# Book of Confessions

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Book_of_Confessions
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Book_of_Confessions.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Confessions
> Source revision: 1335821078
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|US Presbyterian Church book of creeds and confessions}}
{{italic title}}
thumb
The '''''Book of Confessions''''' contains the creeds and confessions of the [Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)](/source/Presbyterian_Church_(U.S.A.)).<ref>{{cite book | title=Book of Order 2011-13 | publisher=The Office of the General Assembly | year=2011 | location=Louisville | page=9}}</ref> The contents are the [Nicene Creed](/source/Nicene_Creed), the [Apostles' Creed](/source/Apostles'_Creed), the [Scots Confession](/source/Scots_Confession), the [Heidelberg Catechism](/source/Heidelberg_Catechism), the [Second Helvetic Confession](/source/Second_Helvetic_Confession), the [Westminster Confession of Faith](/source/Westminster_Confession_of_Faith), the [Shorter Catechism](/source/Shorter_Catechism), the [Larger Catechism](/source/Larger_Catechism), the [Theological Declaration of Barmen](/source/Theological_Declaration_of_Barmen), the [Confession of 1967](/source/Confession_of_1967), the [Confession of Belhar](/source/Confession_of_Belhar),  and the [Brief Statement of Faith](/source/Brief_Statement_of_Faith).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://fpcmankato.org/AboutUs/BookofConfessions/tabid/53899/Default.aspx | title=Book of Confession | accessdate=October 3, 2012 | author=First Presbyterian Church of Mankato, Minnesota | year=2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160626135748/http://www.fpcmankato.org/AboutUs/BookofConfessions/tabid/53899/Default.aspx | archive-date=June 26, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The book was first published in 1983, and has since been revised. When it was first published, the intent was to blend the theological traditions of the [Presbyterian Church in the United States](/source/Presbyterian_Church_in_the_United_States) and the [United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America](/source/United_Presbyterian_Church_in_the_United_States_of_America).<ref>{{cite book | title=Book of Confessions | publisher=The Office of the General Assembly | year=2007 | location=Louisville | page=xxi | author=Various |url= http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/oga/pdf/boc.pdf}}</ref> The role of the ''Book of Confessions'' is to provide historical context for Biblical interpretations.<ref>{{cite book | title=Presbyterian Polity for Church Officers | publisher=Geneva Press | year=1999 | location=Louisville | isbn=978-0-664-50018-4 | page=[https://archive.org/details/presbyterianpoli03edgray/page/7 7] | last1=Gray | first1=Joan S. | last2=Tucker | first2=Joyce C. | url=https://archive.org/details/presbyterianpoli03edgray/page/7 }}</ref>

==Amendment process==
Amending the ''Book of Confessions'' is a six-year-long process. The process begins when a [General Assembly](/source/General_Assembly_(presbyterian_church)) appoints a committee to study a proposed amendment. The committee presents its report at the following General Assembly, which then votes on whether to send the amendment to the [presbyteries](/source/presbytery_(church_polity)). Two-thirds of the presbyteries, and another General Assembly must approve the amendment in order for it to be included.<ref>{{cite book |author=Hooker |first=Paul K. |title=Faith, Hope, Love, and Witness: The PC (USA) Form of Government |publisher=Congregational Ministries Publishing |year=2011 |series=Being Reformed: Faith Seeking Understanding |location=Louisville, Kentucky, United States |page=45 |language=En}}</ref> In 2008, the 218th General Assembly began the process of adopting a new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism, as well as the [Belhar Confession](/source/Belhar_Confession).<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/pcusa-oks-changes-to-faith-document-removal-of-gay-condemnation-32956/ | title=PCUSA OKs Changes to Faith Document, Removal of Gay Condemnation | work=Christian Post | date=June 24, 2008 | accessdate=October 4, 2012 | author=Kwon, Lillian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/pcusa-assembly-approves-changes-to-adapt-to-21st-century-45823/ | title=PCUSA Assembly Approves Changes to Adapt to 21st Century | work=Christian Post | date=July 8, 2010 | accessdate=October 4, 2012 | author=Kwon, Lillian}}</ref> In 2012, the new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism was sent to the presbyteries for approval, and, after being rejected by the presbyteries, the 220th General Assembly voted to restart the process to include the Belhar Confession.<ref>{{cite book | title=Assembly in Brief 2012 | publisher=Office of the General Assembly | author=Van Marter, Jerry L. | year=2012 | location=Louisville | page=6 | url=http://www.pcusa.org/media/uploads/oga/publications/assemblyinbrief-spreads.pdf }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{cite book |title= The Book of Confessions |url=https://pcusa.org/sites/default/files/boc2016.pdf|publisher=The Office of the General Assembly |location=Louisville, KY}}

{{reformed confessions}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1983 non-fiction books
Category:20th-century Christian texts
Category:Presbyterian Church (USA)
Category:Reformed confessions of faith
Category:20th-century Reformed Christianity

{{Christian-book-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Book of Confessions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Confessions) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Confessions?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.