What we believe about God, ourselves, the world, and life, death, and beyond is informed by a continuous dialogue between Scripture, tradition, and reason. It is, perhaps, best summarized in the Nicene Creed, an ancient statement of faith that has been affirmed by the vast majority of Christians since the end of the fourth century AD. Borrowing from the Creed, but in our own words:
-
- We believe that God is Triune: one God, existing eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We believe that for our sake the eternal Son of the God became incarnate and now exists, forever fully human and fully divine, in the person of Jesus Christ.
- We believe that because of sin—i.e., our selfish tendencies and our inability to love God and others perfectly as we should—we are in need of reconciliation with God and with one another, and we believe that through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection this twofold reconciliation is accomplished for and made manifest to us.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets of the Old and New Testaments and that the Spirit still speaks and works through people today.
- We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church, the forgiveness of sins, and the life of the world to come.
Most importantly, we believe that God is love—and that God’s love for Creation, and especially for all humankind, is infinitely greater than anything we can comprehend.