Prefaces to the Confessions of Faith from the 1500s
Prefaces to the Confessions of Faith from the 1500s
It might seem strange to write about these, but as missionaries, we have contact with a larger number of churches than the average Christian would, and we find there is a general ignorance of church history, and a subsequent disconnect with the past. I guess it is not to be wondered at, as in in our day, with internet new blips, virtual connections, etc., we are being trained to live in the immediate present (intentionally redundant); and the past, well the past is past, forget it.
But as Christians, we should not, we must not have that mindset. Christianity is based on historic facts. The Bible is a history book! And the history of our Christian brothers and sisters from former ages, must not be forgotten. It is as vital as the history of the Bible. It was not recorded by infallible inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but it is just as valuable; it is factual history, not fairy tales.
First we will give a general historic note about each Confession, then excerpts from the Introduction of each.
The Augsburg Confession:
The Augsburg Confession, also known as the Augustan Confession or the Augustana, from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Protestant Reformation. The Augsburg Confession was written in both German and Latin and was presented by a number of German rulers and free-cities at the Diet of Augsburg on 25 June 1530. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, had called on the Princes and Free Territories in Germany to explain their religious convictions in an attempt to restore religious and political unity in the Holy Roman Empire and rally support against the Ottoman invasion in the 16th-century Siege of Vienna. [Bold mine]
The Belgic Confession:
The Belgic Confession was written in 1561 by Guido de Brès, a Reformed pastor in the Low Countries, during a time of severe persecution against Protestant believers by the Roman Catholic authorities under King Philip II of Spain. The confession aimed to articulate the beliefs of the Reformed churches and to provide a clear statement of faith that could unify and strengthen the community facing oppression. [Bold mine]
Calvin's Institutes:
John Calvin wrote the "Institutes of the Christian Religion," in 1559, to provide a comprehensive guide to Protestant theology and to defend Protestant beliefs during a time of intense religious persecution in France. His work aimed to clarify Christian doctrine and promote godly living among believers, addressing misconceptions about the Reformation and its teachings. [Bold mine]
You will note these were written during the 1500s, and were all written to organize what the Protestants believed, and so prove to the various rulers of Europe, who were Catholic, that the Protestants were not heretics or subversive. The Reformers were fighting to free themselves from the anti-Christian, anti-Biblical Roman Catholic system; while that system was trying to have the secular rulers of Europe exterminate the Protestants. Exterminate is not too strong a word; a major Roman Catholic Inquisition was launched at this time.
The Inquisition during the Reformation was a series of judicial procedures established by the Catholic Church to combat heresy, particularly against Protestantism. It involved investigations, trials, and often severe punishments, including torture and execution, aimed at enforcing Catholic orthodoxy and suppressing dissenting beliefs.
Foxes Book of Martyrs recorded the deaths of many who were killed during the Inquisition of the 1500s.
"The Actes and Monuments," popularly known as "Foxe's Book of Martyrs," is a work of Protestant history and martyrology by Protestant English historian John Foxe, first published in 1563 by John Day. It includes a polemical account of the sufferings of Protestants under the Catholic Church, with particular emphasis on England and Scotland. [bold mine]
We will look at the Introductions of these three (3) Confessions, The Augsburg, The Belgic, and Calvin's, which were all were written during the 1500s, as the Reformation was un-folding on Continental Europe.
And a note, by contrast, the confessions of the 1600s, The Westminster Confession of Faith (Presbyterian), The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689 (Baptist), The Savoy Declaration (Congregational) where written to define how each group viewed church structure. They were all written by English Christians, in England: different country, different time, different issues, different motivation.
I will give a short, direct quote from each of these Introductions, and a link to a complete on-line version. My hope is that you will see the greatness of these men, the greatness of these documents, the life and death struggle in which they were engaged, remember that they are our Christian brothers and sisters who now "in glory shine," part of the "great cloud of witnesses," cheering us on, and start reading what they wrote.
THESE WERE NOT ACADEMIC DOCUMENTS; THESE WERE WRITTEN IN THE CRUCIBLE OF LIFE AND DEATH STRUGGLES.
1) The Augsburg Confession:
Title: The Confession of Faith Which Was Submitted to His Imperial Majesty Charles V at the Diet of Augsburg in the Year 1530 by Philip Melanchthon.
"... and then also concerning dissensions in the matter of our holy religion and Christian Faith, that in this matter of religion the opinions and judgments of the parties might be heard in each other's presence; and considered and weighed among ourselves in mutual charity, leniency, and kindness, in order that, after the removal and correction of such things as have been treated and understood in a different manner in the writings on either side, these matters may be settled and brought back to one simple truth and Christian concord, that for the future one pure and true religion may be embraced and maintained by us, that as we all are under one Christ and do battle under Him, so we may be able also to live in unity and concord in the one Christian Church.
Your Imperial Majesty, after due deliberation, that we would submit the Articles of our Confession for our side on next Wednesday, therefore, in obedience to Your Imperial Majesty's wishes, we offer, in this matter of religion, the Confession of our preachers and of ourselves, showing what manner of doctrine from the Holy Scriptures and the pure Word of God has been up to this time set forth in our lands, dukedoms, dominions, and cities, and taught in our churches.
... we, with the Princes and friends aforesaid, here before Your Imperial Majesty, our most clement Lord are prepared to confer amicably concerning all possible ways and means, in order that we may come together, as far as this may be honorably done, and, the matter between us on both sides being peacefully discussed without offensive strife, the dissension, by God's help, may be done away and brought back to one true accordant religion;
If the outcome, therefore, should be such that the differences between us and the other parties in the matter of religion should not be amicably and in charity settled, then here, before Your Imperial Majesty we make the offer in all obedience, in addition to what we have already done, that we will all appear and defend our cause in such a general, free Christian Council, for the convening of which there has always been accordant action and agreement of votes in all the Imperial Diets held during Your Majesty's reign, on the part of the Electors, Princes, and other Estates of the Empire. To the assembly of this General Council, and at the same time to Your Imperial Majesty, we have, even before this, in due manner and form of law, addressed ourselves and made appeal in this matter, by far the greatest and gravest. To this appeal, both to Your Imperial Majesty and to a Council, we still adhere; neither do we intend nor would it be possible for us, to relinquish it by this or any other document, unless the matter between us and the other side, according to the tenor of the latest Imperial citation should be amicably and charitably settled, allayed, and brought to Christian concord; and regarding this we even here solemnly and publicly testify."
The above excerpts are from the "PREFACE TO THE EMPEROR CHARLES V," and then follows the list of items to be discussed; first are the "Articles of Faith" which the Protestant Rulers held to, and then the items / abuses, which need to be discussed.
They were making their appeal directly to Emperor Charles V, for a fair hearing, so that there could be peace in the land; ie so that they would not be persecuted!
"ARTICLES OF FAITH"
Article I: Of God.
Article II: Of Original Sin.
Article III: Of the Son of God.
Article IV: Of Justification.
Article V: Of the Ministry.
Article VI: Of New Obedience.
Article VII: Of the Church.
Article VIII: What the Church Is.
Article IX: Of Baptism.
Article X: Of the Lord's Supper.
Article XI: Of Confession.
Article XII: Of Repentance.
Article XIII: Of the Use of the Sacraments.
Article XIV: Of Ecclesiastical Order.
Article XV: Of Ecclesiastical Usages.
Article XVI: Of Civil Affairs.
Article XVII: Of Christ's Return to Judgment.
Article XVIII: Of Free Will.
Article XIX: Of the Cause of Sin.
Article XX: Of Good Works.
Article XXI: Of the Worship of the Saints.
"ARTICLES IN WHICH ARE REVIEWED; THE ABUSES WHICH HAVE BEEN CORRECTED"
Article XXII: Of Both Kinds in the Sacrament.
Article XXIII: Of the Marriage of Priests.
Article XXIV: Of the Mass.
Article XXV: Of Confession.
Article XXVI: Of the Distinction of Meats.
Article XXVII: Of Monastic Vows.
Article XXVIII: Of Ecclesiastical Power.
While we will probably not agree with all of their positions, the point is that all of Europe was in upheaval over these issues.
https://www.faithdc.org/uploads/1/4/3/0/14306368/the_augsburg_confession.pdf
2) The Belgic Confession
Excerpts from De Bres' letter to King Phillip II
"If it were granted to us, O most gracious Lord, to present ourselves before your Majesty, in order that we may demonstrate our innocence concerning the crimes with which we are charged, and to demonstrate the righteousness of our cause: we would not seek this secret means in order to make known to you the bitter laments of your people by means of a silent petition or a written confession. We do so in this manner only because our enemies have filled your ears with so many false complaints and reports that we were not only prevented to appear before your face personally, but also chased out of your lands, murdered, and burned in whatever place we were found. At the very least, most gracious Lord, bestow to us in the name of God the privilege that no man may deny even beasts, namely, to permit our cries of complaint to reach your ears as it were from afar; so that, if having heard us, Your Majesty should judge us guilty, let the fires then be increased in number and let the pains and torments be multiplied in thy kingdom. On the contrary, if our innocence is revealed to you, let our innocence be recognized as a support and a refuge against the violence of our enemies.
In order to demonstrate that this is not merely the word of our lips but that it is a conviction most deeply impressed and imprinted upon our hearts, we ask: who has ever been found among us who has refused you, most gracious Lord, the tribute or tax required of him? On the contrary, obedience to pay was as quickly granted as the command was given. What cache of weapons, what conspiracy was ever uncovered, even when we had been subjected to such cruel pains and torment by those who have clothed themselves in your name and power to commit every cruelty against us? These torments were so excruciating that it was enough to vex the patience of the most benevolent and meekest persons and to change their dispositions to wrath and despair. However, we thank our God that the blood of our brothers that was shed for our cause—or rather, for the cause of Jesus Christ and the witness to the truth—cries out on our behalf. For truly all the banishments, imprisonments, racks, tortures, and other innumerable oppressions testify clearly that our desire and conviction is not carnal, since, according to the flesh, we could have had it much more comfortable if we had not taken a stand for these doctrines.
However, since we had the fear of God before our eyes and thus dreading the threat of Jesus Christ, who says that He will deny us before God His Father, should we deny Him before men: we offer our backs to the whip’s lash, our tongues to the knives, the mouth to the muzzle, and the whole body to the flames. For we know that whoever will follow Christ must take up his cross and deny himself."
It is a passionate plea to be heard; and what more statement of firm commitment to stand for the truth than: we offer our backs to the whip’s lash, our tongues to the knives, the mouth to the muzzle, and the whole body to the flames. For we know that whoever will follow Christ must take up his cross and deny himself.
Here is a link tot De Bres full letter to King Phillip II: https://cprc.co.uk/quotes/debresletter/
Here is a link to the Confession itself: https://reformedontheweb.com/confessions/the-belgic-confession.pdf
3) Calvin's Institutes
Our first thought might be that Calvin's Institutes are not a Confession of Faith, but a text book. That is wrong, here is Calvin's Introduction to the King Francis of France (Calvin was French), to whom he sent his book, as again, a plea to be heard.
"Sire,--When I first engaged in this work, nothing was farther from my thoughts than to write what should afterwards be presented to your Majesty. My intention was only to furnish a kind of rudiments, by which those who feel some interest in religion might be trained to true godliness. And I toiled at the task chiefly for the sake of my countrymen the French, multitudes of whom I perceived to be hungering and thirsting after Christ, while very few seemed to have been duly imbued with even a slender knowledge of him. That this was the object which I had in view is apparent from the work itself, which is written in a simple and elementary form adapted for instruction. But when I perceived that the fury of certain bad men had risen to such a height in your realm, that there was no place in it for sound doctrine, I thought it might be of service if I were in the same work both to give instruction to my countrymen, and also lay before your Majesty a Confession, from which you may learn what the doctrine is that so inflames the rage of those madmen who are this day, with fire and sword, troubling your kingdom. For I fear not to declare, that what I have here given may be regarded as a summary of the very doctrine which, they vociferate, ought to be punished with confiscation, exile, imprisonment, and flames, as well as exterminated by land and sea.
Here are two (2) links for full PDF copies of Calvin's Institutes:
https://reformed.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Calvin-Institutes-of-Christian-Religion.pdf
https://ia801306.us.archive.org/29/items/instituteschris01calvgoog/instituteschris01calvgoog.pdf
So I hope I have shown that as the Reformation was unfolding in the 1500s, the Protestants on the Continent, in Germany, Holland, and France, were fighting for their lives, and to do that they made appeal directly to their kings and The Emperor, in the hope that the lies being told against them by the Roman Catholic authorities, that they were heretics and enemies of the state, would be shown to be just that, lies, and that they be allowed to live peaceful lives. And so in each of those countries, the Christians submitted Confessions of Faith, to be proof that while they might disagree with the Roman Catholic church, they were just following the Bible as they saw it, and were in fact good and peaceable citizens.
These were the same accusations that were made against our Christian brothers and sisters in the 1st century by pagan Rome, and they are still being leveled against us today.
Take for example Janet Reno, President Bill Clinton's Attorney General's statement:
"A Cultist is one who has a strong belief in the Bible and the Second Coming of Christ; who frequently attends Bible studies; who has a big level of financial giving to a Christian cause; who home schools his children; who has accumulated survival foods and has a strong belief in the 2nd Amendment, and who distrusts Big Government."
https://www.azquotes.com/author/12235-Janet_Reno
Interesting is not.
2 February 2026