What We Believe
Basic Tenets of the Reformed Tradition

Basic Tenets of the Reformed Tradition
The Reformed Tradition forms the theological basis for a number of churches commonly referred to as Protestant denominations. The theological elements of the Reformed Tradition are found in denominations at all points of the spectrum, including liberals, conservatives, and evangelicals. The word "Reformed" is actually a more specific term than "Protestant" referring mainly to Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and various Dutch churches; all of which have been influenced by the theology of John Calvin. It is a distinctive tradition with a specific origin and wide influence.

The Reformed Tradition holds all the basic theological doctrines found throughout Christianity regarding the nature and purpose of God, the person and ministry of Jesus Christ, and the role of the Holy Spirit. What follows is a list of theological ideas that, taken as a whole, make the Reformed tradition unique.

The heart of the Reformed Tradition is a view of the church expressed in the Latin phrase semper reforma, "always reforming." The church is not only reformed in an historical sense, it is being reformed even now. This means that we must be open to the new leading of God at all times, for God is not to be contained in any one form or structure. Semper reforma brings a unique dynamic of creative growth to the church in which we are called to be faithful to our heritage and to God's future for us.

The Apostles' Creed contains a phrase that is often confusing, "I believe in . . . the holy catholic church . . . ." The word catholic does not refer to one church. It literally means universal and is a reference to the whole church. We properly refer to "catholics" as Roman Catholic or the Roman Church. The Reformed tradition asserts that the church is a universal body made up of many different parts; therefore, we do not make any claim to be the one true church. We see ourselves as a part of a greater whole which has many expressions which are all valuable and to be appreciated.

A second Latin phrase is sola scriptura, "scripture alone." The Reformed Tradition is rooted in the authority of the Bible and the quest through honest inquiry to apply scripture to the contemporary scene. We look upon the Bible as the unique and authoritative witness to God in Jesus Christ, an authority without parallel and the basis for decision making in matters of faith and life.

The final Latin phrase which marks the Reformed tradition is sola fidei, "faith alone." This is one of the marks that separates Reformed and Roman Traditions. The Roman Church held that justification came through the sacraments and rites of the church, both of which were the responsibility of the clergy. The Reformed Tradition holds that is a person's individual faith that justifies them before God. This is made possible by the free gift of God's grace which accepts and forgives.

One result is that both the sacraments and the clergy play different roles in the Reformed Tradition. The Roman Church has seven sacraments affecting all ages of life (baptism, confirmation, penance, eucharist, ordination, marriage, and extreme unction). The Protestant Church, including Reformed churches, have only two sacraments, baptism and communion (also called the Lord's Supper or Eucharist). These two sacraments are both rooted in the command of Christ as opposed to the tradition of the church. Baptism is a sign and seal of our inclusion in the household of faith. It can be administered to infants and children as a part of the church for whom we take the responsibility of nurture. It can also be administered to adults upon the profession of faith. In both instances it acknowledges the new covenant in Christ and our place in the covenant. The sacrament of communion is a means both of remembrance and renewal. In it we remember the sacrifice of Christ by which the new covenant is formed and are renewed by the spiritual fellowship of the meal.

The Reformed Tradition asserts the sovereignty of God and Lordship of Jesus Christ. In that God is sovereign, God cannot be known entirely and cannot be controlled by our actions. God is free to act in whatever way satisfies the divine will, thus we are reluctant to declare too boldly that our understanding is absolute. The lordship of Christ focuses our attention on our relation to him as Master. We are a servant people of a servant Lord seeing ourselves as stewards of God's gifts.

We are all in need of repentance and forgiveness in that we all fall short of what God has created and intended us to be. Biblically, repentance means to change one's mind. It is the act of acknowledging not only our sin, but also our inability to overcome sin on our own. Sin is seen as rebellion against God and the life God intends. It is therefore not only a matter of acts, but also of attitudes and desires. Repentance is to set in place a new understanding of ourselves and the way to righteousness. We come to the point of knowing that we are rebellious people who claim mastery of our lives and that only God's reconciling act in Christ can save us and give us new life.

The priesthood of all believers is another key distinguishing mark from the Roman Church. The place of the clergy in that tradition was pointed out earlier and is very different from our view. In the Reformed Tradition everyone has equal access to God, there is no need for any intermediary. In addition, every believer has a Christian vocation of equal importance. We assert that there are different gifts and that each gift is important to the whole; therefore, ordination does not set one above others, but rather signifies accepting a call to use the gifts God gives. This is why in the governing bodies of the Presbyterian church laity and clergy have an equal vote.

A Reformed idea of equal significance to the priesthood of all believers is the assertion that each Christian has the right of conscience before God. No church governing body can compel or bind a person's conscience. While the church teaches and exhorts, faith and practice are to be resolved as matters of conscience by individuals before God. This also means that there is no higher authority which holds sway over an individual believer. This has led people of the Reformed Tradition to rebel against unjust governments and to stand in the forefront of many social reform movements.