Calvin-aided confession is now 'approved' reading The Layman Online Thursday, May 29, 2003 215th General Assembly Denver, Colo. May 24-31, 2003 General Assembly news index DENVER – A confessional statement that was all but written by John Calvin, founder of Presbyterianism, has been officially added to the reading list of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The commissioners to the 215th General Assembly voted overwhelmingly for "approval of the French Confession of 1559 and the implementation of its use." But that approval does not put the document in The Book of Confessions, which, along with the Book of Order, is the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA). French Protestants turned to Calvin, the leader of the Reformed church in Geneva, for help in developing a confession. Scholars say the French Confession more fully and clearly represents Calvin's theological insights than any of the 11 confessional documents in the PCUSA Constitution. At some point, another General Assembly might consider whether to include the French Confession in the Constitution. That would require a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly and approval by two-thirds of the denomination's presbyteries. The denomination's Office of Theology and Worship has been touting the French Confession for some time. But there has been some discontent, as well. Some women have objected that the 16th-century document is not gender inclusive.

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