July 15, 2017
Devotions: Timeline of the Reformation: The 39 Articles 1563

The “Thirty-nine Articles” of religion contain the rules and the practices of the Church of England. They were written following the English Reformation. They are contained in the Book of Common Prayer (devotion July 11) used by the Episcopal Church and the Church of England. These articles were written once Henry VIII established his own church and named himself Supreme Head of the Church. They began as Ten Articles in 1536. These original articles defined the Church of England in comparison to the rules of the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformation. These documents were written and revised over a 30 year period between when Henry VIII was excommunicated and when Elizabeth I was excommunicated in 1570. During the period of 1536 and 1570, the Thirty-nine Articles went through five alterations. The first draft of the Ten Articles was somewhat more pro-Protestant. This was because the English monarchs wanted to maintain a political relationship with the German monarchy, who were Protestant. In 1539 the next set of changes resulted in policies that did not have a pro-Protestant bent. The Archbishop of Canterbury Matthew Parker directed the Convocation of 1563 where the Thirty-nine Articles were instated. These final articles were less Calvinist and are the Church of England practices that are known today. (Adapted from “englishhistory.net”; “The 39 Articles of Religion”)

Here are the first Six Articles of the 39 Articles:
1. Of Faith in the Holy Trinity
2. Of Christ the Son of God
3. Of his going down into Hell
4. Of his Resurrection
5. Of the Holy Ghost
6. Of the Sufficiency of the Scriptures

Here are the first Six Articles of the Augsburg Confession:

1. God
2. Original Sin
3. The Son of God
4. Justification
5. The Ministry
6. New Obedience

Pastor Dave

Please collect bottles of shampoo and packages of deodorant for Trinity’s Table.