French Confession of Faith

The Confessio Gallicana ( Confession de Foy also ) is the creed of the Huguenots, which was formulated at the first French Reformed National Synod of 1559.

As in France, the number of the reformed communities has increased significantly since 1555 ( Religious Peace of Augsburg ) and they no longer acted in the underground, soon emerged religious disputes, including on the question of predestination. At a meeting in 1558 in Poitiers was therefore decided to convene in the following year to a synod in Paris, which was to develop a common confession of faith and a uniform church order.

At this first French reformed national synod of 25 - 29th May 1559, representatives from 50 communities came together. John Calvin had suggested a profession of faith in order to avoid deviations to the Geneva position. The Synod added it together with Antoine de la Roche- Chandieu, a pupil of Calvin. The final version had as the attached church order ( Disciplina ) 40 articles, was printed in 1560 and presented to the king.

Later additions were made in 1571 adopted by the seventh National Synod of La Rochelle, which also led to the alternative name of Confession de la Rochelle.

Contents of the Confessio Gallicana

The confession is a summary of the teachings of Calvin and similar in design to his Institutio Christianae Religionis and the Geneva Catechism of 1540.

Articles 1 and 2 deal with the nature of God and his revelation in the works of creation and in the Bible. This is according to a Reformed perspective the sole rule of faith, which teaches to distinguish the Holy Spirit from other books (Art. 3 -5). The following are the Confessio emphasizes the decisions of the Councils of the Old God the Creator, the Preserver, and his providence.

Articles 9-12 deal with the sinfulness of man as a consequence of original sin and the salvation of those whom God has predestined by his mercy in Christ before the foundation of the world to do so. ( This doctrine of predestination Calvinism differs significantly from other Protestant churches). Through Christ's nature as a true man and true God ( Art.13 -15 ), the reconciliation with God, the forgiveness of sins and justification by faith alone ( Art.20 -22). Christ is the fulfillment of the law, other ways of salvation are to be rejected (23-24).

Here are Calvin's rules for church order, to ministry and sacraments. The true church is the community that follows the Word of God, but not the papacy. Nevertheless offices include ( pastors, deacons, head ) the nature of the Church and must be chosen properly (29-31 ). The sacraments are to confirm and support the word, but are recognized by the ( Catholic point of view in seven) sacraments only Baptism and Eucharist as such (32-35 ). Christ's flesh and blood in the Supper is indeed spiritual, but receive truthful (36-38 ).

Articles 37-40 deal with the secular authorities. She was appointed by God and must turn against sins, but also against heresy, therefore. We need to honor and obey her, as long as the supremacy of God remains unharmed.

Related confessions

With the Confessio Gallicana are closely related to the shortly afterwards written confessions Confessio Scotica (Scotland 1560) and the Confessio Belgica of 1561st Although both are not from Calvin himself, they are in the Geneva theological tradition of Calvinism.

The Piedmontese Waldenses, who had joined the Reformed Church already in 1532, handed over in 1560 to the Duke of Savoy, the Confessio Gallicana as their commitment. In the abridged and edited form of 1655 it is still considered a confession of the Waldenses.

Expenditure

• E. F. Karl Müller ( ed. ): The confessions of the Reformed Church. In authentic texts with historical introduction and register. Waltrop: Spenner, 1999 ( reprint of the edition Leipzig, 1903), access to a pdf file
• Emidio Campi (ed.): Confessio Gallicana. 1559/1571, with the confession of the Waldenses. In 1560. Mühling Andreas, Peter Opitz (Ed.): Reformed Confessions 1559-1563. ( = Reformed Confessions, Vol 2.1). Neukirchen 2008, pp. 1-56. ISBN 978-3-7887-2304-0.