Thirty-Nine Articles

Thirty-Nine Articles, doctrine issued by the Church of England to bridge the gap between Roman Catholic and Protestant Reformation groups in 16th-century England. The Articles, approved by Parliament in 1571, are still accepted today by the Anglican Church. Among the tenets are the condemnation of such Roman Catholic beliefs as purgatory, transubstantiation, and reverence for saints. Because the language of the Articles is intentionally vague, interpretations have been various.

See also: Anglicans.