Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a significant seventeenth-century religious document that emerged during a period of intense theological and political upheaval in England. Created as part of efforts to reform the Church of England, the confession aims to unify various branches of Christianity under a common framework of beliefs. Developed by the Westminster Assembly between 1643 and 1647, it articulates foundational Christian doctrines, spanning thirty-three chapters that explore topics such as the nature of the church, the authority of Scripture, and the sacraments, including baptism and the Eucharist.
The document plays a pivotal role in defining the beliefs of several Protestant denominations, most notably within the Presbyterian tradition. It asserts the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and underscores the importance of Christian practices, such as discipline and the proper administration of sacraments. The Westminster Confession of Faith has been influential for nearly five centuries, reflecting the historical context of its creation and the ongoing evolution of Christian thought. Its enduring relevance continues to engage contemporary discussions among various Christian communities.
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith is a seventeenth-century religious document. It was one of several documents created to help reform the Church of England and to establish a common statement of beliefs for the multiple branches of Christianity that had formed at the time. The confession has endured for nearly five centuries and forms the basic statement of beliefs for several contemporary Christian denominations.
Overview
The Church of England was formed in the 1530s after King Henry VIII was unable to convince the Roman Catholic pope to annul the king's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. Under the Act of Supremacy, first passed in 1534, Henry made himself and his successors the head of a new Christian church, the Church of England. The church followed many of the same beliefs and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, but not all of them, and did not accept the authority of the pope.
In the 1640s, England was in the middle of a civil war. One of the issues that led to the war was a dispute over religious beliefs. A group known as the Puritans wanted to remove more Roman Catholic practices from the Church of England and "purify" it. The English Parliament, which included a large number of Puritans, approved the establishment of a synod, or special meeting of religious officials, in 1642. However, King Charles I refused to approve it. In 1643, Parliament, acting under its own authority, called for the establishment of the Westminster Assembly. Over the course of four years, the assembly produced several key documents. These documents included the Westminster Large Catechism and the Westminster Small Catechism, which are two sets of questions and answers establishing Christian beliefs, and the Westminster Confession of Faith.
Many religious scholars have considered the Westminster Confession of Faith to be one of the most important documents of Christian theology ever written. Over the course of thirty-three chapters, the confession establishes what Christians who use it believe about the universal nature of the church and the authority of God's word as presented in the Bible. It does not overrule the Bible, but instead supplements it. The confession also establishes other important points of Christian faith, such as the doctrine of the real presence in the Eucharist. This doctrine states that when Christians share bread during the ritual sacrament known as Eucharist or Holy Communion, Jesus Christ is truly present in the bread and it is not merely a symbol.
The confession also emphasizes the importance of several practices in living out and sharing the Christian faith. These include proper Christian discipline and correctly sharing the word of God as provided in the Bible. It also addresses the correct way to administer sacraments, which are ritual actions that Christians believe are outward signs of the grace of God. Sacraments include baptism, which is when a person is blessed with water and oil and made part of the Christian family, and Eucharist.
The Westminster Confession of Faith was approved by the assembly in 1647. It was approved by two acts of Parliament in 1649 and 1690, with a brief revocation in 1660 during the Restoration. The confession remains the basis of a number of Protestant churches, including the Presbyterian churches in Europe and America and the Church of Scotland.
Bibliography
"Church of England." BBC, 30 June 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/cofe/cofe‗1.shtml. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
"The Confession of Faith." Presbyterian Church in America Administrative Council, www.pcaac.org/resources/wcf/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
Horton, David. The Portable Seminary, Bethany House, 2006, pp. 485–90.
"The Westminster Assembly." British Civil War Project, bcw-project.org/church-and-state/first-civil-war/westminster-assembly. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
"The Westminster Assembly Project." WestminsterAssembly.org, www.westminsterassembly.org. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
"Westminster Confession of Faith." Bible Presbyterian Church, bpc.org/?page‗id=263. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
"Westminster Confession of Faith." Church of Scotland, www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about‗us/our‗faith/westminster‗confession‗of‗faith. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.
"The Westminster Confession of Faith." Grace Theological College, www.gtc.ac.nz/resources-2/lectures/the-westminster-confession-of-faith/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2017.