Affirmations of Faith
Christ
We affirm the faith of the ancient Christian Church that the person of Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Christ, the hope of Israel who has been revealed to us as the Son of God who through his life, death and resurrection brings salvation to the whole world.
Church
We affirm that the Church of Jesus Christ embodies all who follow Jesus and are joined in an indissoluble union with Christ and one another through baptism becoming the People of God. This Body of Christ is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic and is entrusted with continuing the saving work of Christ in the world through the proclamation of the Gospel and the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries which are commonly called the Sacraments.
Scripture
We affirm the Sacred Scriptures that have been handed on to us through the Apostolic Tradition and are held in common with the historic Catholic Church. These Sacred Writings are truly inspired by the human encounter with the Divine in history and are both reliable and authoritative in matters of faith and practice.
Sacraments
We affirm that the Church in her very nature is Sacramental. Therefore, the work of the Church is essentially understood as a Sacramental Ministry. The Sacraments are grace-filled moments of encounter with the Divine. Through our participation in the celebration of these Divine Mysteries we are renewed by the saving presence of the Resurrected Christ.
Creed
We affirm the Nicene Creed as the foundational profession of catholic faith as it was originally promulgated by the Ecumenical Councils of Nicea in 325 and Constantinople in 381 We realize that this profession does not preclude further development in our theological understanding and expression.
The Declaration of Utrecht
We affirm that the Declaration of Utrecht (September 24, 1889) is consistent with the ancient tradition of the Catholic Church in its rejection of both
universal papal jurisdiction and the infallibility of the papal office.
Our Catholic Culture
We affirm that each baptized person is an equal member of the Catholic Church and that in the ECC this equality must be evident in Synodal and local governance and ministry; that all the baptized, irrespective of gender identity, marital status or sexual orientation and relationship, are welcome to join in celebrating the Sacraments; that the ministerial priesthood in the ECC is open to all the baptized, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation and relationship, or marital status; and that in moral and ethical decision-making the ECC supports the primacy of an individual’s conscience.
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 men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from 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.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He 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.