The Reformed Churches in Brazil (Igrejas Reformadas do Brazil in
Portuguese) is a federation of confessional
Reformed
Reform is beneficial change
Reform may also refer to:
Media
* ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang
* Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group
* ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine
*''Reforme'' ("Reforms"), initial name of the ...
churches in northestern Brazil, started by Canadian and
Dutch missionaries in the 1970s.
Origin
The
Canadian and American Reformed Churches began missionary work in the villages between
Recife and
Maceio in 1970. In the same year Dutch Reformed Churches began missions in
Paraná. This efforts led the formation of 2 churches in
Alagoas and
Pernambuco. The American missionaries are supported by two Brazilian Presbyterian students. The Canadian Reformed Church in
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is located south of the Fraser River on the Canada–United States border. It is a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver regional district and metropolitan area. Mainly a suburban city, Surr ...
was responsible for this work in
Brazil. A school in Maceio was organised by the Reformed Church.
Other churches joined the federation from
Dutch Reformed (in
Colombo), baptist (Esperanca Church was formerly baptist) and Pentecostal origin ( the church in
Cabro Frio was Pentecostal). The denomination has an official theological seminary, the John Calvin Institution (Institutio Joao Calvino) and offers
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...
to train national pastors, elders and deacon
From its beginning from a few congregations the denomination has congregations in several Brazilian cities and states.
Doctrine
Creeds
*
Apostles Creed
The Apostles' Creed (Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith".
The creed most likely originated in 5th-century ...
*
Nicene creed
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...
*
Athanasius Creed
Confessions
*
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism (1563), one of the Three Forms of Unity, is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Calvinist Christian doctrine. It was published in 1563 in Heidelberg, ...
*
Belgic Confession
The ''Confession of Faith'', popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a doctrinal standard document to which many of the Reformed churches subscribe. The Confession forms part of the Three Forms of Unity of the Reformed Church, which are still ...
*
Canons of Dort
Churches
Congregations are in:
*
Alagoas:
**Reformed Church in Macei
**Reformed Church in Maragogi
*
Ceará
Ceará (, pronounced locally as or ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is the eighth-largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the ...
:
**Reformed Church in Fortaleza
*
Minas:
**Reformed Church in Unai
*
Paraiba:
**Reformed Church in Esperanca
*
Paraná:
**Reformed Church in Colombo
*
Pernambuco:
**Reformed Church in San Jos
**Reformed Church in Recife
**Reformed Church in Caruaru
**Reformed Church in Prazeres
**Reformed Church in Veracruz
**Reformed Church in Paulista
*
Rio de Janeiro:
**Reformed Church in Cabro Frio
Interchurch organisations
Igrejas Reformadas do Brasil has a sisterchurch relationship with the Canadian and American Reformed Churches. It is also a member of the
International Conference of Reformed Churches.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Igrejas Reformadas do Brasil - Official website
Reformed denominations in South America
Protestantism in Brazil