ursinus commentary on the heidelberg catechism

Many historians view the Heidelberg Catechism (HC) as an ecumenical document because of its supposed lack of distinctively Reformed doctrines.

4 Frederick III (d.1576) then became Elector of the Palatinate in 1559 and continued the Protestant unification project started by his predecessors (delayed because of the ongoing hostilities), which included the writing of the Heidelberg Catechism (published in 1563). The Interim itself was dissolved by the Religious Peace of Augsburg in 1555, as the protestant movement proved lasting. The victorious emperor then imposed the Interim in 1548 as a temporary step towards restoring the full Roman Catholic worship. The internal Protestant debates, though heated, were small compared to the fight with Rome: in the 1546 Schmalkaldic War, Charles V sought to reimpose Roman worship by force.

3 This was exacerbated by Melanchthon’s revision of the Confession (the Variata) which was produced in 1540 and articulated a view of the Supper more amenable to the Reformed. Thus, the document meant to bring reconciliation with Rome functioned to divide the Protestants amongst themselves. 2 However, it contained language over the supper that was inimical to Zwinglian and Calvinist reformers in Zurich and Heidelberg. 1 The Augsburg Confession (1530) was the first formal attempt at reconciliation between Rome and the Protestants. Rome still sought to regain the Palatinate and, by the middle of the 16th century, controversies had already divided the Protestant movement from within- two groups fought over which would carry on Luther’s legacy: the Genesio-Lutherians centered in Breslau and the Phillipists (or crypto-calvinists) in Heidelberg.

Although the Protestant movement gained political legitimacy with the Religious Peace of Augsburg in 1555, Luther’s reformation had not yet been won.

Ursinus commentary on the heidelberg catechism