We affirm our belief in historic Christianity as revealed in the Scriptures and summarized in the three Creeds (the Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian) and the Thirty-Nine Articles.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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.
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 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 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.
Whosoever will be saved , before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith. Which Faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, and the Holy Ghost uncreate. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals, but one eternal. As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties, but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords, but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be both God and Lord, So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together and co-equal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved is must think thus of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man of the substance of his Mother, born in the world; Perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting.
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his manhood; Who, although he be God and Man, yet he is not two, but one Christ; One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God; One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith, which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.
The mystery of the Holy Trinity, namely, that the one God exists (Isaiah 44:6) eternally in the three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19); and has so revealed himself to us in the Scriptures.
The full deity and full humanity (2 John 7) of our Lord Jesus Christ, God Incarnate (John 1:14), who by reason of his birth of the Virgin Mary (Matthew 1:22-23), sinless life (1 Peter 2:22), atoning death (Romans 3:25), bodily resurrection (Luke 24:1-3), glorious ascension (Luke 24:51) and triumphant reign (Hebrews 1:3), is the only Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
The trustworthiness of God’s word (the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments) as illuminated by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20, 27) contains all things necessary for salvation, teach God’s will for his world, and have supreme authority for faith, life and the continuous renewal and reform of the Church (2 Timothy 3:16).
The justification of the repenting and believing sinner (Galatians 3:11) as God’s gracious act (Ephesians 2:8-9) of declaring him righteous on the ground of the reconciling death of Christ, who suffered in our place and rose again for us (Romans 5:1-11); and sanctification as the gracious continuing activity of the Holy Spirit in the justified believer (Romans 8:9-11), perfecting his repentance, nurturing the new life implanted within him, transforming him into Christ’s image, and enabling him to do good works in the world (Galatians 2:20).
The Church as the Body of Christ, whose members belong to the new humanity (Ephesians 2:15, 19-22), are called to live in the world in the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:1-11), worshipping God, confessing his truth, proclaiming Christ (Acts 1:8), supporting one another in love and giving themselves in sacrificial service to those in need (Acts 2:42-47).
All followers of Jesus have received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17-18, 33, 38-39) and are called to exercise their God-given spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12) in ministry, and to work, witness, and suffer for Christ (Romans 5:3-5); together with the particular calling of ordained ministers, who, by preaching, teaching and pastoral care (Acts 20:28-31), are to equip God’s people for his service (1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Peter 5:1-4) and to present them mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28).
Jesus instituted two rites which his followers were to observe: baptism (a rite of initiation) and the Lord’s Supper (a rite of remembrance) (Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34). The visible and physical acts proclaim the Gospel and which serve as means of grace when received in faith (Romans 4:11, Ephesians 2:8-9).
In the ceremonial washing of baptism, we are cleansed from and forgiven of sin (Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11), spiritual reborn into new life (Titus 3:5) and receive the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Through baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we are united with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection and raised to new life in him (Romans 6:3-4).
In the ceremonial meal, followers of Jesus worship through the sharing of bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ. In this holy meal we recall his death and celebrating our new covenant relationship with God through Jesus willing sacrifice on the cross. By faith we may feed on him in our hearts and offer ourselves to him in gratitude for our salvation, the power of is promises, and the gift of his presence in our lives. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
The Lord’s Table is not restricted to any particular tradition or Christian community but is open to all baptized believers who, being one in Christ, are free to celebrate their common salvation in the Lord, and express their common devotion to him.
The personal return in glory of our Lord Jesus Christ at the end of this age for the resurrection of the dead, some to life, some to condemnation, for the glorification of his Church, and for the renewal of the whole creation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4; Revelation 21).