The Episcopal Church outlines it’s basic beliefs in the Anglican “39 Articles of Religion”” and the “Catechism,” which are both found in the Book of Common Prayer. Below, we’ve listed 9 statements of belief, written in our own words, which are consistent with the 39 Articles, the Catechism, and most importantly, the Bible.
God
There is one eternal God, existing in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), who are of one substance and equal in power and glory. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe and all that is in it. God is holy and just, as well as merciful and full of grace. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and unchanging.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Redeemer of humanity, and the Messiah prophesied by the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus was born of a virgin and was both fully human and fully God. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is the sole means by which God conquered sin and death, and through which He offers salvation to those who will believe in Him.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is resident in every Christian from the moment of salvation, marking a Christian as Christ’s own forever. The Spirit empowers each Christian with gifts and fruits for life and ministry according to God’s purposes, and for the good of the body of Christ.
Humanity
Humanity was created by God, in the image of God, and for fellowship with God. Through the sin of Adam (Gen. 3), humanity was cursed and took on a fallen, sinful nature. Sin is contradictory to the nature of God and is the reason for the evil that exists in the world today. In his mercy, God sent Jesus Christ to redeem humanity from sin. Christ did this by coming to earth in human flesh and taking upon himself humanity’s sin through his death on the cross. By God’s grace, and through faith in the finished work of Christ, the individual believer is redeemed from sin and restored to fellowship with God.
The Bible
The Bible is the authoritative word of God, written by human authors whose words were inspired by God. The Bible contains timeless truths applicable to all people, all cultures, and all time. The Bible is the primary authority in all matters of doctrine and practice, and it tells the story of God’s redemption of humanity from sin through the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Salvation
Faith in Christ, based on Christ's substitutionary life, death, and resurrection, is the sole means by which human sin can be forgiven and individuals can be restored to fellowship with God.
The Church
The church, universal and apostolic, is the primary tangible representation of the kingdom of God on earth. The church is called to fellowship with God, as well as to fellowship with itself through interpersonal relationships and local congregational bodies. It is the privilege and task of the church to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, and to disciple believers into living lives that bear witness to God’s Kingdom.
Truth
God is the creator and source of all truth. Accordingly, there is real, knowable and objective truth that God has revealed to humanity. This truth includes spiritual truth, as well as truth about every facet of the physical world in which we live. God has revealed spiritual truth primarily through His Word, passed on through tradition, and applied through reason, in accordance with God's Word.
Culture
Culture is the political, religious, social, economic, philosophical, and artistic context in which every human being lives, relative to the time and geographic location of their existence. Culture largely determines the way in which people view and interpret the world in which they live. God’s Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ transcend culture, and are applicable to all people, in all cultures, and for all times. It is the responsibility of the church to engage its cultural context, and to speak God’s truth plainly to its culture in relevant ways, yet remaining faithful to Holy Scripture