“Confessions are not fossilised history”

One of the cornerstones

For those familiar with the PThU, Wim Moehn is a recognisable figure. He completed his doctoral research at one of the PThU’s predecessor institutions and has worked for many years as Professor by Special Appointment on behalf of the Reformed Alliance. Even in that role, he focused on confessional texts—an area that has fascinated him ever since Willem Balke first steered him in the direction of Calvin and the Francophone branch of the Reformation.

Or rather: reformations, plural. For it is now widely accepted in his circles that during the Reformation period, various regions undertook church renewal independently—albeit certainly inspired by one another. While Luther was active in the German-speaking world during the sixteenth century, the prominent figures in the French-speaking regions were the well-known Calvin and also Guido de Brès. The latter, in particular, captivates Wim Moehn. “Guido de Brès led French-speaking congregations in Tournai and Valenciennes—then cities in the southern Low Countries—during an extremely turbulent time,” he explains. “These congregations were known as ‘churches under the cross’, because they were persecuted by the Spanish king, Philip II, who considered it his holy duty to root out Protestantism by fire and sword and enforce one Holy Mother Church within his realm. De Brès was executed at a young age for his convictions.” 

But not before he composed a confession of faith, now known as the Belgic Confession (or Dutch Confession of Faith). That confession, Moehn says, is “one of the cornerstones” of the Protestant Church. Last year, he published a comprehensive critical edition of De Brès’s work.

Challenged by the times we live in

The Belgic Confession is one of many confessions recognised within the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN). In addition, the PKN embraces numerous other statements of faith formulated throughout the centuries. “Different ways in which believers have tried to put their faith into words,” as Moehn puts it. These include the classics, such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, the latter of which celebrates its 1700th anniversary this year. But the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort also form part of the PKN’s ‘confessional arsenal’. And there are more besides.

Moehn teaches on all of these at the PThU. “It is important for students to see that we stand within a tradition,” he says, “and to recognise the thread that runs through these confessions. Because even today, confessional texts are being formulated—for example, by the World Council of Churches. Confessions are not a fossilised past that you merely work with; they are tools to express where we as a Church stand today. I challenge students to engage with these texts, to let themselves be questioned by them.”

When De Brès, through his confession, felt called to give an account of what we believe, he did so facing the front of the Catholic Church. He took a stand against it. “Today,” says Moehn, “there are entirely different fronts, of course—but still, one never expresses one’s faith in a vacuum. You are always challenged by the context in which you live. For instance, an issue like climate change is very present in our time and confronts us with the need to take a stance.”

The Church continues to speak

Within the PKN, it is not unusual to encounter widely differing positions. That is a feature of the Church Order—the Church’s governing document—which allows congregations to choose for themselves which confessions within the PKN they feel most drawn to. “And when the synod meets, there can be intense debates with people standing diametrically opposed,” Moehn says. With a note of admiration, he adds, “And yet they are still one Church.”

Because of the many differing viewpoints—both within and outside the Church—Moehn trains his students in the art of the ‘confessional debate’, particularly when student opinions diverge widely. He does so in a course called ‘Symbolics’, although that title can be misleading. “It has nothing to do with symbols,” he clarifies, “but derives from the Latin word symbolum, which means, among other things, confession of faith. The idea is not that everyone says individually, ‘this is what I believe’, but rather that you do so together with others.”

But what if it seems today that believers cannot reach agreement, and confessions only lead to unrest? Moehn is resolute: “We continue to speak out and take position—even now, not only in the sixteenth century. If the Church wants to have a message, it needs a foundation. As a Church, you must take your stand somewhere: this is who we are. And yes, that remains a very challenging thing—even today.”