Reformed churches facts for kids

The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations that are historically related by a doctrine that is identical or similar to Calvinism. It developed in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin, but soon afterwards appeared in nations throughout Western Europe. Each nation in which the Reformed movement was originally established had its own church government. Several of these local churches have expanded to worldwide denominations and most have experienced schisms into multiple denominations.

History

The first Reformed Churches were established in Europe in the 1500s, in the wake of the Protestant Reformation.

Form of doctrine

Reformed doctrine is expressed in various texts]. Some of them are used by many denominations. Different denominations use different confessions, usually based on historical reasons. Some of the confessions still commonly in use are (with year of writing):

• French Confession (1559),
• Scots Confession (1560),
• Three Forms of Unity
  • Heidelberg Catechism (1563),
  • Belgic Confession (1566),
  • Canons of Dordrecht (1619),
• Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
• Westminster Standards
  • Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
  • Westminster Shorter Catechism (1649)
  • Westminster Larger Catechism (1649)
• Baptist
  • London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)

Form of governance

Reformed churches have two main forms of ecclesiastical polity:

• Presbyterian polity or Synodal government - rule by assemblies of ordained officers.
• Congregationalist polity, e.g. Congregationalist churches

Images for kids

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  Statues of William Farel, John Calvin, Theodore Beza, and John Knox at the centre of the International Monument to the Reformation in Geneva, Switzerland. They were among the most influential theologians that helped develop the Reformed tradition.

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  Calvin preached at St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva

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  Cover of Calvin's magnum opus: Institutes of the Christian Religion

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  Early Calvinism was known for simple, unadorned churches, as shown in this 1661 painting of the interior of the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam

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  Abandoned Calvinist church in Łapczyna Wola, Poland

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  Calvinist church in Semarang, Indonesia.

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  The seal of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, an early American Presbyterian church

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  The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt, based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son illustrating forgiveness

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  John Calvin on his deathbed with church members

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  The Bay Psalm Book was used by the Pilgrims.

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  Moïse Amyraut formulated Amyraldism, a modified Calvinist theology regarding the nature of Christ's atonement.

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  Dutch prime minister Abraham Kuyper initiated neo-Calvinism

See also

In Spanish: Calvinismo para niños