Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Church

The Evangelical Reformed Church of Lithuania or latin: "Unitas Lithuaniae"; polish: "Jednota Litewska" (Lithuanian: Lietuvos evangelikų reformatų bažnyčia) is a Reformed denomination in Lithuania which uses Presbyterian polity.

History

The church was founded on December 14, 1557, during the Synod of Vilnius. The General synod met annually in Lithuania from that date. Started with 2 later grew to six districts Synods. The church's Latin name is the " Unitas Lithuaniae " shortly UL. It sent its representatives to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. But the UL was an independent denomination. The parish network covered all parts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The first superintendent was Szymon Zacjusz. In 1565, the anti-Trinitarian Lithuanian brotherhood separated from the Reformed church.

Parishes were in Vilnius, Biržai, Švobiškis (Pasvays region); Nemunėlio Radviliškis (Biržai region); Salamiestis (Kupiškis region) Kėdainiai, Slutsk, Dzyarzhynsk (Koydanava), Zabłudów and later in Izabelin (Belarusian: Ізабэлін). Before World War II, the church had 10,000 believers; in 2012 it had approximately 7,000 in 14 congregations.[1] In 1922 the denomination become a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.[2]

Theology

The church adheres to the Sandomierz Confession (Confessija Sandomierska) (1570), Second Helvetic Confession (1562), Heidelberg Catechism (1563). These are in Lithuanian and Polish language. The Sandomierz Confession was based on the Second Helvetic Confession and adopted by the Polish-Lithuanian General Synod, and was approved later by the Evangelical Reformed Church of Lithuania. The Great Gdansk Agenda (1637) is a liturgical book approved and adopted by the Unitas Lithuaniae.[3]

International organisations

The church is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches and has fraternal relationships with the Reformed Church in Hungary, the Church of Lippe. Denominational member of the World Reformed Fellowship.[4]

Churches

In Lithuania, churches can be found in Biržai, Vilnius, Papilys, Kaunas, Nemunėlio Radviliškis, Švobiškis, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Kėdainiai, Salamiestis, Kelmė.

See also

Religion in Lithuania

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2013-02-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. www.wcrc.ch/node/164 Archived 2012-08-08 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2013-04-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2013-02-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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