We are united around Jesus Christ – the center of everything that exists and the head of the Church (Col. 1:15-20). We agree on the core essentials of the Faith around which the Church has gathered for over two millennia. In so doing, we find ourselves in a stream of orthodoxy flowing throughout the history of the Church. We do not split hairs about peripheral issues to the Faith. About these, we have a diversity of opinion. We are united because we claim the name of Jesus Christ. By holding more tightly to the Center, we find ourselves more gracious and tolerant about various beliefs, opinions, and practices that are not really core.
The historic creeds put into words what characterizes our orthodoxy. We agree upon and hold to these. One of the earliest and most famous is the Apostle’s Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (universal) church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
We are also part of the evangelical stream of Christianity. One very good summation of our doctrinal distinctives is the “We Believe” statement presented by the Churches of God, General Conference.
