Confessio Belgica

The Confessio Belgica is the confession of faith of the reformed churches of the Spanish Netherlands, written by Guy de Brès in 1561. The adjective belgica qualifies here the whole of the territories currently formed by the Netherlands and the Belgium.

History

The text, accompanied by a addresses, was written by Guy de Brès with an aim of explaining to the king Philippe II which were the beliefs of reformed. It was a question of showing that the latter were neither of the rebels, nor of the heretics, but of the Christians, just like catholics, respectful of the civil laws. De Brès thus hoped to put an end to persecutions to which its co-religionists were subjected.

The text underwent the influence of the writings of Calvin, in particular the Institution of the Christian religion and the Confession of the La Rochelle (or Confessio Gallicana ), but it does not remain about it less one original work. He was initially written in French under the title Confession of Foy , then translated into Latin ( Confessio Belgica , title under which he is generally known) and into Dutch ( Belydenisse of the gheloofs or, in modern Dutch, Nederlandse geloofbelijdenis ).

In 1566, the revised confession was adopted at the time of a Synode joined together with Antwerp. The text, and not its contents, were again revised at the time of the Synode of Dordrecht (November 13rd 1618 - May 9th 1619). He was then recognized as one of the three doctrinal references (Three forms of unit) to which all the ministers of religion of the reformed churches were held to subscribe, two others being the Catéchisme of Heidelberg and the Canons of Dordrecht.

Nowadays, it is still one of the texts of reference of many Churches, in particular in Europe, North America or South Africa. He is also asserted (in particular article 36) by the Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij, left protesting fundamentalist Dutch.

Structure of the text

The Confession consists of 37 articles:

  • Articles 1-2: about the existence and knowledge of God;

  • Articles 3-7: about the Bible;
  • Articles 8-11: about the Trinity;
  • Articles 12-15: about creation and Original sin ;
  • Article 16: about the eternal election;
  • Articles 17-21: about the person and work of the Christ;
  • Articles 22-26: about the Faith;
  • Articles 27-32: about the Church;
  • Articles 33-35: about the Sacrament S of the saint Baptism and holy Cène;
  • Article 36: about the function of the government;
  • Article 37: about the last Judgment.

External bonds

Text of the Confessio Belgica in French on the site of the '' Protestant Covenant Reformed Church '' or of the '' Christian Classics Ethereal Library ''

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