Anglican Teaching: Introduction

THE Thirty‑nine Articles are associated with many other doctrinal statements issued during the Reformation in Europe. In order to justify their actions, those who disapproved of the doctrine and practices of the Church of Rome were obliged to examine and express in print the principles for which they stood. It is necessary to know something of the other formularies of faith which appeared in the sixteenth century, before we state our own position.

One of the earliest of the Reformation formularies,^[1] and by far the most important, was the Confession of Augsburg (1530) drawn up mainly by Melanchthon, revised by Luther, and presented to the Diet^[2] at Augsburg. It consisted of 21 Articles on matters of faith, and 7 Articles protesting against abuses. On the whole it was moderate in tone and aimed at reformation within the Church, if possible. In 1552 it was enlarged to Thirty‑five Articles, and presented to the Council of Trent by the ambassadors of Würtemberg, and in that form is known as The Würtemberg Confession. The influence of these Confessions on our Articles is noted in our exposition.

In 1530, Zwingli, a Swiss reformer, also presented a Confession to the Diet of Augsburg. After his death, his followers put forward their views in the Confession of Basle and the First Helvetic Confession (1536). But none of these documents had any positive influence on our Articles. Other well‑known Continental documents were Calvin’s Institutes (1549), the Saxon Confession (1551), and the Second Helvetic Confession (1566), the work of Henry Bullinger.

The first English statement of doctrine was issued with the approval of Convocation as The Ten Articles (1536), a compromise designed to promote unity between the Roman Catholic and the reforming parties. The first five of these Articles dealt with doctrine: the Rule of Faith was based on the Bible, the three Creeds, and decisions of the Four Great Councils; three Sacraments (Baptism, the Eucharist, and Penance) were affirmed as instituted by Christ, and the Real Presence^[3] was asserted; the Royal Supremacy was substituted for Papal Supremacy.^[4] The second five Articles were mainly concerned with ceremonies, and permitted the use of images, the honouring and invoking of saints,^[5] encouraged prayers for the dead, and denounced abuses connected with Purgatory and Indulgences.^[6]

^[1]There were one or two earlier documents, such as Luther’s Greater and Lesser Catechisms (1527-29), the Articles of Schwabach (1529) and Torgau (1530).

^[2]The English name for a foreign Parliament.

^[3]Cf. Article XXVIII.

^[4]Cf. Article XXXVII.

^[5]Cf. Article XXII.

^[6]Cf. Article XXII.


	Introduction
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Title Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Site Search: powered by FreeFind Copyright & Credit	THE Thirty‑nine Articles are associated with many other doctrinal statements issued during the Reformation in Europe. In order to justify their actions, those who disapproved of the doctrine and practices of the Church of Rome were obliged to examine and express in print the principles for which they stood. It is necessary to know something of the other formularies of faith which appeared in the sixteenth century, before we state our own position. One of the earliest of the Reformation formularies,^[1] and by far the most important, was the Confession of Augsburg (1530) drawn up mainly by Melanchthon, revised by Luther, and presented to the Diet^[2] at Augsburg. It consisted of 21 Articles on matters of faith, and 7 Articles protesting against abuses. On the whole it was moderate in tone and aimed at reformation within the Church, if possible. In 1552 it was enlarged to Thirty‑five Articles, and presented to the Council of Trent by the ambassadors of Würtemberg, and in that form is known as The Würtemberg Confession. The influence of these Confessions on our Articles is noted in our exposition. In 1530, Zwingli, a Swiss reformer, also presented a Confession to the Diet of Augsburg. After his death, his followers put forward their views in the Confession of Basle and the First Helvetic Confession (1536). But none of these documents had any positive influence on our Articles. Other well‑known Continental documents were Calvin’s Institutes (1549), the Saxon Confession (1551), and the Second Helvetic Confession (1566), the work of Henry Bullinger. The first English statement of doctrine was issued with the approval of Convocation as The Ten Articles (1536), a compromise designed to promote unity between the Roman Catholic and the reforming parties. The first five of these Articles dealt with doctrine: the Rule of Faith was based on the Bible, the three Creeds, and decisions of the Four Great Councils; three Sacraments (Baptism, the Eucharist, and Penance) were affirmed as instituted by Christ, and the Real Presence^[3] was asserted; the Royal Supremacy was substituted for Papal Supremacy.^[4] The second five Articles were mainly concerned with ceremonies, and permitted the use of images, the honouring and invoking of saints,^[5] encouraged prayers for the dead, and denounced abuses connected with Purgatory and Indulgences.^[6] ^[1]There were one or two earlier documents, such as Luther’s Greater and Lesser Catechisms (1527-29), the Articles of Schwabach (1529) and Torgau (1530). ^[2]The English name for a foreign Parliament. ^[3]Cf. Article XXVIII. ^[4]Cf. Article XXXVII. ^[5]Cf. Article XXII. ^[6]Cf. Article XXII.
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