The 39 Articles of Religion Summarized in One Paragraph: The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, finalized in English in 1571, are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Anglican Church. The Thirty-nine Articles form part of the Book of Common Prayer. Thomas Cranmer, in meetings with 46 "Divines," established the foundations for the 39 Articles. While not designed to be a creed or complete statement of the Christian faith, the articles explain the doctrinal position of the Church of England in relation to Roman Catholicism, Calvinism, and Anabaptism. The Thirty-nine Articles established guidelines for faith and practice in an era of immense political and spiritual conflict. To address these conflicts more directly, the Westminster Divines convened from 1643 to 1647 to revise the 39 Articles. The resulting Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) parallels the 39 Articles. The WCF supports doctrinal statements in its 33 chapters with many of the same proof texts used to support the 39 Articles.