The Confession of Faith: A Critical Text and Introduction

The Confession of Faith stands as one of the three major doctrinal standards produced by the Westminster Assembly. It has become one of the most recognizable and influential confessions of the Reformed tradition. In his historical introduction, John Bower provides an extensive survey of the Confession’s creation, a formative process spanning the Assembly’s most active years of 1643–1648. The heart of the volume is Bower’s critical text of the Confession.

Painstakingly restored, the critical text is supported by a parallel comparison of the document’s four authoritative sources and a detailed list of textual emendations. Moreover, the book’s historical and textual sections are accompanied by a glossary, bibliography, catalog of proof texts, and a critical edition of the Assembly’s often overlooked revision of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England. Bower’s text is sure to be the benchmark for future study, modern editions, and foreign translations for years to come.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: The Making of the Confession of Faith

1.Revising the Articles

2.Hastening the Confession

3.The Plan of Redemption

4.The Application of Redemption

5.Parameters of Service

6.Serving the Church

7.From Manuscript to Press

8.Bibliographical Details

9.Methods and Conventions

A Critical Edition of the Confession of Faith

Comparison of the Four Authoritative Texts

The Order of the Confession of Faith Compared with That of the Irish Articles

The Revised Thirty-Nine Articles: A Critical Text

Series Description

Principal Documents of the Westminster Assembly. This series presents the six chief works authored by the Westminster Assembly for establishing covenanted uniformity of religion in England: the Confession of Faith, the Larger Catechism, the Shorter Catechism, the Directory for Public Worship, the Directory for Church Government, and the Psalter. Each volume will contain a historical introduction, the critical text, and parallel columns comparing original manuscripts and authoritative editions.