generic (i.e. non-Reformed, e.g. Apostles creed) confessions as well, but I'm listing only Reformed confessions. Of these, the Confession of 1967, the Brief Statement, and Belhar are recent. C67 and the Brief Statement are specific to the PCUSA. Belhar has broader acceptance. The PCUSA came close to accepting Belhar, but many felt that C67 covered the same issues and others, and did a somewhat better job, although I voted for Belhar simply for reasons of compatibility with other Reformed denominations.

There's been a movement for several years to add Calvin's French Confession to the PCUSA confessions. I find it unfortunate that this document hasn't had more use by Reformed churches.

There are differences in tone and emphasis among the historic confessions. C67 and Belhar deal with more recent issues. The Brief Statement is a modern take on what it means to be Reformed. None of these specifically contradict the historic confessions, though by what it chooses to say and not say the Brief Statement reflects a different understanding of what it means to be Reformed (and possibly even Christian).

 

[Esdra]

PCUSA uses Scotts, Heidelberg, Second Helvetic, Westminster Confession and Catechisms, the Confession of 1967, and a Brief Statement of the Reformed Faith

RCA uses Heidelberg, Belgic, Dordt, and Belhar

My impression is that of these Westminster has historically been the most influential within the Presbyterian tradition, and Heidelberg within the continental Reformed tradition. The PCUSA churches I'm familiar with tend to use Heidelberg and the Brief Statement the most.

These churches also use some generic (i.e. non-Reformed, e.g. Apostles creed) confessions as well, but I'm listing only Reformed confessions. Of these, the Confession of 1967, the Brief Statement, and Belhar are recent. C67 and the Brief Statement are specific to the PCUSA. Belhar has broader acceptance. The PCUSA came close to accepting Belhar, but many felt that C67 covered the same issues and others, and did a somewhat better job, although I voted for Belhar simply for reasons of compatibility with other Reformed denominations.

There's been a movement for several years to add Calvin's French Confession to the PCUSA confessions. I find it unfortunate that this document hasn't had more use by Reformed churches.

There are differences in tone and emphasis among the historic confessions. C67 and Belhar deal with more recent issues. The Brief Statement is a modern take on what it means to be Reformed. None of these specifically contradict the historic confessions, though by what it chooses to say and not say the Brief Statement reflects a different understanding of what it means to be Reformed (and possibly even Christian).

The PCUSA and the Reformed Church use so many Confessions and Catechisms?
So far I've mainly read and had a closer look at the Reformed Church in Switzerland ("Zwingli Church" - They're East and Central Switzerland), and they only have the 2nd Helvetic Confession as well as the Heidelberg Catechism.

 

[Esdra]

XVII. Of Predestination and Election.

Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

As for LBC 1689, yeah, as far as I can tell.

I see. Interesting. as I'm interested in Anglicanism as well, it's really interesting to see for me that those who adhere to the Thirty-Nine-Articles are indeed quite Calvinist.
is there other Calvinistic theology as well among the Evangelical Anglicans?

 

[hedrick]

The PCUSA and the Reformed Church use so many Confessions and Catechisms?
So far I've mainly read and had a closer look at the Reformed Church in Switzerland ("Zwingli Church" - They're East and Central Switzerland), and they only have the 2nd Helvetic Confession as well as the Heidelberg Catechism.

Remember that the PCUSA and RCA have different ideas of the role of confessions than the more conservative churches which most of this forum are associated with. The conservative churches see confessions as standards, and the faith largely as fixed.

The PCUSA and RCA see Reformed and Always Reforming as implying continuing development of doctrine within a particular community and historical context. In that interpretation confessions are used to express the faith as currently understood. Purposes include witnessing to external groups (one of the major purpose of the 16th Cent confessions) and instruction for church members and prospective church members.

For example, in the PCA (a conservative church), a prospective church officer (and possibly member, though I'm not sure) is expected to tell the Session of any significant disagreements with the Westminster Confession. The Session then decides whether the disagreement is serious enough to reject the candidate. In the PCUSA, prospective church officers vow to be guided by the confessions.

Here's a useful description of confessionalism, and the difference between the two approaches: https://www.google.com/url?q=http:/...ds-cse&usg=AFQjCNGzbKJ_rWPHX8duhk_uM4uVhyLPQg. It comes from the Presbyterian Church of Canada. If the link doesn't work for you, you can go to the main web site, Â[bless and do not curse]| The Presbyterian Church in Canada and search for "confessions." It's the second link.

Because the confessions are being used as a way of understanding the Reformed tradition, it makes sense to provide a variety of them. If they're standards, it makes more sense to supply a specific one.

The same difference in view is reflected in the fact that the PCUSA and RCA have adopted confessions in the 20th or 21st Cent.

The national and international Reformed communities are split between these two views. The largest churches in the US largely take the ongoing Reformation model, but the conservative churches are substantial, and may well overtake them in size.

 

[Iosias]

Evangelical Anglicans

Evangelicals within Anglicanism are a varied bunch: charismatic evangelicals, conservative evangelicals, contemplative evangelicals, open evangelicals, and liberal evangelicals to name a few! Calvinists are mostly confined to conservative evangelical circles.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Hi

How many reformed confessions are there in the USA?
I know so far of the Westminster and Belgic confession.
Are there great difference between the confessions or are they rather compatible?

These are good questions, and I've discovered there are far more Reformed confessions than I thought previously.

I own several books with confessions, one of them is "Reformed Confessions of the Sixteenth Century" with introductions by Jack Rogers and Arthur C. Cochrane. The book contains 12 Reformed confessions from that time period.

I am no expert, but so far as I know, Reformed confessions are compatible. I expect there are some differences however slight, nevertheless within the scope of "Reformed". Many Reformed Churches embrace "The Three Forms of Unity" Which consists of: the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort, and the Heidelberg Catechism.

For further research I recommend: Historic Church Documents at Reformed.org

 

[JM]

Tabular Comparison of 1646 WCF and 1689 LBCF

Hope that helps.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

I agree with the following:

The Apostles Creed
The Nicene Creed
The Athanasian Creed
The Belgic Confession
The Heidelberg Catechism
The Canons of Dordt
The Westminster Confession of Faith with Larger and Shorter Catechisms.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

I see. Interesting. as I'm interested in Anglicanism as well, it's really interesting to see for me that those who adhere to the Thirty-Nine-Articles are indeed quite Calvinist. is there other Calvinistic theology as well among the Evangelical Anglicans?

A couple of solid Calvinistic Anglicans are James Ussher and J.I. Packer.

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Esdra, you might be interested in reading the following thread: The 39 Articles & The Five Points of Calvinism

"Warfield has shown that the Westminster Confession is largely an expanded version of the Irish Articles of Religion which were Archbishop James Ussher's more complete commentary on the 39 Articles."