A Reformed Catholic: Modern, Updated Translation To

A Reformed Catholic is William Perkins’s systematic presentation of Protestant theology demonstrating that Reformed doctrine represents authentic catholic (universal) Christianity rather than sectarian innovation.We have updated this timeless work into a modern, updated translation that is easy for anyone to read!Written during heightened confessional conflict between Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, this work argues that the English Reformed church maintains continuity with ancient Christianity while Roman Catholicism has departed from apostolic faith through accumulated corruptions and innovations.Perkins systematically addresses major theological disputes between Protestant and Catholic positions, including Scripture’s authority, justification by faith, the sacraments, church government, and the role of tradition. For each topic, he argues that Reformed doctrine aligns with biblical teaching and early church consensus, while Roman positions reflect medieval accretions lacking scriptural or patristic warrant. His method involves careful biblical exegesis supported by citations from church fathers, councils, and medieval theologians to demonstrate Reformed continuity with Christian tradition.What distinguishes this treatise is Perkins’s irenic yet firm approach that seeks to reclaim the term “catholic” for Reformed Christianity rather than conceding it to Rome. Unlike purely polemical works emphasizing only differences, Perkins articulates substantial agreement with Roman Catholics on fundamental doctrines including the Trinity, Christology, and basic moral teaching, while arguing that disagreements concern how salvation is appropriated and the church governed rather than the gospel’s core content.The work carefully distinguishes between essential Christian doctrines necessary for salvation and secondary matters where differences, while significant, do not necessarily exclude one from Christian faith. Perkins argues that Roman Catholicism’s errors on justification, however serious, do not entirely eliminate the gospel, allowing that some Roman Catholics may be saved despite their church’s false teaching. This nuanced position contrasts with more extreme Protestant views equating Roman Catholicism with complete apostasy.Perkins particularly emphasizes justification by faith alone as the crucial dividing issue, showing how Protestant understanding better reflects both Scripture and early church teaching than Roman Catholic formulations developed at the Council of Trent. He demonstrates how the Reformers recovered Augustinian and biblical emphasis on divine grace against semi-Pelagian tendencies in late medieval theology, positioning Protestantism as reform movement restoring authentic Christianity rather than schismatic departure.Author BiographyWilliam Perkins (1558-1602) was one of the most influential English Puritan theologians, whose systematic exposition of Reformed theology and practical divinity shaped English and international Protestantism. Educated at Cambridge, where he later became a fellow and influential lecturer, Perkins combined rigorous Calvinist theology with pastoral concern for applying doctrine to Christian living. His numerous works addressed systematic theology, biblical interpretation, moral casuistry, and practical godliness, establishing him as a leading Reformed theologian whose influence extended throughout Protestant Europe and colonial America.