This is the doctrine that Methodists have stood upon and passed on through church, through families, and to the world for over 200 years. These faith statements are unchanged - they will REMAIN unchanged - to direct our Christian witness.
The traditional tenets of Christian faith are included.
*Faith in the Holy Trinity.
*Belief in the divinity of Jesus - "the very eternal God who was also made very man" -joined to reconcile God to humanity and to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
*Belief in the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Lordship of Christ.
*Affirmation of the Holy Ghost.
*Belief in the Holy Scripture (all canonical books) as containing all things necessary to salvation.
*Affirmation of the Old Testament not being contrary to the New Testament.
*Belief in original sin as a corruption of the nature of every human.
*Belief in free will to do good and resist evil.
*Belief that, through faith in Jesus, we are justified by faith - not our works or merit.
*The affirmation that good works are the fruit of faith and that works "over and above"
*God's commandments are all done from a servant heart.
*The importance of forgiveness and granting repentance is required for those who fall into sin after their justification.
*Definition of the visible church as the congregation where the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly administered.
*Statements defining the sacraments and speaking specifically in opposition to the Catholic doctrine of purgatory and the importance of speaking in a language that people understand; the relationship of Christians to civil rulers, the rights of private
ownership of property and the importance of giving to the poor.
*The affirmation of sanctification as the renewal of our fallen nature enabling us to live in grace to love God fully.
The Articles of Religion - our core doctrine - can be found in the Discipline in #104 Section 3 (p. 65-77 of the 2016 Discipline).
The traditional tenets of Christian faith are included.
*Faith in the Holy Trinity.
*Belief in the divinity of Jesus - "the very eternal God who was also made very man" -joined to reconcile God to humanity and to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
*Belief in the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the Lordship of Christ.
*Affirmation of the Holy Ghost.
*Belief in the Holy Scripture (all canonical books) as containing all things necessary to salvation.
*Affirmation of the Old Testament not being contrary to the New Testament.
*Belief in original sin as a corruption of the nature of every human.
*Belief in free will to do good and resist evil.
*Belief that, through faith in Jesus, we are justified by faith - not our works or merit.
*The affirmation that good works are the fruit of faith and that works "over and above"
*God's commandments are all done from a servant heart.
*The importance of forgiveness and granting repentance is required for those who fall into sin after their justification.
*Definition of the visible church as the congregation where the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly administered.
*Statements defining the sacraments and speaking specifically in opposition to the Catholic doctrine of purgatory and the importance of speaking in a language that people understand; the relationship of Christians to civil rulers, the rights of private
ownership of property and the importance of giving to the poor.
*The affirmation of sanctification as the renewal of our fallen nature enabling us to live in grace to love God fully.
The Articles of Religion - our core doctrine - can be found in the Discipline in #104 Section 3 (p. 65-77 of the 2016 Discipline).