CONFESSION OF FAITH: CRITICAL TEXT

Description

JOHN BOWER

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