Reformed League for Germany

REFORMED LEAGUE FOR GERMANY (REFORMIERTER BUND FUER DEUTSCHLAND): An association, inspired in part by the Alliance of the Reformed Churches (q.v.), founded in Aug., 1884, at Marburg on the occasion of a meeting of Reformed pastors and elders to celebrate the four-hundredth anniversary of Zwingli's birth. Marburg was chosen as the place because the Zurich Reformer had bin there at the celebrated colloquy of 1529 to endeavor to secure harmony with Luther in regard to eucharistic doctrine. The meeting of 1884 accordingly stood for the irenic principles of Zwingli, who had declared that he would rather be at one with Luther than with any one else, and, as a result, a program was drawn up to bring together the scattered members of the Reformed Church throughout Germany. The union was to be voluntary in character, and was in no way intended to interfere with territorial divisions or with the varying legal status of the Reformed Church bodies. It was made plain in the resolutions passed by the meeting that the league was not directed against the Lutheran Church nor against the union, where it existed, of both the Protestant communions, the intention being simply to strengthen the internal life of the two churches and to render each other all possible assistance, with express declaration of the equality of both communions and avoidance of all interference in internal administration. Provision was also made for the financial support of needy congregations and for the organization of foundations to conserve Reformed principles. The movement has proved successful; its membership has increased each year; and it now extends over nearly the entire German Empire. Conventions are held biennially, while in the intervening year the moderator presides over less formal meetings in various Reformed communities. So far as the finances of the Reformierter Bund permit, institutions for clerical education have been founded, and a number of religious journals, especially weeklies, have been established.

(F. H. Brandes.)

Bibliography: The "Proceedings" of the conventions have appeared in the Reformierte Kirchenzeitung and in special issues at Elberfeld, while reports by G. D. Mathews have been given in the Quarterly Register of the Presbyterian Alliance.