B. The Confessions of the Reformed or Calvinistic Churches.
 The Reformed Churches embrace all those Churches of Germany which subscribe the Heidelberg Catechism; the Protestant Churches of Switzerland, France, Holland, England, and Scotland; the Independents and Baptists of England and America; and the various branches of the Presbyterian Church in England and America.

 The Reformed Confessions are very numerous, although they all substantially agree as to the system of doctrine they teach. Those most generally received are the following:

 1. The Second Helvetic Confession, prepared in 1564. "It was adopted by all the Reformed Churches in Switzerland, and by the Reformed Churches in Poland, Hungary, Scotland, and France," and has always been regarded as of the highest authority by all the Reformed Churches.

 2. The Heidelberg Catechism, prepared in 1562. It was established by civil authority, the doctrinal standard as well as instrument of religious instruction for the Churches of the Palatinate, a German State at that time including both banks of the Rhine. It was endorsed by the Synod of Dort, and is the Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches of Germany and Holland, and of the German and (Dutch) Reformed Churches in America.

 3. The Thirty–nine Articles of the Church of England. Prepared in 1551, and revised and reduced to the present number by the bishops, at the order of Queen Elizabeth, A.D. 1562. These Articles are Calvinistic in doctrine, and constitute the doctrinal standard of the Episcopal Churches in England, Scotland, America, and the Colonies.

 4. The Canons of the Synod of Dort. This famous Synod was convened in Dort, Holland, by the authority of the States General, for the purpose of settling the questions brought into controversy by the disciples of Arminius.

  It held its sessions from November 13, A.D. 1618, to May 9, A.D. 1619. It consisted of pastors, elders, and theological professors from the Churches of Holland, and deputies from the Churches of England, Scotland, Hesse, Bremen, the Palatinate, and Switzerland; the French delegates having been prevented from being present by order of their king.

  The Canons of this Synod were received by all the Reformed Churches as a true, accurate, and eminently authoritative exhibition of the Calvinistic System of Theology. They constitute, in connection with the Heidelberg Catechism, the  doctrinal Confession of the Reformed Church of Holland, and of the (Dutch) Reformed Church of America.

 5. The Confession and Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly. 1647 . This is the common doctrinal standard of all the Presbyterian Churches in the world of English and Scotch derivation. It is also of all Creeds the one most highly approved by all the bodies of Congregationalists in England and America.

QUESTION: What do you know about the Baptist Confession of 1689? Why was it written?
      In what ways does it differ from the Westminster Confession of Faith?

 6. The Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689. With the Westminster Confession of Faith published, it became highly esteemed by all believers. However, its church order was Presbyterian and Baptists differed from it on important matters such as the matters of the gathered church, baptism, the Lord's Supper and church government.

  So, when the opportunity arose, they drew up their own Confession of Faith in 1677, accepting the fundamental doctrines of the Westminster Confession of Faith but making the changes they felt necessary to keep with traditional Baptist doctrine and practice.

  One of the reasons for this Confession was to differentiate between the Arminian Baptists churches who held to vastly different doctrines.

QUESTION: What are some of the major doctrinal differences between the Calvinists and Arminians that would cause the writing of this confession?

  In 1689, after the persecution of the Particular Baptist was over, this confession was reissued by 37 leading Baptist ministers. In England and Wales it became the definitive Confession of the Particular or Calvinistic Baptist churches. It remained so for the next 200 years.

  In 1744 it was adopted by the Calvinistic Baptists of North America and they called it the Philadelphia Confession of Faith.

  C.H. Spurgeon, a minister at the New Park Street Chapel in London, wanted to strengthen the doctrinal foundation of his and other Baptist churches, so he reissued the Confession in 1855.

 ' I have thought it right to reprint in a cheap form this excellent list of doctrines, which were subscribed to by the Baptist Ministers in the year 1689. We need a banner because of the truth; it may be that this small volume may aid the cause of the glorious Gospel by testifying plainly what are its leading doctrines...May the Lord soon restore to Zion a pure language and may her watchmen see eye to eye.'

 'This little volume is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code of faith, whereby you are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith and a means of edification in righteousness. Be not ashamed of your faith: remember it is the ancient gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers and saints. Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example adorn your creed. Above all live in Christ Jesus and walk in Him. Cleave fast to the Word of God which is here mapped out for you.'

  The 20th century has seen an increased interest in it's relevance and usefulness and has been reprinted in 1958, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1974 and most recently in 1992. Even the Baptist have seen a need for a confession to set forth the fundamentals of the faith in clear and concise language.

 7. The Cambridge Declaration of 1996. This confession was written by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals based in Phila., Pa. The purpose is clearly stated in the introduction to the Declaration.

 'Evangelical churches today are increasingly dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Spirit of Christ. As evangelicals, we call ourselves to repent of this sin and to recover the historic Christian faith'

  They hold that historic evangelicalism was confessional. It embraced the essential truths of Christianity as those were defined by the great ecumenical councils of the church.
  In addition, evangelical also shared a common heritage in the 'solas' of the 16th cent. Protestant Reformation. Now, however, the term evangelical has become so inclusive that it has lost it's true meaning. The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is committed to restoring the central truths of the reformation and of historic evangelicalism.
 

QUESTION: What are the 'solas' of the Reformation?

  1. Sola Scriptura
  2. Solus Christus
  3. Sola Gratia
  4. Sola Fide
  5. Soli Deo Gloria