Continental Reformed Christianity orContinental Reformed Protestantism is a part ofReformed Christianity withinProtestantism that traces its origin tocontinental Europe. Prominent subgroups are theDutch Reformed,Swiss Reformed, FrenchHuguenot,Hungarian Reformed, andGerman Reformed Churches.
The term is used to distinguish these Churches fromPresbyterian,Congregational,Reformed Anglican or other Calvinist Churches, which can trace their origin to theBritish Isles or elsewhere in the world. Notably, their theology is largely derived from theSwiss Reformation, as Switzerland (specificallyGeneva andZürich) was a base for the most influential Reformed theologians of the era. It was inaugurated byHuldrych Zwingli, who formulated the first expression of the Reformed faith. Swiss Reformation was more fully articulated byMartin Bucer,Heinrich Bullinger and especiallyJohn Calvin, who became recognized as the leading figure in the Reformed tradition. In the sixteenth century, the movement spread to most of continental Europe, sometimes with the protection of monarchs or members of the nobility, as in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Hungary, some German states, and France.
Continental Reformed Churches are represented in theInternational Conference of Reformed Churches,World Communion of Reformed Churches, andWorld Reformed Fellowship.
In the Continental Reformed tradition, duly ordained ministers administer the sacrament ofHoly Baptism.[1] The Continental Reformed Churches do not hold that elect infants receivebaptismal regeneration through this sacrament.[2] Holy Baptism is the sign and seal of thecovenant of grace. It initiates the candidate intochurch membership as well.[3]
The Continental Reformed Churches teach areal spiritual presence of Christ in the Eucharist.[4] This doctrine was developed byJohn Calvin andHeinrich Bullinger, who taught that Christ's person, including his body and blood, are presented to Christians who partake of it in faith.[5]
In the Continental Reformed tradition,confession and absolution is normatively practiced corporately, though confession on an individual basis is an approved rite:[6]
SACERDOTAL CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION But we believe that this sincere confession which is made to God alone, either privately between God and the sinner, or publicly in the Church where the general confession of sins is said, is sufficient, and that in order to obtain forgiveness of sins it is not necessary for anyone to confess his sins to a priest, mumuring them in his ears, that in turn he might receive absolution from the priest with his laying on of hands, because there is neither a commandment nor an example of this in Holy Scriptures. David testifies and says: “I acknowledged my sin to thee, and did not hide my iniquity; I said, `I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin” (Ps. 32:5). And the Lord who taught us to pray and at the same time to confess our sins said: “Pray then like this: Our Father, who art in heaven,…forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). Therefore it is necessary that we confess our sins to God our Father, and be reconciled with our neighbor if we have offended him. Concerning this kind of confession, the Apostle James says: “Confess your sins to one another” (James 5:16). If, however, anyone is overwhelmed by the burden of his sins and by perplexing temptations, and will seek counsel, instruction and comfort privately, either from a minister of the Church, or from any other brother who is instructed in God’s law, we do not disapprove; just as we also fully approve of that general and public confession of sins which is usually said in Church and in meetings for worship, as we noted above, inasmuch as it is agreeable to Scripture.—Second Helvetic Confession[6]
TheLord's Day liturgy in the Continental Reformed tradition includes theApostle's Creed,Collection of Alms,Confession and Absolution, theLord's Supper,Doxology, prayers, Psalms, theLord's Prayer,Benediction, etc. The following is the Order of Service for the Lord's Day as designed byJohn Calvin, a key figure of the Reformed tradition:[7]
| Calvin: Strasbourg, 1540 |
|---|
| Scripture Sentence (Psalm 124,8) |
| Confession of sins |
| Scriptural words of pardon |
| Absolution |
| Metrical Decalogue sung withKyrie eleison after each Law |
| Collect for Illumination |
| Lection |
| Sermon |
| Liturgy of the Upper Room |
| Collection ofalms |
| Intercessions |
| Lord's Prayer in long paraphrase |
| Preparation of elements whileApostles' Creed sung |
| Consecration Prayer |
| Words of Institution |
| Exhortation |
| Fraction |
| Delivery |
| Communion, while psalm sung |
| Post-communion collect |
| Nunc dimittis in metre |
| Aaronic Blessing |
The Continental Reformed Churches upholdcovenant theology, which interprets the "sacraments as seals of the covenant of grace, bearing God's promise of salvation, though only to the elect who would persevere in faith. Like the seal on a royal document, a sacrament guaranteed the validity of the Word that it bespoke."[3]
TheHeidelberg Catechism of theReformed Churches founded byJohn Calvin, teaches that the moral law as contained in theTen Commandments is binding for Christians and that it instructs Christians how to live in service to God in gratitude for His grace shown in redeeming mankind.[8] The doctrine of theChristian Reformed Church in North America thus stipulates, with regard to theLord's Day, "that Sunday must be so consecrated to worship that on that day we rest from all work except that which charity and necessity require and that we refrain from recreation that interferes with worship."[9]
The first Reformed (Calvinist) churches were established in Europe after 1519 and were part of theProtestant Reformation. Reformed doctrine is expressed invarious confessions. A few confessions are shared by many denominations. Different denominations use different confessions, usually based on historical reasons.
The continental Reformed churches had an impact onAnglicanism andPresbyterianism during theProtestant Reformation in England and theScotland,[10][11] It continued to influence the Church of England and Church of Scotland through thePuritans, who wished to reform them along continental lines.[12]
The following is a chronological list of confession and theological doctrines of the Reformed churches:
In contrast to theepiscopal polity of theAnglican and manyLutheran andMethodist churches, Continental Reformed churches are ruled by assemblies of "elders" or ordained officers. This is usually calledSynodal government by the Continental Reformed, but is essentially the same aspresbyterian polity, with the elders forming theconsistory, the regional governing body known as theclassis, and the highest court of appeal being thegeneral synod.
TheReformed Church in Hungary, itssister church in Romania, the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, and thePolish Reformed Church are the only continental Reformed churches to have retained the office ofbishop.
Many churches in the Continental Reformed tradition spread either by European immigration, or European and North American missionary work.
See also thelist of Continental Reformed churches.
The Continental Reformed Churches usually prohibited baptism by any save duly ordained ministers.
As heirs of a covenantal theology originating in the continental Reformed tradition, they interpreted the sacraments as seals of the covenant of grace, bearing God's promise of salvation, though only to the elect who would persevere in faith. Like the seal on a royal document, a sacrament guaranteed the validity of the Word that it bespoke. As a seal, baptism promised salvation to elect infants, while it sealed an external church membership to all others, though no one knew the spiritual status of the recipient.
For Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger (Second Helvetic Confession 21.10), John Calvin, Peter Martyr Vermigli, and most of the Reformed tradition (e.g.Westminster Confession 29.7) as well as the AnglicanThirty-Nine Articles (28), Christ is "spiritually present" in the sacrament by the ministry of the Holy Spirit and is received by faith. They affirm Christ's "true" and thus real presence, even "substantial" presence (Calvin,Institutes of the Christian Religion [1559] 4.17.19), distinguishing this from physical presence.
But enough was said to put it beyond all doubt that Bullinger moved beyond his teacher. God truly offers (praestat) what the sacraments symbolize (Art. 8). The reality is not separated from the signs, but Christ is received with his spiritual gifts (Art. 9). And so on. That Bullinger did not consent to such expressions merely for a political accommodation with Geneva, is proved by the use of similar language in the Second Helvetic Confession, in which he taught a sacramental union of sign and reality (Art. 19).
It is clear that, in rejecting Roman Catholic doctrine on this point, Cranmer has also rejected Luther's views and adopted Calvin's position. The sacrament is not merely a symbol of what takes place in the heart, but neither is it the physical eating of the body of Christ. This must be so, because the body of Christ is in heaven and therefore our participation in it can only be spiritual. Only the believers are the true partakers of the body and blood of Christ, for the unbelievers eat and drink no more than bread and wine—and condemnation upon themselves, for the profanation of the Lord's Table. These views are reflected in the Thirty-nine articles, of which the twenty-eighth says that "the Body of the Christ is given, taken, and eaten, in the Supper, only after an heavently and spiritual manner. The next article says of the wicked that "in no wise are they partakers of Christ," although "to their condemnation [they] do eat and rink the sign or Sacrament of so great a thing." This marked Calvinistic influence would prove very significant for the history of Christianity in England during the seventeenth century
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