Helvetic Confessions

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Second Helvetic Confession
)
Calvinist churches, especially in Switzerland
.

History

First Helvetic Confession

Biel. The first draft was written in Latin and the Zürich delegates objected to its Lutheran phraseology. However, Leo Jud's German translation was accepted by all, and after Myconius and Grynaeus had modified the Latin form, both versions were agreed to and adopted on February 26, 1536.[1] It was an attempted Reformed-Lutheran symbol of unity and brought by Bucer and Capito to Martin Luther, who ultimately rejected it.[2]

Chapters of the First Helvetic Confession:

Latin[3] English[4]
I. De Scriptura Sacra. I. On the Sacred Scripture.
II. De Interpretatione Scripturæ. II. On the Interpretation of Scripture.
III. De Antiquis Patribus. III. Of the Ancient Fathers.
IV. De Traditionibus Hominum. IV. On the Traditions of Men.
V. Scopus Scripturæ. V. The scope of Scripture.
VI. Deus. VI. God.
VII. Homo et Vires ejus. VII. Man and his strengths.
VIII. Originale Peccatum. VIII. Original Sin.
IX. Liberum Arbitrium. IX. Free will.
X. Consilium Dei Æternum de Reparatione Hominis. X. The Eternal Counsel of God on the Restoration of Man.
XI. Jesus Christus et quæ per Christum. XI. Jesus Christ and the things that come through Christ.
XII. Scopus Evangelicæ Doctrinæ. XII. The scope of the Evangelical Doctrine.
XIII. Christianus et Officia ejus. XIII. Christian and his Responsibilities.
XIV. De Fide. XIV. Faith.
XV. Ecclesia. XV. Church.
XVI. De Ministerio Verbi. XVI. On the Ministry of the Word.
XVII. Potestas Ecclesiastica. XVII. Ecclesiastical power.
XVIII. Electio Ministrorum. XVIII. Election of Ministers.
XIX. Pastor Quis. XIX. Who is the shepherd.
XX. Ministrorum Officia. XX. The Responsibility of the Ministers.
XXI. De Vi et Efficacia Sacramentorum. XXI. On the Strength and Effectiveness of the Sacraments.
XXII. Baptisma. XXI. Baptism.
XXIII. Eucharistia. XXIII. The Eucharist.
XXIV. Cœtus Sacri. XXIV. The Sacred Congregation.
XXV. De Mediis. XXV. The Middle. (means)
XXVI. De Hæreticis et Schismaticis. XXVI. Of the Heretics and Dissidents.
XXVII. De Magistratu. XXVII. The Magistrate.
XXVIII. De Sancto Conjugio. XXVII. The Holy Marriage.

Second Helvetic Confession

Elector Palatine Frederick III, who had it translated into German and published.[1] It was attractive to some Reformed leaders as a corrective to what they saw as the overly Lutheran statements of the Strasbourg Consensus. An attempt was made in early 1566 to have all the churches of Switzerland sign the Second Helvetic Confession as a common statement of faith.[5] It gained a favorable hold on the Swiss churches, who had found the First Confession too short and too Lutheran.[1] However, "the Basel clergy refused to sign the confession, stating that although they found no fault with it, they preferred to stand by their own Basel Confession of 1534".[5]

Chapters of the Second Helvetic Confession:

Latin[6] English[7]
I. De Scriptura sancta, vero Dei Verbo. I. Of The Holy Scripture Being The True

Word of God.

II.De interpretandis Scripturis sanctis, et de Patribus, Conciliis, et Traditionibus. II.Of Interpreting The Holy Scripture; and of Fathers, Councils, and Traditions.
III. De Deo, Vnitate Ejus ac Trinitate. III. Of God, His Unity and Trinity.
IV. De idolis vel imaginibus Dei, Christi et Divorum. IV. Of Idols or Images of God, Christ and The Saints.
V. De adoratione, cultu et invocatione Dei per unicum mediatorem Jesum Christum. V. Of The Adoration, Worship and Invocation of God Through The Only Mediator Jesus Christ.
VI. De providentia Dei. VI. Of the Providence of God.
VII. De creatione rerum omnium, de Angelis, Diabolo et Homine. VII. Of The Creation of All Things: Of Angels, the Devil, and Man.
VIII. De lapsu hominis et peccato, et causa peccati. VIII. Of Man's Fall, Sin and the Cause of Sin.
IX. De libero arbitrio adeoque viribus hominis. IX. Of Free Will, and Thus of Human Powers.
X. De praedestinatione Dei et Electione Sanctorum. X. Of the Predestination of God and the Election of the Saints.
XI. De Jesu Christo, vero Deo et Homine, unico mundi Salvatore. XI. Of Jesus Christ, True God and Man, the Only Savior of the World.
XII. De Lege Dei. XII. Of the Law of God.
XIII. De Evangelio Jesu Christi, de Promissionibus item, Spiritu et Litera. XIII. Of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of the Promises, and of the Spirit and Letter.
XIV. De poenitentia et conversione Hominis. XIV. Of Repentance and the Conversion of Man.
XV. De vera fidelium justificatione. XV. Of the True Justification of the Faithful.
XVI. De fide et bonis operibus, eorumque mercede, et merito hominis. XVI. Of Faith and Good Works, and of Their Reward, and of Man's Merit.
XVII. De catholica et sancta Dei Ecclesia et unico capite Ecclesiae. XVII. Of The Catholic and Holy Church of God, and of The One Only Head of The Church.
XVIII. De ministris Ecclesiae ipsorumque institutione et officiis. XVIII. Of The Ministers of The Church, Their Institution and Duties.
XIX. De sacramentis Ecclesiae Christi. XIX. Of the Sacraments of the Church of Christ.
XX. De sancto Baptismo. XX. Of Holy Baptism.
XXI. De sacra Coena Domini. XXI. Of the Holy Supper of the Lord.
XXII. De coetibus sacris et Ecclesiasticis. XXII. Of Religious and Ecclesiastical Meetings.
XXIII. De precibus ecclesiae, cantu et horis canonicis. XXIII. Of the Prayers of the Church, of Singing, and of Canonical Hours.
XXIV. De feriis, jejuniis, ciborumque delectu. XXIV. Of Holy Days, Fasts and the Choice of Foods.
XXV. De Catechesi et aegrotantium consolatione vel visitatione. XXV. Of Catechizing and of Comforting and Visiting the Sick.
XXVI. De sepultura fidelium curaque pro mortuis gerenda, de purgatorio et apparitione spirituum. XXVI. Of the Burial of the Faithful, and of the Care to Be Shown for the Dead; of Purgatory, and the Appearing of Spirits.
XXVII. De ritibus et caeremoniis et mediis. XXVII. Of Rites, Ceremonies and Things Indifferent.
XXVIII. De bonis ecclesiae. XXVIII. Of the possessions of the Church.
XXIX. De coelibatu, conjugio et oeconomia. XXIX. Of Celibacy, Marriage and the Management of Domestic Affairs.
XXX. De Magistratu. XXX. Of the Magistracy.

Reception