Welcome to Aussie Outpost's Library page for Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms. For what to find on this page have a look at the directory below. Note Navy links are hosted at Aussie Outpost.
On This Page:
INTRODUCTION:
'No creed but the Bible!' Yet this in itself is a creed. A creed can be simply described as a statement of what one believes. Hence the statement, 'no creed but the Bible,' is actually a creed or statement of belief. The only real difference between this creed and the more detailed creeds or confessions of faith that are in existent today is that it's not a particularly good one.
Confessions of faith are simply meant to encapsulate in a concise form the epitome of Biblical doctrine as believed by the person or assembly who adhere to that particular confession of faith. They in no way replace the Scriptures or are to be put on the same level as the Bible. They are not over the Bible, but like all else sit under the authority of the Bible.
On this page I have sought to trawl the Internet for the major creeds, confessions of faith and catechisms of Christianity. You will find here the standards of the major Calvinistic and Reformed assemblies and churches. You will also find many of the Arminian creeds, as well as a number of creeds belonging to the various heretical cults and sects which try to pass themselves off as Christian and orthodox.
The reason as for why so many of these creeds, confessions and catechisms are listed here is to allow believers to have a place for further research of church history and historical theology, as well as a place for the study of theology itself.
With that being said it is obvious that the Aussie Outpost does not endorse everything that is to be found on this page. If you would like to see what the Aussie Outpost holds to as it's doctrinal standards please visit http://particularbaptist.com/standards.html.
'Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 1:21).'
INTRODUCTORY ARTICLES ON CREEDS:
In this section of the page you will find a listing of articles dealing with creeds, confessions and catechisms. They deal with such things as the legitimacy of confessions, how they should be used, etc.
The following is our listing of such articles:
- Articles of Faith: Ernest Reisinger
- Biblical and Pastoral Basis for Confessions and Creeds: Robert S. Rayburn "Premise" Volume III, Number 3 / March 29, 1996
- Catechetical Instruction: A Alexander
- Creeds and Confessions: A. A. Hodge
- Guide to Catechetical Instruction, A: H Hoeksema
- Legitimacy and Function of Creeds, The: Dean Allen/Mark Sarver
- Liturgy of the Reformed Churches
- Need To Recover the Practise of Catechism, The: Kim Riddlebarger
- On the Creed: Augustine
- Practical Considerations for the Use of Confessions: M Cervinka
- Puritan Bible Primer, The: (PDF)
- Short History of Creeds and Confessions, A: A. A. Hodge
- Usefulness of Creeds, The: K Gentry Jnr
- What is Catechism?: Z Ursinus
- Why Creeds and Confession: J Rogers
- Why Do We Need Creeds?: A Webb
A good introduction to the creeds up until the time of the Reformation can be found at:
http://www.aplacefortruth.org/creeds.htm
CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF THE MAJOR CREEDAL STATEMENTS:
Given below are the various creeds, confessions and catechisms of the churches in chronological order. There are also various comments relating to each creedal standard as to their place in history, significance, etc. The creeds, confessions and catechisms follow:
Chronological Creed, Confessions and Catechism Directory:
The New Testament Scriptures abound with examples of what many believe to be the earliest forms of creed or confessions of faith. This site gives a listing of some of these.
Other Bible creeds can be found at:
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/bible.htm
One of the first non-canonical creedal statements.
Other sites with The Apostles Creed are:
http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/apostles.htm
http://www.reformed.org/documents/apostles_creed.html
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/apostles.htm
http://iclnet93.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/creed.apostles.txt
The Council of Nicaea was called by Constantine to deal with the Arian controversy. The Nicene Creed was produced in response to the error of Arius.
The above page on the Nicene Creed at the Hall of Church History also has notes on the creed by James Keifer. These notes are also available at:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/creed.nicene.txt
The Nicene Creed was formally adopted in 381AD at the Council of Constantinople. Notes on this council are available at:
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/const1.txt
There was a controversy known as the Filioque Clause Controversy (txt) over some of the content of the creed.
Other sites with the Nicene Creed are:
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/nicene.creed.html
http://www.reformed.org/documents/nicene.html
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/niceneg.htm
The Definition of Chalcedon deals with the true nature of Jesus Christ. It was put together at the Council of Chalcedon in response to errors of the day.
Other sites with The Definition of Chalcedon are:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/creeds.chalcedon.txt
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/chalcedon.htm
Controversy over the doctrine of the Trinity produced this classic statement of the Trinity.
Other sites with the Athanasian Creed are:
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/athanasian.creed.html
http://www.reformed.org/documents/athanasian.html
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/Quicumque.html
These canons were written in response to the controversy between Augustine and Pelagius. The council supported Augustine and rejected the errors of Pelagius.
Other sites with The Canons of the Council of Orange are:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/council.orange.txt
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/orange.htm
The Second Council of Constantinople confirmed The Definition of Chalcedon in dealing with the nature of Christ controversy then current.
Other sites with the Anathemas of the Second Council of Constantinople are:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/council.2constan.txt
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/2Constantinople.htm
The Symbol of Faith was a short confession produced by the at the Eleventh Council of Toledo in 675AD. The confession relates to the Trinity.
Other sites with the statement of the Third Council of Constantinople are:
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/later_creeds.htm
Other sites with the statement of the Synod of Constantinople are:
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/later_creeds.htm
Other sites with the statement of the Council of Nicaea Confession are:
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/later_creeds.htm
Other sites with the 1120AD Waldensian Confession of Faith are:
http://www.pb.org/articles/walden.html
Below is a catechism used by the Waldenses:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/waldenses.htm
Other sites with Martin Luther's 95 Theses are:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/95_theses.html
http://www.creeds.net/lutheran/95_theses.htm
The Schleitheim Confession of Faith, or the Seven Articles of Scheitheim were put together by Michael Sattler of Stauffen in Germany. They were put forward as a statement of Biblical doctrine then believed by Swiss believers (Swiss Brethren) in the face of both error and persecution. They were adopted by the Swiss Brethren Conference of 1527.
Other sites with the Schleitheim Confession of Faith are:
http://members.iquest.net/~jswartz/schleitheim/
An expansion of the Small Catechism by Martin Luther. It was included in the Book of Concord.
The Augsburg Confession is largely the work of Philip Melanchthon. It was formed at the request of the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire as representing the beliefs of the Lutheran territories.
An apology for the Augsburg Confession can be found at:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/augsburg_apology/aug_apol_1.html
Other sites with the Augsburg Confession are:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/augsburg.html
The Genevan Confession of Faith was written for the use of the Genevan Church. It was a product of both William Farel and John Calvin.
A mutual declaration by the ministers of Zurich and John Calvin regarding the sacraments.
Other sites with The Consensus Tigurinus are:
http://www.creeds.net/Tigurinus/tigur-bunt.htm
http://www.creeds.net/Tigurinus/tigur-latin.htm
This was the first edition of The Book of Common Prayer used in the Church of England. It was largely the work of Thomas Cranmer.
Later versions, translations and other related material on the Book of Common prayer used in the Church of England can be found at:
http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/bcp.htm
An introduction concerning The French Confession of Faith can be found at:
http://www.pcusa.org/theologyandworship/confession/frenchconfession.htm
The Scottish Confession of Faith was put together by John Knox, John Winram, John Spottiswoode, John Willock, John Douglas and John Row. It was ratified by a sitting of the Scottish Parliament on the 17th of August, 1560. It was the standard of the Scottish Church until the Westminister Confession of Faith.
This confession of faith represented the believers within the region of Belgica, now the Netherlands and Belgium. It was chiefly by Guido de Bras who was martyred in 1567. He was a preacher within the Reformed Churches of Belgica. The confession was written as a form of apology to King Philip II. The confession was later revised at a synod meeting in Antwerp in 1566.
Other sites with the Belgic Confession of Faith are:
http://www.creeds.net/belgic/index.htm
A brief history of the Heidelberg Catechism can be found at:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/heidelberg_intro.html
http://www.creeds.net/Heidelberg/Heidelberg_Intro.htm
A series of sermons on The Heidelberg Catechism:
Twenty Six Sermons on the Heidelberg Catechism: G Kersten
Other sites with the Heidelberg Catechism are:
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/heidelberg-cat.html
http://www.creeds.net/Heidelberg/hdlb_int.htm
Also available is the software programme Reformed Confessions 3.0 at:
http://www.tulip.org/refcon/
A brief history of The Second Helvetic Confession can be found at:
http://www.creeds.net/helvetic/intro.htm
Other sites with the Second Helvetic Confession are:
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/helvetic.htm
This is the personal confession of an early Baptist leader by the name of John Smythe.
An early English Baptist confession of faith prepared in Holland.
The link below leads to other early English Baptist Confessions of Faith:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/eebac.htm
Prepared by the church as they sought permission to go to America in order to flee persecution.
The Canons of Dort were put together as an answer to the rise of Arminianism.
Other sites with the Canons of Dort are:
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/canons-of-dort.html
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-dordrecht.html
http://www.reformed.org/documents/canons_of_dordt.html
http://www.creeds.net/dordt/index.htm
Also available is the software programme Reformed Confessions 3.0 at:
http://www.tulip.org/refcon/
This confession of faith was adopted by the Dutch Mennonite movement at a conference in Dordrecht, Holland, on the 21st April, 1632. It was chiefly written by Adrian Cornelis, leader of the church in Dordrecht.
The 1644 London Baptist Confession of Faith was prepared by seven Baptist congregations in London, England. It was put together to give an honest representation of the faith held by these churches in the face of opposition. A corrected and enlarged confession was put forward in 1646.
An interesting article on the 1644 Confession of Faith by James Renihan is:
Confessing the Faith in 1644 and 1689: The 1689 Confession in America
Some other interesting articles are:
First London Baptist Confession of Faith (1644), The
First London Baptist Confession of Faith (1646), The
An appendix to the confession of faith was put together by Benjamin Keach:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/appendix.htm
Other sites with the 1644 London Baptist Confession of Faith are:
Written by John Owen for his congregation at Fordham.
Other sites with the Two Short Catechisms of John Owen are:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-owcat.html
1647AD - The Westminster Shorter Catechism: The Westminster Larger Catechism:
The links below are for Fischer's Catechism, which is a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/fisher/index.html
http://www.reformed.org/documents/fisher/Fisher.pdf (PDF)
Also available is the software programme Reformed Confessions 3.0 at:
http://www.tulip.org/refcon/
The listing below provides a series of articles on the Westminster Confession of faith and its history:
- Brief Historical Survey of the Westminster Assembly and Standards, A
- Calling of the Westminster Assembly, The: J Murray
- Calling of the Westminster Assembly, The: J Murray
- Catechism for Young Children
- Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly, The: J Murray
- Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly, The: J Murray
- Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith: A A Hodge
- Epistle to the Reader of theWestminster Confession of Faith, An: T Manton
- History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines: W. Hethrington
- Reformed Faith, The: R Shaw
- Significance of the Westminster Standards, The: B. B. Warfield
- Westminster Confession of Faith (PDF)
- Westminster Confession of Faith
- Westminster Confession of Faith
- Westminster Confession of Faith
- Westminster Confession of Faith Commentary, The: A Hodge
- Westminster Confession of Faith Commentary, The: R Shaw
- Westminster Larger Catechism
- Westminster Larger Catechism Study Work Book 1: (PDF)
- Westminster Larger Catechism Study Work Book 2: (PDF)
- Westminster Shorter Catechism
- Westminster Standards, The: J Murray
- Westminster Standards, The: J Murray
- Westminster Standards, The: J Murray
- What is Meant By Adopting the Westminster Confession of Faith: C Hodge
- What is Meant By Adopting the Westminster Confession of Faith: C Hodge PDF
- Work of the Westminster Assembly, The: J Murray
- Work of the Westminster Assembly, The: J Murray
This statement was put together during a meeting of Baptist congregations at Leicester, England, in 1651.
An early Baptist Confession of Faith.
An early Calvinistic Baptist confession of faith from the Midlands area of England.
Other sites with the Midland Confession of Faith are:
http://www.pb.org/articles/mcfaith.html
An early Baptist confession of faith probably written by Thomas Collier. It was set forth to show they were of equal mind to their Lodon Calvinistic brethren and to declare the truth in the face of local errors.
The Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order was another adaption of the Westminster Confession of Faith. It was put together for Congregationalist Churches.
Below is the Savoy Declaration Appendix as used by Aussie Outpost
http://particularbaptist.com/savoy.html
Also available is the software programme Reformed Confessions 3.0 at:
http://www.tulip.org/refcon/
Other sites with the Declaration of Several People Called Anabaptists in London are:
http://www.creeds.net/baptists/london_anabaptists.htm
A Baptist catechism concerning baptism. It was written by John Tombes who became a Baptist, having been a determined Paedobaptist.
A General Baptist confession of faith which is more Arminian then Calvinistic. It was written more or less as an apology in a time of persecution against 'Anabaptists.' It was put together during a general assembly of Baptists in London during 1660.
Benjamin Keach first wrote his catechism to supplement the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (see 1689 below) that was produced in 1677 and published in 1689.
Other sites with Keach's Catechism are:
http://www.creeds.net/baptists/keach.htm
The Orthodox Catechism was written by Hercules Collins. It is largely based on The Heidelberg Catechism, with the exception of the section on baptism.
The particular Baptists (Calvinistic) of England and Wales assembled in London during 1677 and 1688, during which times a confession of faith modelled on the Westminster Confession of Faith was put together. It was authorised in 1689.
The following comments on the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith were made by Charles Haddon Spurgeon in an introduction to an 1855 reprint of the Confession of Faith for his congregation.
‘This ancient document is a most excellent epitome of the things most surely believed among us. By the preserving hand of the Triune Jehovah we have been kept faithful to the great points of our glorious Gospel, and we feel more resolved perpetually to abide by them.
‘This little volume is not issued as an authoritative rule, or code of faith, whereby ye are to be fettered, but as an assistance to you in controversy, a confirmation in faith, and a means of edification in righteousness. Here the younger members of our church will have a body of Divinity in small compass, and by means of the Scriptural proofs, will be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them.
‘Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient Gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers, and saints. Above all, it is the truth of God, against which, the gates of hell cannot prevail.
‘Let your lives adorn your faith, let your example recommend your creed. Above all, live in Christ Jesus, and walk in Him giving credence to no teaching but that which is manifestly approved of Him, and owned by the Holy Spirit. Cleave fast to the Word of God, which is here mapped out to you.’
An interesting article on the 1689 Confession of Faith by James Renihan is:
Confessing the Faith in 1644 and 1689: The 1689 Confession in America
This version is hosted at Aussie Outpost. Various translations of the confession are available at: http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/bgc.htm
A PDF version of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith hosted at Aussie Outpost is available at: http://particularbaptist.com/000_1689confession.pdf
An appendix by Benjamin Keach is available at:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/appendix.htm
The Reformed Reader offers a number of translations of the confession at:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1689lbc/1689chapters.htm
Also available at The Reformed Reader are a number of software programmes based on the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. These are at:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1689lbc/1689u.htm
http://www.ccel.org/creeds/bcf/
Also available is the software programme Reformed Confessions 3.0 at:
http://www.tulip.org/refcon/
A version of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith in modern English by Andrew Kerkham can be found at:
http://www.creeds.net/baptists/1689/kerkham/1689.htm
Chiefly put together by John Gill, then pastor of the Horsley-down Church of Christ. It represented the faith and practice of the church.
On September 25, 1742, the Philadelphia Association formally adopted the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith as it's confession of faith. The first edition of The Philadelphia Confession of Faith was apparently printed and published by Benjamin Franklin in 1743.
Other sites with The Philadelphia Confession of Faith are:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/pctoc.htm
Introduced at the same time as The Philadelphia Confession of Faith was The Philadelphia Baptist Catechism. It can be found at:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/pbcat.htm
A general Baptist Confession of Faith written by William Huntington for use within his congregation.
This confession of faith was primarily the work of John Gill, then pastor of the Church in Carter Lane, Southwark. It was based on the 1729 Goatyard Declaration of Faith.
Other sites with the Carter Lane Confession of Faith are:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/carterlanedeclaration1757.htm
A general Baptist confession of faith written by Daniel Taylor.
The Thirty Nine Articles of Religion were adopted by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States on September 12, 1801.
General Baptist catechism written by Daniel Taylor.
This confession of faith was adopted at the Associations of Aberystwyth and Bala in 1823.
This confession was written by John Newton Brown of New Hampshire and adopted by the New Hampshire Convention.
Other sites with the New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith are:
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/1833newh.htm
A confession of faith accepted by a group that had earlier broken away from the New Hampshire Calvinistic Baptists in 1779. The General Conference of this denomination began work on this statement of faith in 1832 and adopted it in 1834. It was later revised in 1848.
A catechism put together from the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith and the Westminster Confession of Faith by Charles Haddon Spurgeon for his congregation. Hosted at Aussie Outpost.
http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/spurgeon/catechis.htm
http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/puritan_catechism.htm
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/spurgeon.cat.txt
The original doctrinal standard for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary adopted in 1858.
Other sites with the Abstract of Principles are:
http://www.creeds.net/baptists/abstract.htm
This catechism was put forward by the Sunday School and Publication Board of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina in 1864.
This work was written by W. W. Everts in 1866. It was an attempt to capture the main themes of Calvinistic Baptist confessions into a catechism.
Staement from the Church of the Brethren. A creed when you allegedly don't have a creed. It was revised in 1923.
Issued by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) at the Richmond Conference in 1887.
Written by James Boyce, Professor of Systematic and Polemic Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
This is essentially a revision of The New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith.
A Lutheran confession of faith.
A review of the Baptist Faith and Message statement.
Other sites with the Baptist Faith and Message are:
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/bfam.stm.txt
This belongs to the Episcopal/Anglican Church of the United States.
Other sites with the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy are:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/icbi.html
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/chicago.stm.txt
The 1995 Mennonite Confession of Faith belongs to both the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church.
A reaffirmation of the central truths of the reformation by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals on April 20, 1996.
Other sites with the Cambridge Declaration are:
http://www.reformed.org/documents/cambridge.html
Articles of unity belonging to the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church.
The Southern Baptist Convention again reviewed the Baptist Faith and Message Satatement on June 14, 2000. The convention refused the right of churches to impose confessions of faith on their members and then set about to revise their own confession of faith.
This is a modern day revision by John Piper of the 1742 Philadelphia Catechism.
The current day confession of faith belonging to the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference of the United States and Canada.
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18/10/2006
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