WHAT IS IN THE BOOK OF CONFESSIONS

 

 

The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church, USA, is a two volume set of books.  The Book of Order is one volume, and the other is the Book of Confessions.  In the Book of Confessions you will find statements of faith. 

 

NAME	DATE	COMMENTS	THEME
Nicene Creed	AD 451	The only creed accepted by all three major branches of Christendom including Protestant, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians.	The Person of Jesus Christ and the reality of the Holy Spirit.
Apostles’ Creed	2nd to 6th Century	Summary of the teachings of the apostles. Developed as a baptismal creed for new Christians this is the most popular creed used in worship by Western Christians.	The Trinity and God the Creator.
Scots Confession	1560	Written by John Knox and five other "Johns" (Willock, Winram, Spottiswood, Row and Douglas) at the request of the Scottish Parliament.	Election and the Church.
Heidelberg Catechism	1563	Written in Germany in response to the Lutherans and at the direction of Frederick the Elector. It is the most personal of the Reformed creeds.	Stewardship and the Lord's Supper.
Second Helvetic Confession	1566	Written by Heinrich Bullinger in Switzerland after surviving the Black Plague as a codicil to his will.	Covenant and Baptism.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Westminster Shorter Catechism, Westminster Larger Catechism	1647	Written by the Westminster Assembly by order of Parliament. The Confession is a statement of faith.  The catechisms are question and answer formats of that statement.  As the names imply, one catechism is simply larger than the other.	sovereignty of God and the authority and proper interpretation of Scripture.
Theological Declaration of Barmen	1935	Written by Karl Barth and the confessing church in Nazi Germany in response to Hitler's national church.	The sin of idolatry and the lordship of Christ.
Confession of 1967	1967	Written during the troubled 1960's and the civil rights movement in response to civil religion.	Reconciliation and the equality of all.
A Brief Statement of Faith	1991	Written after reunion of northern and southern Presbyterian Churches.	Brief summary of what we believe and teach.