DOCSLIB.ORG

Opskrif Hier

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Opskrif Hier Jihad in Flanders Guido De Brès It is already ten years ago that on September 11, 2001 the world was shaken by the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City. The devastating news was broadcast worldwide and many even watched it live on television as the second plane plunged into the second tower. Muslim jihad fighters aligned with Al-Qaeda were the culprits. Thousands of people lost their lives. The shock waves of this event are still felt today as military coalition troops are still battling the Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Jihad in Church History It is especially after 9/11 that many in the West became aware of Muslim radicalism and their drive to engage in jihad. Jihad can be described as a holy war undertaken as a sacred duty by Muslims. Experts on Islam have described this religion as adhering to the sacred duty of executing the wrath of Allah upon infidels. Religious wars and violence instigated by religion or ideology can be most brutal. Sad to say, also among those who aligned themselves with the Christian church there have at times been those who also inflicted brutality. We think of the days of the Protestant Reformation when during the 16th century and beyond many who desired to leave the Church of Rome to join Protestant churches suffered greatly. Many lost their lives. This suffering took place throughout many countries in Europe. Jihad Against Guido de Brès and Protestants In the midst of these events there is one event that comes to the foreground. That is what took place on the night between the 1st and 2nd of November of 1561, when a small package was thrown over the castle wall of Tournai in what is now known as Belgium. That package contained a letter to king Philip II to stop the persecutions against Reformed believers. Attached to this letter was a copy of the Belgic Confession of Faith. The author was the well-known minister of the Reformed churches, Guido de Brès. This year it is 450 years ago that this event happened. Therefore it is good to reflect upon some aspects of this historic event. As churches we should not forget what it cost our ancestors to establish and confess the Reformed religion. Guido de Brès can be considered to be one of the most important church reformers of The Netherlands. He was born in 1522 in what is now known as Belgium, in a town called Mons. He died as a martyr and sealed his confession with his blood. He was hanged in the Flemish city of Valenciennes on May 31 in the year 1567. To understand the work and the importance of this brave man, it is helpful to consider the times in which he lived. His days were characterized by turmoil and bloodshed to advance the Protestant Reformation. During de Brès‟ lifetime many were put to death in Flanders for the sake of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Roman Catholic rulers sought to root out the adherents to this „new religion‟ and used the most extravagant means available to them. Hundreds were tortured and put to death in the most gruesome manner. Many tried to flee the country, but were betrayed, caught and put to death. For protection, the ministers used pseudonyms, as did the churches. The church of Antwerp was called Capernaum; the church of Tournai was called „The Palm tree.‟ Some of the other names were „The Rock‟ (Steenwercke), The Cornerstone (Wervinq), „The Sun‟ (Brussels); the church at Lille was called „The Rose,‟ and Valenciennes „The Eagle.‟ There were many more churches and pastors that tried to use these means to survive in the midst of the persecutions. For instance, in 1544 Pierre Bruly started to preach the Gospel in Tournai. Prior to this he had served the churches of Lille and Strasbourg. He arrived in Tournai disguised as a merchant. As soon as he arrived, he started to preach and teach, not only in Tournai but also in other cities in the area, such as Lille, Valenciennes, Douai and Arras. He often preached at night to avoid detection. But already after two months he was betrayed and condemned to be burned to death on the market square of Tournai. Soon afterwards, fellow preachers in Tournai were also caught, burned or beheaded. It seemed as if the Reformed church in Tournai was gone, but in reality the church was still alive. It went underground and continued to grow. (Korteweg, Guido de Brès, p. 117) Reformed religion grew in spite of the fact that many were hunted down and killed by the Inquisition. Considering the aggression and fanaticism of these persecutors, we can speak of a kind of jihad against the adherents of the Reformation, with this difference, that in our day jihad is carried out by followers of the Muslim faith, while in those days the perpetrators were not Muslims but Roman Catholics. Jihad Today in Muslim Countries What happened in the 16th century in Flanders is still happening today in parts of the world. Also today, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are killed, burned, kidnapped, falsely accused of blasphemy, imprisoned, stoned and tortured. Today, in Muslim countries there are secret believers. Christians come together in small house churches where they seek to comfort and encourage one another in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. At times their suffering can be awful. If Muslims leave their faith and become Christians they are ostracized, assaulted and can even be killed. In various Muslim countries the secret police have such groups of Christians under surveillance, seeking to find them out and to silence them. Churches are burned by angry mobs, ministers are murdered and young women are abducted and forced into Muslim marriages. But just as in Flanders, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Jihad in Afghanistan It happened in early 2002, shortly after military coalition forces had forced the Taliban from power in Afghanistan that close to the Tora Bora Mountains a secret meeting took place of Pashtun Christians. These men and women came from Jalalabad, Kunar and Kandahar. Blankets covered the windows. Candles provided some light. The meeting was started with the singing of Psalms in the Pashto language. The song leader was a former mullah with a beautiful chanting voice. His face radiated joy and he spoke in broken English that he wanted to be a mullah for Jesus. These men had all been devout Muslims but they had become acquainted with the Lord Jesus and the miracles He did. Some listened to Christian radio broadcasts. Others had received special dreams in which they were called to follow Jesus Christ. During this meeting twelve men and two women were baptized. Today there are thousands of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the Pashtun area of Afghanistan. But they are a church in extreme danger. Their lives are at stake. They meet in hiding places. New Testaments are smuggled over the Tora Bora Mountains. (Al Janssen, Secret Believers, pp. 224,225). One of the men present was Nazim, who returned home to his village after the meeting and started teaching children to read and write, using accounts from the Gospels. Two years later a local Mullah, member of the Taliban, entered Nazim‟s house with some other men and beat Nazim severely. They told him to teach the children from the Quran and not from the Gospels. When they 2 left he asked his wife and two children to quickly run and call together family and friends, along with his students. Within a few minutes there were around twenty-five people crowded into his home. In spite of the pain he suffered from his injuries, Nazim spoke to all present giving the account of his spiritual journey. He concluded by reading from the Gospel, saying: “Jesus, by giving His life for us, releases us from the burden of sin and links us with God.” He called his hearers to also follow Jesus. He then fell over and died. (Secret Believers, p. 229). Cherishing Our Reformed Heritage What happened in Flanders in the 16th century and now in many Muslim countries is in principle the same. It is suffering for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The death of God‟s children reminds us of John 12:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Guido de Brès and many others gave their lives for the Gospel. Eventually, more than a hundred thousand Protestants fled Flanders and relocated in what is known today as The Netherlands. (Brady, Handbook of European History 1400-1600; Vol. 2, p. 404). The Reformed church became firmly rooted in that nation and it lasted for centuries. In spite of much falling away from the truth, there are still many vibrant Reformed churches in The Netherlands today. Being aware of our history, let us be very grateful for the miracles of grace God has given to us. Many of us were raised in homes, schools and churches under the blessed truths of the Reformation. Let us be very grateful and humble ourselves on account of so many privileges we have received. On the other hand, let us also realize that we will be held accountable because of all these privileges. What have you and I done with all the truths we have received? Are there fruits in our lives of faith and repentance? Do we have the strong desire to confess the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we confess that we lie in the midst of death? Does this give us a true heart-felt sorrow? Do we strive to have the image of the Lord Jesus laid upon our lives? Finally, let us be in prayer for these persecuted brothers and sisters.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Faith of Our Fathers
    Life in Christ Faith of Our Fathers Studies in the Belgic Confession Bradd L. Nymeyer and Al Bezuyen Life in Christ Faith of Our Fathers Studies in the Belgic Confession Rev. Bradd L. Nymeyer and Rev. Al Bezuyen Faith of our Fathers: Studies in the Belgic Confession Published by First United Reformed Church, 6159 Riverside Drive, Chino, California 91710. www.chinourc.org. Distributed by Reformed Fellowship, Inc., 3363 Hickory Ridge Ct. SW, Grandville, MI 49418. Phone: 616.532.8510 | www.reformedfellowship.net | [email protected]. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – for example: electronic, photocopy, recording – without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. Requests for permission to quote from this book or to translate it into other languages should be directed to: Clerk of Council, First United Reformed Church, 6159 Riverside Drive, Chino, CA, 91710. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.® NIV.® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version.® ESV.® Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the Holy Bible, New King James Version.® NKJV.® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotations of the Christian Creeds and Reformed Confessions are from the Psalter Hymnal, Copyright © 1976, Board of Publications of the Christian Reformed Church, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI.
    [Show full text]
  • Why, Then, Does John Wyclif
    Book Reviews Why, then, does John Wyclif (or, Wycliffe; or, twenty other spellings) live on as such a legendary “precursor of the Reformation” or “Morning Star of the Reformation?” Evans traces the reputation to Rudolf Buddensieg, the German scholar who edited Wyclif’s works in Latin and was the main force behind their publication in the 1880s on behalf of the Wyclif Society. Buddensieg, in turn, relied on John Bale and John Foxe, both of whom in the sixteenth century popularized Protestant martyrs, giving Wyclif a prominent place among them. For the previous 150 years, Wyclif was hardly noteworthy, although Evans does acknowledge that John Hus and his Prague associates lionized him for his acerbic attacks that were stir- ring official Catholic resentments prior to the Council of Constance, 1414– 1418. Once that gathering ordered his bones exhumed and burned (an order never carried out) and betrayed its promise of safe passage to Hus and burned him at the stake, the two were entwined in Protestant hagi- ography and polemics against “Romanism.” Her study raises the question of how much else—on either side of the Reformation divide—may have been historically distorted and may need reexamination. It implies that the Wycliffe Bible Translators’ board of directors might wish to consider an organizational name change! Evans makes a solid case for her revised assessment of Wyclif. The first 150 pages (three-fifths) of the book contain very little on John Wyclif. They consist of extended passages on the emergence and organiza- tion of European universities, detailed description of curricula, all monas- tic matters, English society and politics of the late medieval period, and the Vatican apparatus and issues of the time.
    [Show full text]
  • Guy De Bre`S's »Le Baston De La Foy Chrestienne«
    ISSN 0254–4407 – Zwingliana 40 (2013), 73–99 Guy de Bre`s’s »Le baston de la foy chrestienne« From Personal Notebook to Patristic Anthology (1555–1565) Erik A. de Boer 1. Introduction Guy de Bre`s (c. 1520–1567) is best known as the primary author of the Confession de foy, published in 1561, translated into Dutch in 1562, which is also called »Confessio Belgica« or »Belgic Con- fession«. His very first, far less known publication is an anthology entitled Le baston de la foy chrestienne, whose first edition appeared in 1555. This work is a compilation of quotations from the Scriptures and the church fathers, organized thematically. Within a time span of no more than ten years, this work saw at least seventeen editions, all of which appeared during De Bre`s’s lifetime. If a Dutch translation existed, as may indeed have been the case, it at any rate did not survive in publication.1 In 1577 the book was translated into English as The Staffe of Christian Faith (although never reprinted). After the death of De Bre`s, Le baston was reprinted only a single time, in Saumur in 1601. Nevertheless, the work can be regarded as a French language bestseller, being 1 See Erik A. de Boer, »Le baston« in Nederlandse vertaling?, in: Guido de Bres: Zijn leven, zijn belijden, ed. Emile Braekman, Erik A. de Boer, Utrecht 2011, 90–93. 74 Erik A. de Boer published between 1555 and 1565 in Antwerpen, Geneva, Lyon, and Caen. As such, it was a popular handbook in the clash of the confessions.
    [Show full text]
  • To Win Our Neighbors for Christ Explorations in Reformed Confessional Theology
    *To Win Our Neighbors for Christ Explorations in Reformed Confessional Theology Editors Daniel R. Hyde and Mark Jones Daniel R. Hyde, In Defense of the Descent: A Response to Contemporary Critics Ryan M. McGraw, By Good and Necessary Consequence Wes Bredenhof, To Win Our Neighbors for Christ *To Win Our Neighbors for Christ The Missiology of the Three Forms of Unity Wes Bredenhof REFORMATION HERITAGE BOOKS Grand Rapids, Michigan To Win Our Neighbors for Christ © 2015 by Wes Bredenhof All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Direct your requests to the publisher at the following address: Reformation Heritage Books 2965 Leonard St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525 616-977-0889 / Fax 616-285-3246 [email protected] www.heritagebooks.org Printed in the United States of America 15 16 17 18 19 20/10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bredenhof, Wes. To win our neighbors for Christ : the missiology of the three forms of unity / Wes Bredenhof. pages cm. — (Explorations in Reformed confessional theology) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60178-375-2 (alk. paper) 1. Reformed Church—Creeds. 2. Belgic Confession. 3. Heidel- berger Katechismus. 4. Canons of Dort. 5. Missions. I. Title. BX9428.A1B74 2015 238’.42—dc23 2014046831 For additional Reformed literature, request a free book list from Reformation Heritage Books at the above address. Contents Series Preface ................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Beggars of Holland and the Grandees of Spain
    THE BEGGARS OF HOLLAND AND THE GRANDEES OF SPAIN. A HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION IN THE NETHERLANDS, F ROM A. D. 1200 TO 1578. (7/ BY THE A? Rm. JOHN ‘w. ‘MEARg, D.D. PHILADELPHIA: PRESBYTERIAN PUBLICATION COMMITTEE, 1334 CHESTNUT STREET. 1m! You: A. v. r. muons, 770 BaoAnwn “AJ'\I'\J"\/‘\./‘\."\ p"\.f\.MM’mWN\/\.f\/\_r‘\/\f\./\M Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by WM. L. HILDEBURN, TREASURER, in trust for the PRESBYTERIAN PUBLICATION COMMITTEE, In the Clerk’s Oflice of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Wzs'roo'r'r _& Tnomsou, Stereotypere, Philada. Spoiling the Cathedral at Antwerp. Bnggars of Holland. Frontispioce. See P. 243. CONTENTS. PM}! THE NETHERLANDS.--.................. 5 EARLY 15 THE LAST STRAW.......... 30 ERASMUS............................. 36 ERASMUS (continued)............................................. 48 LUTHER’s ATTACK ON INDULGENCES........................ 60 FIRST MARTYRs OF THE REFORMATION.................... 71 PLACARDS 0F CHARLES 88 CONCLUSION OF THE REIGN OF CHARLES V.—(1550-’55.) 101 THE STRUGGLE DEEPENS—COMMENCEMENT 0F PHILIP’s 114 OFFICERS AND VICTIMS OF THE INQUISITION............ 124 STORY OF ANGELUs 135 SYMPTOMS 0F REVQLT........... 144 THE ANABAPTISTS................................................. 153 STATE OF THE CHURCH AND COUNTRY..................... 175 WILLIAM OF 188 THE SIGNAL FOR THE 197 THE LEAGUE OF Nexus—THE BEWARE OF HOLLAND. 210 3 4 CONTENTS. PAGI OPEN-Am PREACHING............................................ 219 THE IMAGE-BREAKING FURY ....... 232 CONcmsIONs To THE REFORMED.................. 253 POSITION ANI) EFFORTS OF THE PRINCE OF ORANGE.' 266 ARMED RESISTANCE—SIEGE 0F VALENCIENNI'B......... 273 THE DUCHESS TRIES TO WIN THE PRINCE OF ORANGE —HIs 285 THE DUKE 0F 291 THE ALARM DEEPENED—THE BLOOD COUNCIL........
    [Show full text]
  • A Quarterly Journal for Church Leadership
    A Quarterly Journal for Church Leadership Volume 10 • Number 2 • Spring 2001 THE BELGIC CONFESSION OF FAITH AND THE CANONS OF DORDT ,I his powerful and willing divine care and turning-to-my­ good of which question 26 (in the Heidelberg Catechism) J ael7f( 1Beeiw speaks is God's providence, providentia Dei. Providence means not only to "foresee" but, according to the old trans­ lation, to "over-see." Dominus providebit: God will provide. Over and in all creatures in one way or another-quietly or he oldest of-the doctrinal standards of the Reformed actively, known or unknown, always according to the deci­ TIt Churches of the Netherlands is the Confession of Faith, sion of his wisdom-there is the "almighty and ever-pres­ most commonly known as the Belgic Confession, taken from ent power of God," the same power in all the differences the seventeenth-century Latin designation Confessio Belgica. and contradictions, light and dark sides, of creation. At this "Belgica" referred to the whole of the Low Countries, both point all arbitrary optimism and pessimism err in their north and south, today divided into the Netherlands and evaluation of creation because they believe that from a Belgium. Variant names for the Belgic Confession include the freely chosen standpoint they can judge how God's power Walloon Confession and the Netherlands· Confession. orders both sides in the direction of his final goal, in the The Confession's chief author was Guido de Bres (1522- service of his coming kingdom, looking forward to the rev­ 1567), a Reformed itinerant pastor.
    [Show full text]
  • The Remarkable Story of the Belgic Confession
    THE CANADIAN REFORMED MAGAZINE The remarkable story of the Belgic Confession Inside this Issue Editorial #ORNELIS¬6AN¬$AM Being Faithful Even to the Point of Death $R¬#ORNELIS¬6AN¬$AM¬IS¬ PROFESSOR¬EMERITUS¬OF¬/LD¬ 4ESTAMENT¬AT¬THE¬#ANADIAN¬ 2EFORMED¬4HEOLOGICAL¬3EMINARY¬ IN¬(AMILTON ¬/NTARIO¬ CVANDAM CANRCORG During the ages countless children of God have given up their life for the cause of Christ It is difficult for us to imagine what the Lord’s International Version (1984). The first passage is from command to be faithful unto death (Rev 2:10) really Revelation 6:9-11, entails. Yet it is good to reflect on what our Saviour’s When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar words have meant in the history of the church and still the souls of those who had been slain because mean today, especially as we celebrate Reformation of the word of God and the testimony they had Day on October 31. After all, during the ages countless maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How children of God have given up their life for the cause long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge of Christ. Also in the time of the Reformation and in the the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” following century many paid the ultimate price for their Then each of them was given a white robe, and they faith and today many continue to do the same. were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be Martyrs’ Monument killed as they had been was completed.
    [Show full text]
  • Calvin and the Reformation
    Turning Points: God’s Faithfulness in Christian History 4. Reformation of Church and Doctrine: Luther and Calvin Sixteenth-Century Reformation Sixteenth-Century Reformation BACKGROUND Renaissance (1300-1500) created deep divisions in Europe: A. new states: France & England; then Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Scotland & smaller: Naples, Venice, Tuscany, Papal states. 100 Years War b/w France & England. B. Christendom divided: Great Schism w/2 popes Avignon & Rome 1378-1417. C. Holy Roman Empire (HRE): German-speaking confederation 300+ small states w/7 larger states alliance; & very powerful families. CONFEDERATION (like European Union) “Holy” & “Roman” = recreate Christian Roman Empire prior to destruction (410 AD by barbarians) Government of Holy Roman Empire context of martin luther Golden Bull of 1356 est. 7 “Electors” elected “Emperor” from among 7. [962-1806] Reichstag = (Imperial Diet) assembly of estates (parliament). 3 ecclesiastical Electors: (Roman Catholic Church temporal govts.!) *Archbishop of Mainz *Archbishop of Trier *Archbishop of Cologne 4 secular Electors: *King of Bohemia *Margrave of Brandenburg *Count Palatine of the Rhine become Reformed *Duke of Saxony become Lutheran 4 Sixteenth-Century Reformation Choices Correlations institutional forms Christianity & social-economic structure: Catholic, Lutheran, Church of England = appeal monarchical- hierarchy model. church governing followed social-economic= “Episcopal ” [top-down pope, cardinals, archbishops, etc.] Reformed/ Calvinism =appeal merchant elite: Free cities, independent regions (republics) freedom from larger forces w/ oligarchic model. church governing followed social-economic structure= “Presbyterian ” [shared leadership Synods] Independent /dissident groups = appeal peasants, urban workers (Anabaptist) church governing followed democratic model “Congregational ” [independent] Religious Divisions in 16th Century Europe Duchy of Saxony ( Northern Germany, Luther’s home ) w/Elbe River= trade, transportation.
    [Show full text]
  • Letter of Comfort from Guido De Bres to His Wife
    1 A Reformation Martyr Comforts His Wife By W.L. Bredenhof Some time ago, Time magazine featured a cover story entitled, “Does God Want You to Be Rich?” In this story, the authors describe how people like Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer are pushing a new gospel. They teach that the good news is that Jesus Christ came to make us wealthy, healthy, and materially blessed. Their books are very popular in broader Christian circles and sometimes they’re even found in our homes They’re popular, but they’re dead wrong. The gospel is not in wealth, health and prosperity. In Acts 14:22, Paul and Barnabas encouraged the believers at Lystra, Iconium and Antioch by telling them, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” They had learned this from the Lord Jesus himself when he told them that anyone who follows him must take up the cross. These Biblical truths were recovered by the Reformation. On October 31, we remember that in 1517, Martin Luther pinned his 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. Two years later, in 1519, Luther travelled to the birthplace of our Heidelberg Catechism. At Heidelberg, Luther and one of his colleagues, Leonard Beier, defended another set of theses. With the Heidelberg Disputation, Luther laid out the difference between a theology of glory and a theology of the cross. The Roman Catholic Church taught a theology of glory. Through good works and a little help, man could climb his way up to God and receive God’s blessing.
    [Show full text]
  • October 16, 1998
    Clarion THE CANADIAN REFORMED MAGAZINE VOLUME 47, NO. 21 OCTOBER 16, 1998 The Reformation The 95 Theses Discussed EDITORIAL By N.H. Gootjes PG PG required vances have perfected the movie to become a very attrac- When parents present a child for baptism, they must rise tive and forceful means of communication. Furthermore, and make several promises before the sacrament is admin- the general population has more time for leisure activities istered. One of these promises is: Do you promise, as father than they have ever had before. and mother, to instruct your child in this doctrine, as soon If my count is correct, over a two week period about as he (she) is able to understand, and to have him (her) in- 412 movies could be watched on (cable) TV. That means, structed therein to the utmost of your power? Instruction in every week there are more than 200 to choose from. That the biblical teaching (= doctrine) is so important that at bap- number does not even include the many TV series the sta- tism parents must publicly promise to do this. tions put on to lock the public into their channel. In addition, Over the years, this promise has often been used as the the local movie theatres advertise their selection, which can basis for catechetical instruction. It has also been used in be watched on impressively big screens for the price of a support of reformed education. Teaching at the schools hamburger lunch. Movies are very popular as entertainment. should not contradict the biblical teaching as summarized in But what about Parental Guidance? the confessions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Belgic Confession and the True Church W
    Chapter 11 The Belgic Confession and the True Church W. Robert Godfrey* Dr. James M. Renihan has been a distinguished servant of Christ as a minister, teacher, and scholar as well as a Christian husband and father. It has been a privilege for me to be his friend and colleague over many years and I am very pleased to join in this project to honor him. My choice of topics may seem a strange one: Does the Belgic Confession, as some claim, require its subscribers to confess that all Baptist churches are false churches? As one who subscribes the Belgic Confession, I want to understand the meaning of the Confession for my work and cooperation with others. Dr. Renihan, as a strong confessionalist himself, will also appreciate the value of this topic (even as it may cause him to smile). This question is important to our cooperation across confessional differences without compromise in our common commitment to Christ’s truth and to our Reformation heritage. The Belgic Confession (1561) has been the confession of faithful Dutch Reformed churches for over 450 years. The confession was written by the minister and missionary Guido De Bres during a time of great persecution of Reformed churches in the Netherlands. De Bres himself died a martyr at the hands of the Roman Catholic civil authorities in 1567. He wrote the Belgic Confession to distinguish clearly the teaching of the Reformed churches in the Netherlands both from the Roman Catholic Church and from the Anabaptist churches there. The Belgic Confession has a strong and detailed doctrine of the church which reflects the Reformed conviction that the church was a central doctrinal concern and that the reform of the church according to the Bible was a key work of the Reformation.
    [Show full text]
  • Opskrif Hier
    The Other Martin Martin Bucer (1491-1551) Perhaps, by way of general background, I could invite you to think about the time of the Reformation. What is it that stands out about that time, in your thoughts? More than likely you would have thought of Martin Luther, especially nailing those 95 Theses to that huge wooden door. Others could have thought in particular about John Calvin, the great systematiser and commentator of the Reformation. But quite apart from these Reformers, important and gifted though they be, there was at work what we know was a great movement of God. The Reformation is first and foremost a tremendous revival, a work of the LORD that reformed His Church, even though the instituted church as it was then, tried so terribly hard to repress and suppress it. Just a little reading into this fascinating time of the Reformation shows us the many others there were, sharing and speaking the same precious scriptural truths. From our continental reformed links we meet the names of Guido de Bres, the writer of the Belgic Confession, and Zacharius Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, who co-wrote the Heidelberg Catechism. On the English side there are the Westminster Divines, those men who met to formulate the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Shorter and Larger Catechisms. That‟s why I have chosen as the title for this article, “The Other Martin”. For we know well the Martin, Martin Luther, but how many others were there? In the light of Martin Luther they may seem to pall to insignificance.
    [Show full text]