Creeds and Confessions
Table of Contents
During the Protestant Reformation, several creeds and confessions were drafted to articulate doctrinal beliefs, establish religious identity, and distinguish different Protestant groups from the Roman Catholic Church. Here is a list of some of the most significant creeds and confessions from that period:
- Augsburg Confession (1530)
- Smalcald Articles (1537)
- The Formula of Concord (1577)
- Tetrapolitan Confession (1530)
- The Scots Confession (1560)
- The Belgic Confession (1561)
- Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
- The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)
- The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)
- The Thirty-Nine Articles (1571)
- The Schleitheim Confession (1527)
- The Dordrecht Confession of Faith (1632)
Lutheran Tradition
Reformed Tradition
Anglican Tradition
Anabaptist Tradition
Catechisms
Several catechisms were drafted during the Reformation as tools for instruction and education. These catechisms were designed to articulate core beliefs and to instruct individuals in the essentials of the Christian faith.
- Luther's Small Catechism (1529)
- Luther's Large Catechism (1529)
- The Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
- The Geneva Catechism (1541)
- The Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)
- The Westminster Larger Catechism (1647)
- The Catechism of the Church of England (1549)
- The Anabaptist Catechism of Hans Denck (c. 1527)
Lutheran Tradition
Reformed Tradition
Anglican Tradition
Anabaptist Tradition