employ". In 1847, the organisation of the Protestant worship was set
forth in a special law, and in 1849, the Consistory called in accordance
with this, adopted an organic rule for the Church. According to Article
74, the functionaries of the Church may be subjected to discipline "in
case of teaching, preaching, or publicly professing any doctrine that
may bring scandal upon the Church". Various modifications followed. In
1874 (April 26), Article 123 was made to declare that "each pastor
teaches and preaches freely on his own responsibility, and no restraint
can be put upon this liberty either by the Confession of Faith or by the
liturgic formulas". In the end of the same year, however (Oct. 3), the
State Council promulgated a new organic law, "in virtue of which a
pastor can either be suspended or dismissed by the Consistory or by the
Council of State for dogmatic motives". In 1875, the pastor obtained the
right to use in his religious teaching any catechetical manual he
preferred, provided he informed the Consistory of his choice. The use of
the _liturgical prayers_, published by the Consistory, became optional.
The pastors were now required merely to declare before God that "they
will teach and preach conscientiously, according to their lights and
faith the Christian truth contained in our holy hooks". The _liturgical
collection_, published by the Consistory in 1875, contains two series of
formulas, expressed in a dogmatic sense on the one hand, and in a
liberal sense on the other. The Apostles' Creed is optional.
_Free Evangelical Church of Geneva_.
The Free Evangelical Church of Geneva demands only a formal adherence to
its Profession of Faith from the elders (including the ministers) and
the deacons. "Some of these officers have even been permitted to hold
certain reserves on such or such article."
_Germanic Switzerland_.
Pastor Bernard of Berne, having enumerated the symbolical writings of
Germanic Switzerland, says: "For centuries the pastors were obliged to
sign them, although it is true that the Second Confession of Helvetic
Faith was alone recognised as the general rule imposed upon pastors.
The signing of the Formula Consensus was exacted only temporarily (being
discarded about 1720). It has been only from the beginning of this
century that, under the influence of rationalism, pastors have been
required to preach the Gospel merely according to the _principles_ of
the Helvetic Confession. To-day we find all confession of faith
abolished in our Germanic Swiss Churches. Pastors preach what pleases
them. Chosen by the parishes, they owe to them solely an avowal of their
doctrines."
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account