From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Reformed churches are a group of Christian Protestant denominations formally
characterized by a similar Calvinist system of doctrine, historically
related to the churches that first arose especially in the Swiss Reformation led by Huldrych
Zwingli and soon afterward appeared in nations throughout
Western and Central Europe. Each nation in which the Reformed
movement was originally established had its own church government.
Several of these national churches have expanded to worldwide
denominations and most have experienced splits into multiple
denominations. Commitment to teaching the original Calvinism
usually continues to be reflected in their official definitions of
doctrine, but in some cases is no longer necessarily typical of
these churches. A 1999 survey found 746 Reformed denominations
worldwide.
History
The first Reformed churches were established in Europe in the
1500s, in the wake of the Protestant Reformation.
Form of
doctrine
Reformed doctrine is expressed in various
confessions. A few confessions are shared by many
denominations. Different denominations use different confessions,
usually based on historical reasons. Some of the confessions still
commonly in use are (with year of writing):
Forms of
government
In contrast to the episcopal polity of the Anglican and
many Lutheran and Methodist churches, Reformed churches have two
main forms of governance:
The Reformed Church in Hungary,
as well as its sister church in Romania and daughter church in the
United States (Hungarian Reformed Church in America), and the Polish Reformed Church are the
only Churches in the Reformed Tradition to have retained the office
of Bishop.
Reformed churches
worldwide
Around the world many churches of Reformed tradition emerged,
both by migration and missionary work. Here is a List of Reformed
churches.
See also
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