Traditional Version Robert
V. Moss Version Doxological Version
This file contains the texts of the three authorized versions
of the Statement of Faith of the United Church of Christ.
For this and other affirmations of the Christian faith,
see the Book of Worship, United Church of Christ and The
New Century Hymnal. Both books are rich sources of liturgies
in inclusive language.
Statement of Faith
We believe in God, the Eternal Spirit, Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ and our Father, and to his deeds we
testify:
He calls the worlds into being, creates man in his own
image and sets before him the ways of life and death.
He seeks in holy love to save all people from aimlessness
and sin.
He judges men and nations by his righteous will declared
through prophets and apostles.
In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified
and risen Lord,he has come to us and shared our common
lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world
to himself.
He bestows upon us his Holy Spirit, creating and renewing
the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful
people of all ages, tongues, and races.
He calls us into his church to accept the cost and joy
of discipleship, to be his servants in the service of
men, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist
the powers of evil, to share in Christ's baptism and eat
at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.
He promises to all who trust him forgiveness of sins
and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice
and peace, his presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal
life in his kingdom which has no end.
Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto him. Amen.
The United Church of Christ embraces a theological heritage
that affirms the Bible as the authoritative witness to the
Word of God, the creeds of the ecumenical councils, and
the confessions of the Reformation. The UCC has roots in
the "covenantal" tradition-meaning there is no
centralized authority or hierarchy that can impose any doctrine
or form of worship on its members. Christ alone is Head
of the church. We seek a balance between freedom of conscience
and accountability to the apostolic faith. The UCC therefore
receives the historic creeds and confessions of our ancestors
as testimonies, but not tests of the faith.