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Confession of the Christian Religion
In response to the Lutheran Formula of Concord, representatives of Reformed churches commissioned Girolamo Zanchi to draft a confession of faith acceptable to all Reformed churches. Zanchi patterned his Confession of the Christian Religion after the Apostles’ Creed, giving it a broadly Trinitarian and redemptive-historical structure that emphasizes God’s saving work for His people in His incarnate Son. It is a synthesis of his exegetical, doctrinal, and pastoral interests and stands out among his numerous publications as a useful and accessible overview of the entire Reformed theological system of doctrine. Although the project never attained confessional status at the ecclesiastical level as was planned, Zanchi’s Confession proved influential in both the Reformed theological tradition generally and the development of Reformed dogmatics in particular.
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
The Confession of the Christian Religion
Dedicatory Letter
Letter to the Reader
Holy Scripture, the Foundation of the Whole Christian ReligionGod and the Divine Persons and PropertiesDivine Foreknowledge and PredestinationThe Omnipotence and Will of GodThe Creation of the World, the Angels, and the Condition of the First ManThe Providence and Governance of the WorldThe Fall of Man, and Concerning Original Sin and Its FruitsMan’s Free Will after the FallThe Promise of Redemption and Salvation by ChristThe LawChrist the RedeemerThe Actual Distribution of Redemption, Salvation, and Life Deposited in the One Christ (and the Indispensable Union and Fellowship with Christ)The Gospel and the Abrogation of the Law by Means of the GospelThe Sacraments of the New TestamentBaptismThe Lord’s SupperFaith, Hope, and LoveRepentanceJustificationThe Regenerate Man’s Free Will and His Power to Do GoodGood WorksPrayer and OathsChrist’s Church in GeneralThe Church MilitantThe Governance of the Church Militant and Ecclesiastical MinistryThe MagistrateThe Ongoing Remission of Sins in Christ’s ChurchThe State of Souls after Death and the Resurrection of the DeadThe Glorious Advent of Our Lord Jesus to Judge the Living and the DeadEternal LifeZanchi’s Own Observations on His Confession
An Appendix to Chapter Eleven
Certain Chief Articles of the Christian Faith Debated at Various Times at Heidelberg and Neustadt against Various Heresies
Bibliography
Index
About the Translator
Patrick O'Banion (PhD, Saint Louis University) is a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and the author of several books, including The Sacrament of Penance and Religious Life in Golden Age Spain (2012) and Deza and Its Religion and Community in Early Modern Spain (2020). He taught history at the university level for two decades and currently works to train pastors overseas with Training Leaders International.
About the Author
Girolamo Zanchi (1516–1590) was an influential Reformed pastor and professor.
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
The Confession of the Christian Religion
Dedicatory Letter
Letter to the Reader
Holy Scripture, the Foundation of the Whole Christian ReligionGod and the Divine Persons and PropertiesDivine Foreknowledge and PredestinationThe Omnipotence and Will of GodThe Creation of the World, the Angels, and the Condition of the First ManThe Providence and Governance of the WorldThe Fall of Man, and Concerning Original Sin and Its FruitsMan’s Free Will after the FallThe Promise of Redemption and Salvation by ChristThe LawChrist the RedeemerThe Actual Distribution of Redemption, Salvation, and Life Deposited in the One Christ (and the Indispensable Union and Fellowship with Christ)The Gospel and the Abrogation of the Law by Means of the GospelThe Sacraments of the New TestamentBaptismThe Lord’s SupperFaith, Hope, and LoveRepentanceJustificationThe Regenerate Man’s Free Will and His Power to Do GoodGood WorksPrayer and OathsChrist’s Church in GeneralThe Church MilitantThe Governance of the Church Militant and Ecclesiastical MinistryThe MagistrateThe Ongoing Remission of Sins in Christ’s ChurchThe State of Souls after Death and the Resurrection of the DeadThe Glorious Advent of Our Lord Jesus to Judge the Living and the DeadEternal LifeZanchi’s Own Observations on His Confession
An Appendix to Chapter Eleven
Certain Chief Articles of the Christian Faith Debated at Various Times at Heidelberg and Neustadt against Various Heresies
Bibliography
Index
About the Translator
Patrick O'Banion (PhD, Saint Louis University) is a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and the author of several books, including The Sacrament of Penance and Religious Life in Golden Age Spain (2012) and Deza and Its Religion and Community in Early Modern Spain (2020). He taught history at the university level for two decades and currently works to train pastors overseas with Training Leaders International.
About the Author
Girolamo Zanchi (1516–1590) was an influential Reformed pastor and professor.
- GenresTheology
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 6, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 30, 2025
Broke: Luther
Woke: Calvin
Bespoke: Zanchi
Woke: Calvin
Bespoke: Zanchi
October 6, 2025
Yet another wonderful primary source translation by the great folks at Reformation Heritage Books. This work was originally a confession that Zanchi was commissioned to do but was ultimately not used for its original purpose, but was still read for edification by Beza, Daneau, and others.
In style and substance, it is very similar to the Leiden Synopsis (Synopsis purioris theologiae), though this translation precedes that one by a few decades. It is a great example of late 16th c Reformed orthodox writing.
In many cases, Zanchi is similar to his other Reformed orthodox peers, though a few of the interesting (to me) positions that he takes include:
(1) His constant grounding in the conciliar catholic Christian tradition. He is at pains to show how his theology is not separatistic but deeply catholic. In this, he constantly refers positively to the creeds of the early church, and shows deep familiarity with them. He also insists on being called a Christian—not Reformed, or Calvinistic, or Zwinglian, or anything else.
(2) His view of the Roman Catholic Church. Zanchi considers them to be like OT Israel, in that they have apostatized but they remain Christ's church, especially since they have the creeds, Scripture, etc. From my reading of the era, this has to be the most sympathetic portrait of Rome I've found in a 16th c writer, which is considerable given that Zanchi is writing after Trent.
(3) His defense of episcopacy. This also distinguishes him from other writers of the era who tend toward a "consistory" model of ecclesiology. Zanchi sees the development of the episcopate as being consistent with Scripture, and specifically uses 1 Cor. 14 constantly for his ecclesiology, "let all things be done in good order." He sees bishops over dioceses fulfilling that model.
There are so many other interesting gems in this, but I'd encourage the reader to engage with Zanchi themselves. I was very edified reading him, even when I disagreed with him. I found him to be extremely even-handed and marked by Christian charity.
NB: I did not read Zanchi's comments on his confession, or the other appendices.
In style and substance, it is very similar to the Leiden Synopsis (Synopsis purioris theologiae), though this translation precedes that one by a few decades. It is a great example of late 16th c Reformed orthodox writing.
In many cases, Zanchi is similar to his other Reformed orthodox peers, though a few of the interesting (to me) positions that he takes include:
(1) His constant grounding in the conciliar catholic Christian tradition. He is at pains to show how his theology is not separatistic but deeply catholic. In this, he constantly refers positively to the creeds of the early church, and shows deep familiarity with them. He also insists on being called a Christian—not Reformed, or Calvinistic, or Zwinglian, or anything else.
(2) His view of the Roman Catholic Church. Zanchi considers them to be like OT Israel, in that they have apostatized but they remain Christ's church, especially since they have the creeds, Scripture, etc. From my reading of the era, this has to be the most sympathetic portrait of Rome I've found in a 16th c writer, which is considerable given that Zanchi is writing after Trent.
(3) His defense of episcopacy. This also distinguishes him from other writers of the era who tend toward a "consistory" model of ecclesiology. Zanchi sees the development of the episcopate as being consistent with Scripture, and specifically uses 1 Cor. 14 constantly for his ecclesiology, "let all things be done in good order." He sees bishops over dioceses fulfilling that model.
There are so many other interesting gems in this, but I'd encourage the reader to engage with Zanchi themselves. I was very edified reading him, even when I disagreed with him. I found him to be extremely even-handed and marked by Christian charity.
NB: I did not read Zanchi's comments on his confession, or the other appendices.
November 15, 2025
Reformation Heritage Books sent me a copy of "Confession of the Christian Religion" by Girolamo Zanchi in exchange for an honest review.
This book is extremely important to anyone who wants to understand Reformation thought. In 30 chapters, Zanchi unpacks many key doctrines of the Reformed tradition, and he does so in a way that is very easy to grasp. The immediate context also shows the significance of this work. Zanchi wrote his Confession in 1585, just five years before his death and following a long career teaching and defending Reformation and Reformed theology. So this is significant to any who wish to study Zanchi because it represents his mature thought and serves as a great gateway to his other works. It's also significant for understanding what sets the Reformed tradition apart from the Lutheran tradition. Zanchi was commissioned to write the Confession as a response of all the Reformed churches to the Formula of Concord. So the book is helpful in understanding the difference between the two main Reformation traditions.
Since this is meant to be a confession, Zanchi deals concisely with each topic. And yet, this is a very robust work. It's saturated with scripture, striving to vindicate the teaching of the Reformed churches by the Word of God. Everything flows logically. He also gives great clarity and detail. His (relative) brevity doesn't come at the expense of doctrinal rigor. It is clearly recognizable as being cut from the same cloth as the later Synod of Dort and Westminster Assembly. This is one of the strengths of this work. Though it never achieved confessional status, much of its content is enshrined in the proper Reformed confessions (Three Forms of Unity and Westminster Standards). As such, this is a very helpful tool for understanding clearly the truths that the Reformed churches confess.
This is a wonderful book, and Patrick J. O'Banion deserves much praise for bringing it into English. This is a really strong contender for where to start in understanding Reformed theology.
This book is extremely important to anyone who wants to understand Reformation thought. In 30 chapters, Zanchi unpacks many key doctrines of the Reformed tradition, and he does so in a way that is very easy to grasp. The immediate context also shows the significance of this work. Zanchi wrote his Confession in 1585, just five years before his death and following a long career teaching and defending Reformation and Reformed theology. So this is significant to any who wish to study Zanchi because it represents his mature thought and serves as a great gateway to his other works. It's also significant for understanding what sets the Reformed tradition apart from the Lutheran tradition. Zanchi was commissioned to write the Confession as a response of all the Reformed churches to the Formula of Concord. So the book is helpful in understanding the difference between the two main Reformation traditions.
Since this is meant to be a confession, Zanchi deals concisely with each topic. And yet, this is a very robust work. It's saturated with scripture, striving to vindicate the teaching of the Reformed churches by the Word of God. Everything flows logically. He also gives great clarity and detail. His (relative) brevity doesn't come at the expense of doctrinal rigor. It is clearly recognizable as being cut from the same cloth as the later Synod of Dort and Westminster Assembly. This is one of the strengths of this work. Though it never achieved confessional status, much of its content is enshrined in the proper Reformed confessions (Three Forms of Unity and Westminster Standards). As such, this is a very helpful tool for understanding clearly the truths that the Reformed churches confess.
This is a wonderful book, and Patrick J. O'Banion deserves much praise for bringing it into English. This is a really strong contender for where to start in understanding Reformed theology.
August 13, 2025
This was a delight to read! The translators and editors did a fantastic job making Zanchi accessible to a new generation.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews