There are many ways to state what we believe...few of which would fit in a web site. Even if those explanations would all fit here, many of them are best understood in a more personal context. The Christian faith has, historically, been a solitary pursuit for only a relatively few monastics. It is, after all, about communion and community...with God and with each other.
It is within the community of faith, the Church, that we journey toward a deeper knowledge of and relationship with God. God reveals Himself in four ways:
1) in the Scripture (the accepted canon of the Bible),
2) the Tradition of the Church,
3) our Experience of God,
4) and the blessing of Reason bestowed upon us.
The basics of our belief were clearly outlined in the 2nd Century A.D. in what is now referred to as the Apostles' Creed. In the 4th Century A.D., the beliefs of the Church were further refined into what is known as the Nicene Creed or Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. It is the text of the Nicene Creed which follows. A resource for more specific reading on United Methodist beliefs is found on the Links page.
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:
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 and the Son.
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.
