What do Anglicans believe?
Anglicans share with other Christians the historic biblical faith of the undivided Church of the first millennium. We believe the doctrines taught in the Bible. You will also find our statements of belief in the Creeds, the writings of the early Church Fathers, the Ecumenical Councils of the Church, the Catechism of the Book of Common Prayer, in our new provincial Catechism, and in the language of our prayers.
In short, we believe in one God, eternally existing in a Trinity of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:6; John 1:1,14; 15:26). As members of the Universal (or “catholic”) Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ, Anglicans accept the apostolic Tradition to be authoritative in disclosing the fullness of Truth (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) which is expressed in the Scriptures and Creeds.
Since the disobedience of our first parents, human beings have sinned (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3). This wounding of humanity is what we call original sin. However, Jesus Christ became the propitiation for our sin, and saved us from eternal separation from God.
Jesus Christ is the only Son of God—fully human and fully divine—who was born of a pure and holy Virgin, died on the cross for the sins of mankind, rose from the dead on the third day, and will return to the earth in glory (John 1:1-14; Matthew 1:18-25; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 14:1-4).
Salvation is a free gift, merited by Christ, bestowed by God’s grace through the sacrament of holy Baptism, and received by faith animated with love (Ephesians 2:4-10; Titus 3:4-8; James 2:14-26). Holy Baptism gives us a share in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ by incorporating us into his mystical Body (Romans 6:1-4).
The Church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33) and the mystical Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). The local Church, in a territory called a “diocese,” is governed by godly men called bishops, assisted by the priests and deacons (Titus 1:5ff).
In her sacramental worship, the Church perpetuates the worship of the Old and New Testaments by offering "ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice, pleasing unto God." This ancient practice of the Eucharist imparts divine life in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ under the forms of bread and wine (Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 11:26-29; John 6:51-58).
What binds Anglicans together?
“Anglican” is a Latin term which means “relating to England.” With the spread of the British colonies, Anglicanism evolved into a world-wide communion of churches. We are joined by a common heritage and a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Various editions of the Book of Common Prayer are used for worship in Anglican churches.
The word “episcopal” comes from the Greek word episcope (“overseer”) that the New Testament uses for the office of a bishop who oversees a local church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia (“assembly”) that the New Testament uses for God’s people gathered into an assembled congregation. So the term “episcopal church” means a church overseen by bishops, according to the New Testament model.
Anglicans share with other Christians the historic biblical faith of the undivided Church of the first millennium. We believe the doctrines taught in the Bible. You will also find our statements of belief in the Creeds, the writings of the early Church Fathers, the Ecumenical Councils of the Church, the Catechism of the Book of Common Prayer, in our new provincial Catechism, and in the language of our prayers.
In short, we believe in one God, eternally existing in a Trinity of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:6; John 1:1,14; 15:26). As members of the Universal (or “catholic”) Church established by our Lord Jesus Christ, Anglicans accept the apostolic Tradition to be authoritative in disclosing the fullness of Truth (2 Thessalonians 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) which is expressed in the Scriptures and Creeds.
Since the disobedience of our first parents, human beings have sinned (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3). This wounding of humanity is what we call original sin. However, Jesus Christ became the propitiation for our sin, and saved us from eternal separation from God.
Jesus Christ is the only Son of God—fully human and fully divine—who was born of a pure and holy Virgin, died on the cross for the sins of mankind, rose from the dead on the third day, and will return to the earth in glory (John 1:1-14; Matthew 1:18-25; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; John 14:1-4).
Salvation is a free gift, merited by Christ, bestowed by God’s grace through the sacrament of holy Baptism, and received by faith animated with love (Ephesians 2:4-10; Titus 3:4-8; James 2:14-26). Holy Baptism gives us a share in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ by incorporating us into his mystical Body (Romans 6:1-4).
The Church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33) and the mystical Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). The local Church, in a territory called a “diocese,” is governed by godly men called bishops, assisted by the priests and deacons (Titus 1:5ff).
In her sacramental worship, the Church perpetuates the worship of the Old and New Testaments by offering "ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice, pleasing unto God." This ancient practice of the Eucharist imparts divine life in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ under the forms of bread and wine (Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 11:26-29; John 6:51-58).
What binds Anglicans together?
“Anglican” is a Latin term which means “relating to England.” With the spread of the British colonies, Anglicanism evolved into a world-wide communion of churches. We are joined by a common heritage and a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Various editions of the Book of Common Prayer are used for worship in Anglican churches.
The word “episcopal” comes from the Greek word episcope (“overseer”) that the New Testament uses for the office of a bishop who oversees a local church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia (“assembly”) that the New Testament uses for God’s people gathered into an assembled congregation. So the term “episcopal church” means a church overseen by bishops, according to the New Testament model.