1. The Eternal Godhead
There is only one God, who is everlasting, all-powerful, merciful and loving. In this unity there are three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6: 4; Psalm 86: 9-10; Isaiah 43: 10-11; Matthew 28: 19; John 1: 1-3.

2. The Son of God
He is eternal. He took on human nature and was born of the virgin Mary. He has both Divine and Human Natures in the one Person. He suffered on the Cross to take the punishment for our sins, and experienced the pain of Hell.

He rose again from the dead with a fully perfect human nature, and then ascended bodily to Heaven. He will come again at the Last Judgment. In Heaven he continues to pray for us. At the Second Coming, all who belong to Christ will experience heaven for ever. All who did not receive him in this life will be separated from God forever. Isaiah 7: 14; 9: 2-7; 53; Matthew 1: 23; 27; 28; I Corinthians 15: Philippians 2: 5-11; Colossians 1: 13-20

3. The Holy Spirit
He has been given by the Father and the Son. He is fully God. He gives us our relationship with God. He applies the Word of God. He empowers and equips believers, and makes them more like Christ. He helps us in our prayers. Believers are exhorted to keep being filled with the Holy Spirit. John 14: 26; 16: 8-11; Romans 8: 14, 23, 26-7; Ephesians 1: 13-14; 4: 3; 5: 19; 1 Corinthians 12: 1-12

4. The Holy Scriptures
They contain all things necessary for salvation. The whole of the Scripture is the complete Word breathed out by God. All prophecy and church processes are to be tested by the principles of Scripture.

The Law of the Old testament has been fulfilled in Christ, but the Moral Law still applies to the Christian. The Law of God is fulfilled in the command to love God with all our being and to love others as we love ourselves. This is the foundation for ethics, attitudes and behaviour. Matthew 5: 17-18, 24-35; 2 Timothy 3: 16-17; Hebrews 4: 12; 2 Peter 1: 19-21; 3: 16

5. The Fall of Humanity
Since the original rebellion of our first ancestors, the entire human race has been born outside of a relationship with God, and stands in need of salvation. The Fall occurred when humanity accepted the enticement of the devil, called Satan, who causers havoc in the world, and tries to destroy the faith of believers. Genesis 1: 26-31; 2: 15-17; 3: 1-24; Romans 5: 12-21; Matthew 4: 1-11; James 4: 7; 1 Peter 5: 8

6. Salvation is a Free Gift
No one can freely come to God for faith and forgiveness without the free gift of God through Christ. Good works, or things within us, do not contribute in any way to our salvation, but will flow as a consequence of God's forgiveness. We are saved on account of Christ's merits, not our own. Ephesians 2: 1-10

7. The Atonement
Our eternal acceptance with God is possible only because Christ earned it. As Jesus hung upon the Cross he took upon himself the punishment we deserve for our sins. He died in our place. This is called substitutionary atonement. Jesus Christ is the only sinless human. Our only access to the Father is through Jesus. Scripture does not allow us to come to the Father through praying to saints or deceased persons, or through the use of charms, images, or occult means. Mark 10: 45; Leviticus 19: 26-28

8. The Call of God
We have been saved only because we have been called, chosen and adopted as God's children. Romans 8: 28-30; 9: 14-18; Ephesians 1: 4-6

9. The Church
The visible Church of God is a congregation which gathers to worship God, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and in which Baptism and Holy Communion are used to emphasise our new birth in Christ, our identification with the Church, and the forgiveness of sins and other blessings Christ obtained for us when he died upon the Cross. Right use of Communion and Baptism strengthens the faith of those who take part, and they feed on Christ spiritually. Ephesians 1: 22-23; 2: 22; Hebrews 13: 23; Acts 2: 42; 1 Corinthians 10: 14-17; 11: 23-34

10. Baptism
This church baptises infants and adults, either by anointing, pouring or immersion. Children of believers are treated within the Covenant between Christ and his Church. Jesus placed great value on children. Matthew 3: 16-17; Mark 10: 13-16; Acts 2: 38-39; 16: 29-34; 1 Corinthians 7: 14

11. The Unity of the Church and of the People of God
The public ministry of the Church deeply involves proper training, recognition of giftings and authorisation. This ministry is promoted by impartation and accountability. The process involved the equipping of disciples to make other disciples. The Church should be marked by unity in relationships and in the achievement of God's plans for the Church. Ephesians 4: 1-5; 33

12. The Worship of the Church
The whole of the Christian life is Worship. Public worship is praise and the expression of love towards God, and is also openness to be taught and moved by him. Worship is true, edifying, relevant and intelligible. Public use of an unknown language is followed by a clear interpretation, so people can understand and respond. 1 Corinthians 14: 26-40; Romans 12: 1-2

13. The Church and the Coming Kingdom.
Things both old and new play a shared part in the life and witness of a church. The Church belongs to all peoples, to all generations. It has a past and a future. The Church is heir to the past and builder of the future. It witnesses to the reality of the Kingdom of God which was inaugurated with the first coming of Jesus Christ, and will be fully present at his Second Coming. Mark 1 : 14-15; Matthew 13: 52

14. Integrity in Christian Service
The life of the Church and its members should be marked by integrity: speech, attitudes and behaviours which are trust-building and arise out of the duty of care to be exercised by all who minister in the Church. Christians are to be honest and true to their word. Ephesians 4: 15 - 5: 19; 1 Peter 3: 13-17; Matthew 5: 13-16

15. Supernatural Gifts
The Holy Spirit imparts supernatural abilities when and how he will. These gifts include prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, miracles, healing, tongues and interpretation. Subject to god's will, these manifestations of God's grace and works of power can be received (until Christ's return) by any person who has received the new birth. Christians are to keep being filled with the Spirit. These gifts are sometimes associated with infillings and repeated infillings of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual infillings can also be associated with aspects of the Christian life other than supernatural gifts, such as courage, Christian character, and effective ministry. 1 Corinthians 12 - 14; Ephesians 5: 18-21

16. The Nation and the Environment
The Church and its members have responsibility to promote the well-being of the Nation, reconciliation and harmony amongst ethnic groups, within industrial and work-place relations, and the promotion of peace throughout the world. We have a commitment to preserve the environment to the glory of its Creator and for the benefit of all people. Intercessory prayer, repentance and humbling before God are needed for Spiritual revival and the healing of the nations. Genesis 1: 26; Deuteron0omy 20: 19-20; 2 Chronicles 7: 14; Ephesians 6: 5-8

17. Generosity to the Disadvantaged
The People of God have a special responsibility of generosity and care among the poor, the disadvantaged, the physically and emotionally ill, the marginalised and the abused. Matthew 25: 31-45; Luke 4: 16-21; 6: 20-26

18. The Great Commission
The Commission of Christ to the Apostles is carried on by the people of God and the Churches: to go into all the world, to make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded his disciples. The Commission is to be carried out in the spirit of the Love Commandments, and with such strategies that will lead to the salvation of many. Matthew 28: 16-20; Acts 1: 8; Mark 12: 28-31

This summary of some major doctrines has been produced through St. Luke's Clovelly. It reflects local application of the views of the Anglican Thirty Nine Articles (found at the back of The Book of Common Prayer , An Australian Anglican Prayer Book) and the Creeds. Some of the items above address contemporary issues not dealt with within those documents.

Copyright: J. H. L. Johnstone, 2001