The Second Helvetic Confession

Heinrich Bullinger

Helvetic Confessions, the name of two documents expressing the common belief of the Reformed churches of Switzerland. The Second Helvetic Confession (Latin: Confessio Helvetica posterior) was written by Bullinger in 1562 and revised in 1564 as a private exercise. It came to the notice of Elector Palatine Frederick III, who had it translated into German and published. It gained a favorable hold on the Swiss churches, who had found the First Confession too short and too Lutheran. It was adopted by the Reformed Church not only throughout Switzerland but in Scotland (1566), Hungary (1567), France (1571), Poland (1578), and next to the Heidelberg Catechism is the most generally recognized confession of the Reformed Church.

Table of contents

• Chapter 1. Of The Holy Scripture Being The True Word Of God
• Chapter 2. Of Interpreting The Holy Scripture; And Of Fathers, Councils, And Traditions
• Chapter 3. Of God, His Unity And Trinity
• Chapter 4. Of Idols Or Images Of God, Christ And The Saints
• Chapter 5. Of The Adoration, Worship And Invocation Of God Through The Only Mediator Jesus Christ
• Chapter 6. Of The Providence Of God
• Chapter 7. Of The Creation Of All Things: Of Angels, The Devil, And Man
• Chapter 8. Of Man's Fall, Sin And The Cause Of Sin
• Chapter 9. Of Free Will, And Thus Of Human Powers
• Chapter 10. Of The Predestination Of God And The Election Of The Saints
• Chapter 11. Of Jesus Christ, True God And Man, The Only Savior Of The World
• Chapter 12. Of The Law Of God
• Chapter 13. Of The Gospel Of Jesus Christ, Of The Promises, And Of The Spirit And Letter
• Chapter 14. Of Repentance And The Conversion Of Man
• Chapter 15. Of The True Justification Of The Faithful
• Chapter 16. Of Faith And Good Works, And Of Their Reward, And Of Man's Merit
• Chapter 17. Of The Catholic And Holy Church Of God, And Of The One Only Head Of The Church
• Chapter 18. Of The Ministers Of The Church, Their Institution And Duties
• Chapter 19. Of The Sacraments Of The Church Of Christ
• Chapter 20. Of Holy Baptism
• Chapter 21. Of The Holy Supper Of The Lord
• Chapter 22. Of Religious And Ecclesiastical Meetings
• Chapter 23. Of The Prayers Of The Church, Of Singing, And Of Canonical Hours
• Chapter 24. Of Holy Days, Fasts And The Choice Of Foods
• Chapter 25. Of Catechizing And Of Comforting And Visiting The Sick
• Chapter 26. Of The Burial Of The Faithful, And Of The Care To Be Shown For The Dead; Of Purgatory, And The Appearing Of Spirits
• Chapter 27. Of Rites, Ceremonies And Things Indifferent
• Chapter 28. Of The Possessions Of The Church
• Chapter 29. Of Celibacy, Marriage And The Management Of Domestic Affairs
• Chapter 30. Of The Magistracy