Britannica AI Icon

Reformed Alliance

German religion

Quick Summary

The Reformed Alliance is a German religious organization that emerged in 1884 to preserve the heritage of Reformed churches. These churches originated in 16th-century Switzerland and are characterized by their Calvinistic doctrine and a collegial church government led by pastors and elders.12

Key tenets of Reformed churches include the principle of "to God alone the glory," emphasizing God's word as the ultimate authority in faith and practice. They share core Christian doctrines with other Protestant denominations, such as justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.23

In Germany, the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 legalized Reformed churches, though their practice was subject to the ruling prince. Despite periods of prohibition and emigration, Reformed churches were reestablished and, in 1817, many united with Lutheran churches in Prussia. The Reformed Alliance played a role in resisting the "German Christians'" ideology during the Nazi era, contributing to the Barmen Confession of Faith in 1934.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.