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The Church’s beliefs are summarised in the Creed. The
Nicene Creed which is said at the Communion Service is
as follows:
We believe in one God,[1]
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[2]
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[3]
from 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 and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and
glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic[4]
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness[5]
of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
What the Church of England believes has been established
by law. (Church laws are called The Canons).
The Bible is the main authority
The most important authority for what it believes is the
Bible and nothing is to be believed which is clearly
contrary to the teaching of Scripture. However the
Church takes very seriously the teaching of church
leaders in the early centuries, so long as it is
consistent with the Bible.
So Canon A5 states: The doctrine of the Church of
England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such
teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the
Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In
particular such doctrine is to be found in the
Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common
Prayer, and the Ordinal.
Similarly, but in more historic language, Article 6 of
the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion states: “Holy
Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation:
so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be
proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that
it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be
thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name
of the Holy Scripture we do understand those canonical
Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority
was never any doubt in the Church.”
The Church’s Authority is
subject to the Bible
This is clearly taught by Article 20 of the Thirty Nine
Articles of Religion which states: “The Church hath
power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in
Controversies of Faith: and yet it is not lawful for the
Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's
Word written, neither may it so expound one place of
Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore,
although the Church be a witness and a keeper of Holy
Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against
the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce
any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation.”
[1]
Christians believe as firmly as Jewish people and
Muslims that there is only one God. But Christians also
believe that God is beyond our understanding and because
he is love, he is three persons: God the Father, God the
Son, God the Holy Spirit, yet still only one God. It
would be very surprising if God were not mysterious and
beyond our human understanding.
[2]
“Begotten" is from a Greek word which can also be
translated "generate". To "generate" means to "bring
forth" out of pre-existing substance, whereas
to"create" means to "bring forth" out of nothing.
The Son of God who became man Jesus at Christmas was not
created but generated, brought forth, begotten from God
the Father.
[3]“Incarnate”
means God becoming man (but still remaining God as well)
[4]
“Catholic” means universal.
[5]
“Apostolic” means founded by the first disciples of
Jesus who were called Apostles.
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Do
We Believe in 3 Gods?
