The Continental Reformation took three forms:
the German under Luther,
the French under Calvin
(with which the Swiss under Zwingli was ultimately amalgamated;
Geneva did not belong to Switzerland till 1814),
and the Sectarian,
which reached its fullest development in the United States of America.
Lutheranism is the religion of Northern Germany and Scandinavia.
Its doctrinal basis is the Confession of Augsburg
written not by Luther but by Melanchthon.
The fundamental Lutheran doctrine of justification by faith ..
They do not reject the doctrine of the Church and Sacraments, but they tend to regard them as "adiaphora" things indifferent.
Luther gave control of his movement to the princes,
and the princes wanted no bishops to dispute their authority.
Lutheranism is not necessarily opposed to the Catholic faith,
but it has become separated.
And they that understand among the people shall instruct many:
yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame,
the German under Luther,
the French under Calvin
(with which the Swiss under Zwingli was ultimately amalgamated;
Geneva did not belong to Switzerland till 1814),
and the Sectarian,
which reached its fullest development in the United States of America.
Lutheranism is the religion of Northern Germany and Scandinavia.
Its doctrinal basis is the Confession of Augsburg
written not by Luther but by Melanchthon.
The fundamental Lutheran doctrine of justification by faith ..
They do not reject the doctrine of the Church and Sacraments, but they tend to regard them as "adiaphora" things indifferent.
Luther gave control of his movement to the princes,
and the princes wanted no bishops to dispute their authority.
Lutheranism is not necessarily opposed to the Catholic faith,
but it has become separated.
Calvinism is a very different matter.
John Calvin was a logical and consistent Frenchman who worked out a complete theological and ecclesiastical system and who firmly rejected the sacramental system, the succession, and the government of the Catholic Church as anti-Christian.
Calvinism was ultimately suppressed in France by violence, but it became the religion of Holland, Scotland, and parts of Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary.
Presbyterianism is the British form of Calvinism,
which is the same in all important respects wherever it is found.
John Calvin was a logical and consistent Frenchman who worked out a complete theological and ecclesiastical system and who firmly rejected the sacramental system, the succession, and the government of the Catholic Church as anti-Christian.
Calvinism was ultimately suppressed in France by violence, but it became the religion of Holland, Scotland, and parts of Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary.
Presbyterianism is the British form of Calvinism,
which is the same in all important respects wherever it is found.
The doctrinal basis of Scottish Presbyterianism is the Westminster Confession (1643),
but its ultimate source is the Institutes of Calvin.
The government is a hierarchy of synods.
but its ultimate source is the Institutes of Calvin.
The government is a hierarchy of synods.
Fundamental of Calvinism is the doctrine that the universal Church is invisible, the company of the elect, and that therefore any congregation of professed Christians is to be regarded as part of the visible Church through which the invisible Church manifests itself.
The Congregationalists and Baptists represent the third form of the Continental Reformation, the Sectarian, which is founded not on the National Covenant like Calvinism, but on the Gathered Church.
Here again the universal Church is held to be invisible.
The only visible church that is accepted is the single congregation,
gathered out of the world under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
which elects and "calls" its minister.
Congregationalists administer baptism to infants,
but they do not think baptism necessary.
CLAUDE BEAUFORT MOSSHere again the universal Church is held to be invisible.
The only visible church that is accepted is the single congregation,
gathered out of the world under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
which elects and "calls" its minister.
Congregationalists administer baptism to infants,
but they do not think baptism necessary.
yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame,
by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
Daniel 11:33