Book of Confessions

Amending the Book of Confessions is a six-year-long process. The process begins when a General Assembly appoints a committee to study a proposed amendment. The committee presents its report at the following General Assembly, which then votes on whether to send the amendment to the presbyteries. Two-thirds of the presbyteries, and another General Assembly must approve the amendment in order for it to be included. In 2008, the 218th General Assembly began the process of adopting a new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism, as well as the Belhar Confession. In 2012, the new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism was sent to the presbyteries for approval, and, after being rejected by the presbyteries, the 220th General Assembly voted to restart the process to include the Belhar Confession. ==References==