Reformed churches

The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations that are historically related by a doctrine that is identical or similar to Calvinism. It developed in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin, but soon afterwards appeared in nations throughout Western Europe. Each nation in which the Reformed movement was originally established had its own church government. Several of these local churches have expanded to worldwide denominations and most have experienced schisms into multiple denominations.

History

The first Reformed Churches were established in Europe in the 1500s, in the wake of the Protestant Reformation.

Form of doctrine

Reformed doctrine is expressed in various texts]. Some of them are used by many denominations. Different denominations use different confessions, usually based on historical reasons. Some of the confessions still commonly in use are (with year of writing):

• French Confession (1559),
• Scots Confession (1560),
• Three Forms of Unity
  • Heidelberg Catechism (1563),
  • Belgic Confession (1566),
  • Canons of Dordrecht (1619),
• Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
• Westminster Standards
  • Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
  • Westminster Shorter Catechism (1649)
  • Westminster Larger Catechism (1649)
• Baptist
  • London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)

Form of governance

Reformed churches have two main forms of ecclesiastical polity:

• Presbyterian polity or Synodal government - rule by assemblies of ordained officers.
• Congregationalist polity, e.g. Congregational churches

Other websites

• World Communion of Reformed Churches
  • * World list of Reformed Churches
• Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
• Leben, a journal of Reformed Life
• Reformed Online Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine - Comprehensive resource