Doctrinal witness registry
This layer records confessional and ecclesial reception of texts used as doctrinal proof-texts and theological summaries. It is a separate witness stream from apostolic usage and historical commentary.
What this layer represents
- Confessional documents and councils linked to verses and/or specific OT→NT reference rows.
- Witnesses are short summaries and citations only, not full-text imports.
- Tradition family and reuse guidance are surfaced before importing any long-form quotations.
- This project keeps the home tradition historically Reformed while retaining broad comparison.
How it differs from apostolic use and commentary
- Apostolic usage asks how New Testament authors reuse Old Testament texts directly. Doctrinal witnesses show how churches later summarize those texts in creeds, confessions, catechisms, and canons.
- Commentary witnesses preserve historical reflection and interpretation. Doctrinal witnesses preserve confessional structure, doctrinal tags, and formal usage categories.
- A proof text can be helpful for reception history without being a proof of direct apostolic intent.
- Roman Catholic, medieval, and Tridentine sources are comparison layers and are not controlling for primary editorial direction.
Doctrinal documents
Tradition family: anglican
Thirty-Nine Articles
Notes: Anglican confessional framing for key doctrinal loci and Scripture proof.
Tradition family: continental-reformed
Belgic Confession
Notes: Continental Reformed confessional framing for Scripture and covenantal continuity.
Canons of Dort
Notes: Doctrinal response with doctrinal applications around faith and perseverance.
Heidelberg Catechism
Notes: Core continental Reformed confessional witness for comfort, faith, and righteousness by grace.
Tradition family: ecumenical-creed
The Apostles’ Creed
Notes: Used in comparative confessional context for Christology, incarnation, and resurrection affirmations.
Source: https://www.ccel.org
Athanasian Creed
Notes: A post-Nicene doctrinal symbol with high Christological density.
Source: https://www.ccel.org
Chalcedonian Definition
Notes: Confessional source for incarnation and union theology terminology.
Source: https://www.ccel.org
Nicene Creed
Notes: Primary creedal witness for Trinitarian and Christological proof-text culture.
Source: https://www.ccel.org
Tradition family: lutheran
Apology of the Augsburg Confession
Notes: Lutheran defense text with explanatory creedal-style proof structures.
Augsburg Confession
Notes: Lutheran confessional reference for sacramental and christological interpretation.
Luther’s Large Catechism
Notes: Longer Lutheran instruction text with explanatory use of OT/NT witness language.
Luther’s Small Catechism
Notes: Pastoral summary text with doctrinal summaries linked to scriptural statements.
Tradition family: methodist-wesleyan
Wesley’s Articles of Religion
Notes: Methodist doctrinal witness useful for comparison, not the project’s controlling tradition.
Wesley’s Notes (doctrinal placeholder)
Notes: Placeholder methodological grouping for comparison summaries.
Tradition family: reformed-baptist
1689 London Baptist Confession
Notes: Historic Reformed Baptist standard preserving Calvinistic proof-text orientation.
Tradition family: reformed-presbyterian
Westminster Confession of Faith
Notes: Primary Reformed standard text for comparison and doctrinal synthesis.
Westminster Larger Catechism
Notes: Systematic Q&A witness for proof-text and doctrinal linkage discussion.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Notes: Reformed confession with concise doctrinal statements used in historical comparison.
Tradition family: roman-catholic
Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent
Notes: Roman Catholic conciliar source for doctrinal comparison and historical contrast.
Catechism of the Council of Trent
Notes: Roman Catholic doctrinal witness for comparison of sacramental and soteriological language.