ARTICLES OF RELIGION · 1523 AD · REFORMED (SWISS)

Zwingli's 67 Articles

WRITTEN

1523 AD

TRADITION

Reformed (Swiss)

SECTIONS

69

This document states its doctrine rather than quoting verses; its references are shown in the Berean Standard Bible.

CONTENTS

Introduction

ARTICLE I

The articles and opinions below, I, Ulrich Zwingli, confess to have preached in the worthy city of Zurich as based upon the Scriptures which are called inspired by God, and I offer to protect and conquer with the said articles, and where I have not now correctly understood said Scriptures I shall allow myself to be taught better, but only from said Scriptures.

Article I

ARTICLE 1

All who say that the Gospel is invalid without the confirmation of the Church err and slander God.

Article II

ARTICLE 2

The sum and substance of the Gospel is that our Lord Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, has made known to us the will of his heavenly Father, and has with his innocence released us from death and reconciled God.

Article III

ARTICLE 3

Hence Christ is the only way to salvation for all who ever were, are and shall be.

Article IV

ARTICLE 4

Who seeks or points out another door errs, yes, he is a murderer of souls and a thief.

Article V

ARTICLE 5

Therefore all who consider other teachings equal to or higher than the Gospel err, and do not know what the Gospel is.

Article VI

ARTICLE 6

For Jesus Christ is the guide and leader, promised by God to all human beings, which promise was fulfilled.

Article VII

ARTICLE 7

That he is an eternal salvation and head of all believers, who are his body, but which is dead and can do nothing without him.

Article VIII

ARTICLE 8

From this follows first that all who dwell in the head are members and children of God, and that it is the church or communion of the saints, the bride of Christ, Ecclesia catholica.

Article IX

ARTICLE 9

Furthermore, that as the members of the body can do nothing without the control of the head, so no one in the body of Christ can do the least without his head, Christ.

Article X

ARTICLE 10

As that man is mad whose limbs (try to) do something without his head, tearing, wounding, injuring himself; thus when the members of Christ undertake something without their head, Christ, they are mad, and injure and burden themselves with unwise ordinances.

Article XI

ARTICLE 11

Hence we see in the clerical (so-called) ordinances, concerning their splendor, riches, classes, titles, laws, a cause of all foolishness, for they do not also agree with the head.

Article XII

ARTICLE 12

Thus they still rage, not on account of the head (for that one is eager to bring forth in these times from the grace of God,) but because one will not let them rage, but tries to compel them to listen to the head.

Article XIII

ARTICLE 13

Where this (the head) is hearkened to one learns clearly and plainly the will of God, and man is attracted by his spirit to him and changed into him.

Article XIV

ARTICLE 14

Therefore all Christian people shall use their best diligence that the Gospel of Christ be preached alike everywhere.

Article XV

ARTICLE 15

For in the faith rests our salvation, and in unbelief our damnation; for all truth is clear in him.

Article XVI

ARTICLE 16

In the Gospel one learns that human doctrines and decrees do not aid in salvation.

Article XVII: ABOUT THE POPE

ARTICLE 17

That Christ is the only eternal high priest, from which it follows that those who have called themselves high priests have opposed the honor and power of Christ, yes, cast it out.

Article XVIII: ABOUT THE MASS

ARTICLE 18

That Christ, having sacrificed himself once, is to eternity a certain and valid sacrifice for the sins of all faithful, from which it follows that the mass is not a sacrifice, but is a remembrance of the sacrifice and assurance of the salvation which Christ has given us.

Article XIX: ABOUT THE MASS

ARTICLE 19

That Christ is the only mediator between God and us.

Article XX: ABOUT THE INTERCESSION OF THE SAINTS

ARTICLE 20

That God desires to give us all things in his name, whence it follows that outside of this life we need no mediator except himself.

Article XXI: ABOUT THE INTERCESSION OF THE SAINTS

ARTICLE 21

That when we pray for each other on earth, we do so in such manner that we believe that all things are given to us through Christ alone.

Article XXII: ABOUT GOOD WORKS

ARTICLE 22

That Christ is our justice, from which follows that our works in so far as they are good, so far they are of Christ, but in so far as they are ours, they are neither right nor good.

Article XXIII: CONCERNING CLERICAL PROPERTY

ARTICLE 23

That Christ scorns the property and pomp of this world, whence from it follows that those who attract wealth to themselves in his name slander him terribly when they make him a pretext for their avarice and willfulness.

Article XXIV: CONCERNING THE FORBIDDING OF FOOD

ARTICLE 24

That no Christian is bound to do those things which God has not decreed, therefore one may eat at all times all food, from which one learns that the decree about cheese and butter is a Roman swindle.

THIS TEXT AND ITS SOURCES

  • Berean Standard Bible Public domain

The document's own wording is unchanged apart from the quoted verses described above. Its proof-text references were resolved against this site's own copy of the Berean Standard Bible; the references it does not carry would be shown as references with no verse words.

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