Savoy Declaration

The Savoy Declaration is a Congregationalist confession of faith. Its full title is A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England. It was drawn up in October 1658 by English Independents and Congregationalists meeting at the Savoy Hospital, London. It consists of a preface, a confession, and a platform of discipline.

The Savoy Assembly

The Savoy Assembly met at the Savoy for eleven or twelve days from 12 October 1658.Francis J. Bremer, Tom Webster, Puritans and Puritanism in Europe and America: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia, Volume 1, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2006, p. 354 Representatives, mostly laymen, were present from more than one hundred independent churches. Thomas Goodwin, who was a Westminster divine and author of the Westminster Confession of Faith, and John Owen were the leaders in a committee of six divines appointed to draw up a confession.:s:Goodwin, Thomas (DNB00)The others were Philip Nye, William Bridge, Joseph Caryl and William Greenhill; http://www.puritansermons.com/bio/biogoodw.htm . The writers were influenced by the Cambridge Platform, which was the statement of church government produced by the Congregational churches in New England.. The 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith of the Church of England was used as a basic template.

Confession

Thomas Goodwin, author of the Westminster Confession of Faith, saw the Savoy Declaration as a revision of the Westminster Confession with the "latest and best".Mercurius Politicus 438 (1658), p. 924 The Savoy Declaration authors adopted, with a few alterations, the doctrinal definitions of the Westminster confession, reconstructing only the part relating to church government; the main effect of the Declaration of the Savoy assembly was to confirm the Westminster theology. There was the addition of a new chapter entitled Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace Thereof. Other changes include a replacement to chapters 30 and 31 of the Westminster Confession concerned with Congregational church government. In these chapters the autonomy of local churches is asserted. It also included the words "Christ's active obedience" in chapter 11: Of Justification. While "the assembly voting almost unanimously that both Christ’s active and passive obedience were necessary for justification",Christ and the Law: Antinomianian at the Westminster Assembly, Whitney G. Gamble (Reformation Heritage Books: Grand Rapids, MI, 2016), pg. 152 the words "active" as well as "whole" were omitted. Because exact wording is required ibid. 119 the Savoy Declaration makes this explicit.

The Declaration would be adopted by the Reforming Synod in Colonial New England in 1680.

Emendations The following is a chapter comparison between Westminster and Savoy: +WestminsterSavoyNotes1. Of the Holy Scripture1. Of the Holy Scripture 2. Of God, and of the Holy Trinity2. Of God, and of the Holy Trinity 3. Of God's Eternal Decree3. Of God's Eternal Decree 4. Of Creation4. Of Creation 5. Of Providence5. Of Providence 6. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof6. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment Thereof 7- Of God's Covenant with Man7. Of God's Covenant with Man 8. Of Christ the Mediator8. Of Christ the Mediator 9. Of Free Will9. Of Free Will 10. Of Effectual Calling10. Of Effectual Calling 11. Of Justification11. Of Justification 12. Of Adoption12. Of Adoption 13. Of Sanctification13. Of Sanctification 14. Of Saving Faith14. Of Saving Faith 15. Of Repentance Unto Life15. Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation Significantly rewritten16. Of Good Works16. Of Good Works 17. Of The Perseverance of the Saints17. Of the Perseverance of the Saints 18. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation18. Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation 19. Of the Law of God19. Of the Law of God 20. Of the Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof New to Savoy20. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience21. Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 21. Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day22. Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day 22. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows23. Of Lawful Oaths and Vows 23. Of the Civil Magistrate24. Of the Civil Magistrate 24. Of Marriage and Divorce25. Of Marriage 25. Of the Church26. Of the Church Removes 2 articles, adds 3126. Of the Communion of the Saints27. Of the Communion of Saints 27. Of the Sacraments28. Of the Sacraments 28. Of Baptism29. Of Baptism 29. Of the Lord's Supper30. Of the Lord's Supper 30. Of Church CensuresRemoved in Savoy31. Of Synods and CouncilsRemoved in Savoy32. Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead31. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead 33. Of the Last Judgment32. Of the Last Judgment

Platform of Discipline

Formally titled Of the Institution of Churches, and the Order appointed in them by Jesus Christ, the platform is composed of 30 articles and sets forth the principles of Congregational Church polity.

It is a new document, not a revision of either the earlier congregationalist Cambridge Platform or the Form of Presbyterial Church Government produced by the Westminster Assembly, at which key framers of Savoy were present.

Savoy Declaration

Bron en licentie