Three Forms of Unity

E4215

Christian doctrinal standards Reformed confessional standards historic Reformed confessions

Three Forms of Unity is the historic set of Reformed confessional standards—comprising the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort—widely used in Dutch Reformed and related churches.

Aliases (1)

Three Forms of Concord ×1

Statements (47)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Christian doctrinal standards → Reformed confessional standards → historic Reformed confessions →
authority	subordinate to Scripture →
basisOf	catechetical instruction in many Reformed churches → ordination vows in many Reformed churches →
confessionalFamily	Continental Reformed tradition →
confessionalStatus	binding on office bearers in many Reformed churches →
distinguishedFrom	Three Forms of Concord → Westminster Confession of Faith →
emphasizesDoctrine	covenant theology → doctrines of grace → irresistible grace → limited atonement → perseverance of the saints → sovereignty of God → total depravity → unconditional election →
geographicalOrigin	Low Countries →
hasPart	Belgic Confession → Canons of Dort → Heidelberg Catechism →
historicalContext	Reformation era → post-Reformation Reformed orthodoxy →
language	Dutch → English → German → Latin →
purpose	to promote doctrinal unity among Reformed churches → to provide a standard for church teaching and discipline → to summarize Reformed doctrine →
recognizedBy	Christian Reformed Church in North America → Free Reformed Churches of North America → Hersteld Hervormde Kerk → Protestant Reformed Churches in America → Reformed Church in America → Reformed Congregations (Gereformeerde Gemeenten) → United Reformed Churches in North America → various confessional Reformed denominations worldwide →
relatedTo	Westminster Standards →
theology	Calvinism →
timeSpanOfComposition	1561–1619 →
tradition	Reformed →
usedIn	Continental Reformed churches → Dutch Reformed churches → Reformed churches in North America → Reformed churches in the Netherlands →

Referenced by (8)

Subject (surface form when different)	Predicate
Belgic Confession → Fifth Head of Doctrine →	confessionalFamily
Free Reformed Churches of North America → United Reformed Churches in North America →	confessionalStandard
Dutch Reformed Church →	collectiveName
Protestant Reformed Churches in America →	confession
Three Forms of Unity ("Three Forms of Concord") →	distinguishedFrom
Canons of Dort →	partOf