What is a Reformed Church?

One of the most common symbols in Christian art is the Chi-Rho. It is created by superimposing the first two letters (XP) of the Greek word for Christ, ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, and adding the Greek letters of Alpha and Omega (a reference to Jesus’ words in the book of Revelation).

A Reformed Church is a Christian Church in the Protestant tradition that considers the Reformed confessions to be a faithful summary of the teachings of Scripture.

We are a Christian Church because we believe in the Christian understanding of God. There is only one true eternal God who has revealed himself in the Bible as three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These truths are all expressed in the earliest Christian creeds, specifically The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed and The Athanasian Creed.

We are a Protestant Church because we are part of the movement that objected to the false teaching found within Roman Catholicism. In particular, the Protestant Reformation emphasized the following key principles (known as the “Five Solas,” sola is a Latin word that means alone):

Sola Scriptura – The Bible is the ultimate authority for the church
Sola Gratia – Salvation ids a gift of God, the result of his grace
Sola Fide – Salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ
Solus Christus – Jesus Christ is the only mediator between man and God
Soli Deo Gloria – All glory and honour is due to God alone

We are a Reformed Church because we believe that the Reformed Confessions* are a faithful summary of what the Bible teaches. This is what distinguishes us from other Protestant Churches (e.g. Anglicans, Baptists and Lutherans).

*The Three Forms of Unity: The Belgic Confession, The Heidelberg Catechism and The Canons of Dort.