Faith

"Reformed Christian" means, first of all, Christians who accept Jesus Christ as Savior of the world as announced in the Bible. Christian, meaning disciple, follower, belonging to Christ, and messenger of the good news of Jesus who announces the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Also known in Italy as "Evangelici", they propose a return to the origins of Christianity, referring only to the teachings of Jesus Christ and to His work of liberation, according to the Bible's witness.
The Protestant Reformation maintains that:

• The Bible is the only source of knowledge and of guidance towards faith;
• Jesus Christ is the only source of salvation and of hope for mankind and the only authority for the church;
• faith, namely faith in God, is the only means toward salvation.

For Protestant Christians, Jesus Christ is the true and only mediator in heaven and on earth; there are no other intermediaries (Saints, Mary and ecclesiastical hierarchy).
The church consists of all believers in Christ, and who have been called by God; the church is not a sacred institution, separated from the world; it is not a necessary channel for salvation; it is not a hierarchical organization. It is, instead, the people of God, with only Jesus Christ as the head and the foundation.
The Sanctuary of the Protestant churches is a meeting place of those who believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ; it is an open place for anyone who looks for the word of God.
Based on these principles, the service in the Reformed congregation is centered on the preaching of the Holy Scripture (the Bible); Jesus and his sacrifice are considered the fundamental elements of faith.
The only two sacraments which are considered signs of the grace of God are the Baptism and the Eucharist (the communion); they are not the means for obtaining the grace of God. It follows that the church has no priests, that is, people vested with a specific power, but all believers have an equal responsibility in the preaching and in the witnessing.
The service consists of Bible reading and its explanation, of the celebration of the communion, of prayers and of hymns.
Singing during the service is accomplished through the choral participation of all the faithful. The source of powerful inspiration of hymns is the word of God.
Other characteristic elements in the life of an Reformed congregation are: the lack of images in the churches, the marriage of the pastors, male and female pastors, the communion with bread and wine, and the absence of objects of worship.
On the organizational level the evangelical church endeavors to reconcile two principles: on the one hand the independence of the believers and on the other their unity as witnesses. Therefore, every congregation has its autonomous life sustained by the assembly of its members who decide on all issues vital to the area where they live; the church assembly is responsible for the election of the church council and for the pastor who will be given specific assignments.
However, this autonomy must not hinder common actions; on the contrary, it must encourage them. Indeed, an annual general assembly consisting of delegates from all churches and of the pastors (named Synod or General Assembly) has the task of reviewing and solving everyday problems, such as: delivering sermons, welfare assistance, education issues of the School of Theology and administration. At the end of its agenda the Synod elects a leading committee, called Tavola Valdese, consisting of 7 members (3 laymen and 4 ministers), one of whom will become president, named "Moderator". The Board has the responsibility of executing the decisions of the Synod. We can also note the fact that all appointments are equally available to laymen and pastors and are for a limited time. This organization has all the traits of a democracy. There is, in fact, a historical relation, since the Protestant countries gave birth to the first forms of a democratic life.
However, the principle which determines this organization is a spiritual one; it can be expressed as follows: Jesus Christ is present and reveals his authority when the believers meet to meditate and pray. The gift and guidance of the Holy Spirit have been promised to the assembled congregation.
Reformed Christians, therefore, don't accept the principle of Episcopal succession whereby the presence of Christ is guarantied by the succession of bishops. Reformed Christians maintain that there is no intermediate authority between Christ and the Church; the believers are called to live their faith with the assurance that the Lord will guide them with His Spirit and His Word.