REFORMED CHURCHES

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The 'Reformed churches' are a group of Christian Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine, which first arose especially in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych Zwingli, but soon afterward 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 splits into multiple denominations. Commitment to teaching the original Calvinism usually continues to be reflected in their official definitions of doctrine, but in some cases is no longer necessarily typical of these churches. A 1999 survey found 746 Reformed denominations worldwide.

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 creeds. A few creeds are shared by many denominations. Different denominations use different creeds, usually based on historical reasons. Some of the creeds still commonly in use are (with year of writing):

★ French Confession (1559),

★ Scots Confession (1560),

★ Three forms of Unity

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★ Heidelberg Catechism (1563),

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★ Belgic Confession (1566),

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★ Canons of Dordrecht (1619),

★ Second Helvetic Confession (1566)

★ Westminster Standards

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★ Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)

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★ Westminster Shorter Catechism (1649)

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★ Westminster Larger Catechism (1649)

★ Baptist

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★ London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)
The ''Three forms of unity'' are common among Reformed churches with origins in the European continent (especially those in the Netherlands). The ''Westminster Standards'' have a similarly common use, among Reformed churches (known commonly as the Presbyterian churches) with origins in the British Isles. More recent confessions and creeds are shared by fewer denominations.

Form of governance

In contrast to the episcopal polity of the Anglican and many Lutheran and Methodist churches, Reformed churches have two main forms of governance:

★ Presbyterian polity or Synodal government - rule by assemblies of ordained officers.

★ Congregationalist polity, e.g. Congregationalist churches

★ The Reformed Church in Hungary, as well as its sister church in Romania and daughter church in the United States (Hungarian Reformed Church in America), and the Polish Reformed Church are the only Churches in the Reformed Tradition to have retained the office of Bishop.
A sub-family of the Reformed churches, called Reformed Baptist churches, adheres to a modified Reformed confession and have Baptist views of the sacraments and of church government.