Our Beliefs
“And what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. - 2 Timothy 2:2
Anglicans do not hold to a distinct version of Christianity. Instead, we uphold the faith of the early church that has been believed at all times in all places where the authority of Scripture is affirmed. Here are the essentials.
God is Trinitarian.
There is one living and true God, everlasting and possessing infinite power, wisdom, love, and goodness. God is creator and sustainer of all things. Yet this one God eternally exists in three persons who are fully divine without difference or inequality: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is Lord…
Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God, and therefore fully divine. Through the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, he became flesh and dwelt among us, and is therefore fully human. God the Father has given Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth, therefore we cry out, “Jesus is Lord.”
… and Savior of the world.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through him. Jesus offered himself once for all upon the Cross that by his suffering and death we might be saved. By his resurrection he defeated death, and by his ascension he sits at the right hand of the Father. Give your life to him today!
The Holy Spirit is present & active.
The Holy Spirit is God in the same way as the Father and the Son. The Spirit lives in each believer, so we can experience his presence daily. He guides, teaches, empowers, prays, counsels, convicts, and transforms believers. The Spirit also gives believers spiritual gifts to serve one another.
The Bible is the Word of God.
The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God known as the Bible. It’s the final authority for doctrine and practice, and contains all things necessary for salvation. We rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, reason, and tradition to interpret it and apply it to our lives.
The Gospel is good news.
In ancient times, a gospel was the proclamation of victory. The gospel of Christianity is the good news that God loves and saves lost mankind through the ministry, death, and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. To be a Christian, one must trust the gospel; to walk in faith, one must continue to trust the gospel.
The Local Church is vital to faith.
The life of a believer was never meant to be lived alone, but among a community of believers, and in that community, brothers and sisters in Christ serve one another in love. That happens through the local church, a gathering of imperfect people who become a household of faith in Christ.
The sacraments are gifts from God.
A sacrament is an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual grace. The two sacraments Jesus Christ instituted are Holy Communion and Baptism. In communion, we partake of the bread and wine as we remember the sacrifice Christ made for us. Baptism is the initiation into the church.
The church is sent to love & serve.
Faith isn’t a private matter. Christians are called by God to share their faith with others in word and deed. Jesus sent out his church to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all he commanded. We are ambassadors for Christ called to expand the borders of his kingdom.