Our Beliefs

The Gospel Reading at Church of the Holy Cross

Merely Christian

C.S. Lewis famously described Mere Christianity not as the “lowest common denominator” of faith, but as “something positive, self-consistent, and inexhaustible.” It names a deep theological core of Christian belief and practice—truths that endure even amidst our many sad divisions. 

Mere Christianity points us toward a “small-c catholicity,” both in its affirmation of the essential teachings and practices of the Christian faith, and in the generous spirit that recognizes, as Lewis put it, that Christianity is a great house with many rooms. We seek to believe and live out our Christian lives in the deep mainstream of those things that the Church has always taught, believed, and practiced.

Classically Anglican

Anglicanism, at its best, is a way of being a Mere Christian. As the Anglican Church in North America puts it:

“To be Anglican is not to embrace a distinct version of Christianity, but a distinct way of being a ‘Mere Christian,’ at the same time evangelical, apostolic, catholic, reformed, and Spirit-filled.”

  • With the catholic tradition, we confess the ecumenical creeds and worship according to the ancient pattern given in the Book of Common Prayer. Our tradition is rooted in the ancient and undivided Church. 
  • With our Reformation heritage, we uphold Holy Scripture as our only infallible authority and proclaim the free grace of God in Jesus Christ’s finished work. Our tradition is shaped by the English Reformation. 
  • With the evangelical tradition, we commit ourselves to gospel mission, both in our neighborhoods and to the nations. Our tradition is evangelistic and global.

To be Anglican, then, is to live as Mere Christians in a way that is catholic, reformational, and missional—rooted in the deep consensus of the Christian faith, and extending hospitality to all who seek to follow Christ in His Church.

Church Bells Up Close

Learn More About Our Beliefs

The Ecumenical Creeds

The Formularies of Anglicanism (The Book of Common Prayer, The Ordinal, and The Thirty-Nine Articles) provide a definitive account of Classical Anglican beliefs.

The Fundamental Declarations of the ACNA
We also uphold the Jerusalem Declaration and the Fundamental Declarations of the Anglican Church in North America.