Faith / Doctrine
Christianity is the world's largest religion, with more than 2 billion followers.
Christians Believe:
  • that there is only one God
  • that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was sent to save us
  • that Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary
  • that we should love God and love one another
  • that Christ was resurrected
  • that God's forgiveness was made once and for all through Christ's death
  • the Trinity is God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
  • that prayer is the way to communicate with God
  • that Christ taught his disciples how to pray
  • that Christ taught his disciples to call God, 'Father'
  • that the church is God's body on earth and that we are all part of one body when we share communion
  • that Communion wine represents Christ's blood and the bread His body
    The basic tenets of Anglicanism:
  • That the Old and New Testaments contain "all things necessary for salvation"
  • That the Apostles' creed is the baptismal symbol, and that the Nicene creed is sufficient statement of Christian faith.
  • That the two sacraments ordained by Jesus Christ himself (Baptism and the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion / Eucharist) are administered using Christ's words and that the elements are ordained by Him.
  • That the episcopate is locally adapted to suit the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the unity of his Church.
    Other important rites include confirmation, holy orders, reconciliation, marriage and anointing of the sick.
    APOSTLES' CREED (CW version)
    I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen
    NICENE CREED
    BCP 1662 version
    I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one substance with the Father, By whom all things were made; Who for us men, and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man, And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets. And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the life of the world to come. Amen.
    Episcopal Church BCP 1979 version
    We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
    Church of England CW 2000 version
    We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
    There are four instruments of unity of the Anglican Communion:
    1. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the focus of unity.
    2. The Lambeth Conference is a consultation of the bishops of the Communion, held every decade.
    3. The Anglican Consultative Council every three years.
    4. The Primates' Meeting - international consultation.
    The Church of England still follows the canon law in use at the time of the Reformation, retaining the core Catholic beliefs common to Reformed doctrine in general, such as the Trinity, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the nature of Jesus as fully human and fully God, the Resurrection of Jesus, Original Sin, and Excommunication (as affirmed by the Thirty-Nine Articles), together with some Catholic teachings rejected by other Protestants, such as the three orders of ministry and the apostolic succession of bishops.
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