PART I: The Substance of the Faith (Articles 1-5)
1. Faith in the Holy Trinity
There is only one living and true God, who is eternal and without body,
indivisible and invulnerable. He is of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness.
He is the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible.
Within the unity of the Godhead there are three persons who are of one
substance, power, and eternity -- the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
There is only one living and true God. His existence is everlasting, without
beginning or end. He is a spiritual being, not limited by a body. He is
free from bodily desires and impulses His power, wisdom, and goodness,
are infinite. Of this one true God there are three persons: Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. These three persons are identical in substance, power
and eternal existence.
2. The Word, or Son of God, who became truly man
The Son, who is the Word of the Father, was begotten from eternity
of the Father, and is the true and eternal God, of one substance with the
Father. He took man's nature in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary, of
her substance, in such as way that two whole and perfect natures, the Godhead
and manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided. Of
these two natures, is the one Christ, true God and true man. He truly suffered,
was crucified, died, and was buried, to reconcile the Father to us (restore
a right relationship between the Father and us) and to be a sacrifice,
not only for original guilt but also for all actual sins of men.
3. The descent of Christ into the realm of the dead
Just as Christ died for us and buried, so also it is to be believed
that he descended into the realm of the dead.
4. The resurrection of Christ
Christ truly rose again from death and took again his body, with flesh,
bones, and all that belongs to the completeness of man's nature. In this
body he ascended into heaven, where he is now seated until the last day,
when he will return to judge all men.
5. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. He is of one
substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, true and eternal
God.
PART II: The Rule of Faith (Articles 6-8)
6. The Sufficiency of Scripture for salvation
Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation. Consequently
whatever is not read in Scripture nor can be proved from Scripture cannot
be demanded from any person to believe it as an article of the faith. Nor
is any such thing to be thought necessary or required for salvation. By
holy scripture is meant those canonical books of the Old and New Testaments
whose authority has never been doubted within the church. Listing of
66 canonical books of the Old and New Testaments.
7. The Old Testament
The Old Testament is not contrary to the New, for in both the Old and
New Testaments eternal life is offered to mankind through Christ. Hence
he, being both God and man, is the only mediator between God and man. Those
who pretend that the Patriarchs only looked for transitory promises must
not be listened to. Although the law given by God through Moses is not
binding on Christians as far as its forms of worship and ritual are concerned
and the civil regulations are not binding on any nation state, nevertheless
no Christian is free to disobey those commandments which may be classified
as moral.
8. Of the Three Creeds
The Nicene Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed,
ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by
most certain warrants of Holy Scripture. (Changed in American BCP) The
three creeds, the Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, and that known as the
Apostles' Creed, ought to be wholeheartedly accepted and believed. This
is because their contents may be proved by definite statements of holy
Scripture.
PART III The Life of Faith (Articles 9-18)
Personal Religion
A. Its Commencement (Articles 9-14)
9. Original or Birth-sin
Original sin is not found merely in the following of Adam's example
(as the Pelagians foolishly say). It is rather to be seen in the fault
and corruption which is found in the nature of every person who is naturally
descended from Adam. The consequence of this is that man is far gone from
his original state of righteousness. In his own nature he is predisposed
to evil, the sinful nature in man always desiring to behave in a manner
contrary to the Spirit. In every person born into this world there is fund
this predisposition which rightly deserves God's anger and condemnation.
This infection within man's nature persists even within those who are regenerate.
This desire of the sinful nature, which in Greek is called fronema sarkos
and is variously translated the wisdom or sensuality or affection or desire
of the sinful nature, is not under control of God's law. Although there
is no condemnation for those that believe and are baptized, nevertheless
the apostle states that any such desire is sinful.
10. Free Will
The condition of man since the fall of Adam is such that he cannot
turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works for
faith and for calling upon the name of the Lord. Hence we have no power
to do good works which are pleasing and acceptable to God, unless the grace
of God through Christ goes before us so that we may have a good will, and
continues to work with us after we are given that good will.
11. The justification of man
We are accounted righteous before God solely on account of the merit
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through faith and not on account of
our own good works or of what we deserve. Consequently the teaching that
we are justified by faith alone is a most wholesome and comforting doctrine.
This is taught more fully in the homily on Justification.
12. Good works
Although good works, which are the fruits of faith and follow on after
justification, can never atone for our sins or face the strict justice
of God's judgment, they are nevertheless pleasing and acceptable to God
in Christ and necessarily spring from a true and living faith. Thus a living
faith is as plainly known by its good works as a tree is known by its fruit.
13. Works before justification
Works done before receiving the grace of Christ and the inspiration
of his Spirit are not pleasing to God. This is because they do not spring
out of faith in Jesus Christ. Nor do they make people fit to receive grace
or (as the schoolmen say) to deserve grace of congruity. On the contrary,
because they are not done as God has willed and commanded that they should
be done, it is undoubtedly the case that they have the nature of sin.
14. Works of supererogation
The concept of voluntary works besides, over and above God's commandments,
which are sometimes called works of supererogation, cannot be taught without
arrogance and impiety. By them men do declare not only that they render
to God their proper duty but that they actually do more than their duty.
But Christ says: 'So you also, when you after done everything you were
told to do, should say, "We are unprofitable servants."
B. Its Course (15-18)
15. Of Christ alone without sin
Christ, who truly took our human nature, was made like us in every
respect except that of sin. From this he was clearly free in both body
and spirit. He came to be the Lamb without blemish who, by the sacrifice
of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world. Sin, as St.
John says, was not in him. But all the rest of us, even though baptized
and born again in Christ, still offend in many ways. if we say we have
no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
16. Sin after baptism
Not every sin knowingly committed after baptism is sin against the
Holy Spirit and unforgivable. Therefore the gift of repentance is not to
be declared impossible for those who fall into sin after baptism. After
we have received the Holy Spirit we may depart from the grace given to
us and fall into sin, and we may also by the grace of God return and amend
our lives. therefore those who say that they are incapable of sinning any
more in this life are to be condemned, as are those who deny the opportunity
of forgiveness to those who truly repent.
17. Predestination and election
Predestination to life is the eternal purpose of God, whereby (before
the foundations of the world were laid) he has consistently decreed by
his counsel which is hidden from us to deliver from curse and damnation
those whom he has chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them through
Christ to eternal salvation as vessels made for honor. Hence those granted
such an excellent benefit by God are called according to God's purpose
by his Spirit working at the appropriate time. By grace they obey the calling;
they are freely justified, are made sons of God by adoption, are made like
the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, they walk faithfully in
good works and at the last by God's mercy attain eternal happiness.
The reverent consideration of this subject of predestination and of our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant, and inexpressible comfort to the godly and to those who feel within themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, putting to death the deeds of the sinful and earthly nature and lifting their minds up to high and heavenly things. This consideration establishes and confirms their belief in the eternal salvation o be enjoyed through Christ and kindles a fervent love towards God. But for inquisitive and unspiritual persons who lack the Spirit of Christ to have the sentence of God's predestination continually before their eyes is a dangerous snare which the devil uses to drive them either into desperation or into recklessly immoral living (a state no less perilous than desperation). Furthermore we need to receive God's promises in the manner in which they are generally set out to us in holy Scripture, and in our actions we need to follow that will of God which is clearly declared to us in the Word of God.
18. Obtaining salvation only by the name of Christ
Those who presume to say that every person shall be saved by the rule
of life, religion, or sect that he professes, provided he makes diligent
efforts to live by that rule and the light of nature, must be regarded
as accursed. For holy Scripture declares to us that it is only in the name
of Jesus Christ that men must be saved.
PART IV: THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH (Articles 19-39)
Corporate Religion
A. The Church (19-22)
19. The church
The visible church of Christ is a congregation of believers in which
the pure Word of God is preached and in which the sacraments are rightly
administered according to Christ's command in all those matters that are
necessary for proper administration. As the churches of Jerusalem, Alexandria,
and Antioch have erred, so also the church of Rome has erred, not only
in their practice and forms of worship but also in matters of faith.
20. The authority of the church
The church has authority to decree forms of worship and ceremonies
and to decide in controversies concerning the faith. However, it is not
lawful for the church to order anything contrary to God's written Word.
Nor may it expound one passage of Scripture so that it contradicts another
passage. So, although the church is a witness and guardian to holy Scripture,
it must not decree anything contrary to Scripture, nor is it to enforce
belief in anything additional to Scripture as essential to salvation.
21. The authority of general councils
[The Twenty-first of the former Articles is omitted; because it is
partly of a local and civil nature, and is provided for, as to the remaining
parts of it, in other Articles] The original 1571, 1662 text of this
Article, omitted in the version of 1801, reads as follows: "General Councils
may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of princes.
And when they be gathered together, (forasmuch as they be an assembly of
men, whereof of all not be governed with the Spirit and Word of God,) they
may err, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God.
Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither
strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out
of holy Scripture.
22. Purgatory
The Roman doctrine concerning purgatory, pardons, worshipping, and
adoration (both of images and of relics), and the invocation of saints
is a futile thing foolishly conceived and grounded on no evidence of Scripture.
On the contrary this teaching is repugnant to the Word of God.
B. Ministry (23-24)
23. Ministering in the congregation
It is not right for any man to take upon himself the office of public
preaching or of administering the sacraments in the congregation before
he has been lawfully called and sent to perform these tasks. The lawfully
called and sent are those who have been chosen and called to this work
by men who have had a public authority given to them in the congregation
to call and send such ministers into the Lord's vineyard.
24. Speaking in the congregation in a language that people understand
It is plainly repugnant to the Word of God and to the custom of the
early church for public prayer or the administration of the sacraments
in a language not understood by the people.
C. The Sacraments (25-31)
25. The sacraments
The sacraments instituted by Christ are not only badges or tokens of
the profession of Christians but are also sure witnesses and effectual
signs of God's grace and good will towards us. Through them he works invisibly
within us, both bringing to life and also strengthening and confirming
our faith in him. There are two sacraments instituted by Christ our Lord
in the Gospel-Baptism and the Lord's Supper. The five that are commonly
called sacraments (confirmation, penance, ordination, marriage, and extreme
unction) are not to be regarded as Gospel sacraments. This is because they
are either a corruption of apostolic practice or states of life as allowed
in the Scriptures. They are not of same nature as the sacraments of Baptism
and the Lord's Supper since they do not have any visible sign or ceremony
instituted by God. The sacraments were not instituted by Christ to be gazed
at or carried about but to be used properly. It is only in those who receive
them worthily that they have a beneficial effect or operation. As Paul
the apostle says, those who receive them in an unworthy manner bring condemnation
upon themselves.
26. The sacraments are not rendered ineffectual by the unworthiness
of the minister
Although in the visible church the evil are always mingled with the
good and sometimes evil people possess the highest rank in the ministry
of the Word and sacraments, nevertheless since they do not do these things
in their own name but in Christ's and minister by his commission and authority,
we may use their ministry both in hearing God's Word and in receiving the
sacraments. The effect of Christ's institution is not taken away by the
wickedness of these people, nor is the grace of God's gifts diminished,
so long as the sacraments are received by faith and rightly. The sacraments
are effectual because of Christ's institution and promise, even though
they may be administered by evil men. Nevertheless, it belongs to the discipline
of the church that investigation be made into evil ministers. Those who
are accused by witnesses having knowledge of their offenses and who in
the end are justly found guilty, should be disposed.
27. Baptism
Baptism is not only a sign of profession and a mark of difference by
which Christians are distinguished from those who are not baptized. It
is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, through which, as through
an instrument, those who receive baptism in the right manner are grafted
into the church, the promises of the forgiveness of sin and of our adoption
as sons of God by the Holy Spirit are visibly signed and sealed, faith
is confirmed, and grace is increased by virtue of prayer to God. The baptism
of young children is undoubtedly to be retained in the church as that which
agrees best with Christ's institution.
28. Of the Lord's Supper
The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the mutual love that Christians
ought to have among themselves. Rather, it is a sacrament of our redemption
through Christ's death. To those who rightly, worthily, and with faith
receive it, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ,
and similarly the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.
Transubstantiation (the change of the substance of the bread and wine)
in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved from holy Scripture, but is
repugnant to the plain teaching of Scripture. It overthrows the nature
of a sacrament and has given rise to many superstitions. The body of Christ
is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper only in a heavenly and spiritual
manner. The means by which the body of Christ is received and eaten in
the Supper is by faith.
29. The wicked who partake of the Lord's Supper do not eat the body
of Christ
The wicked and those who lack a living faith, although they physically
and visibly 'press with their teeth' (as St. Augustine says) the sacrament
of the body and blood of Christ, nevertheless are in no way partakers of
Christ. Rather, by eating and drinking the sign or sacrament of so great
a thing, they bring condemnation upon themselves.
30. Reception in both kinds
The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the laity. For by Christ's
institution and commandment both parts of the Lord's sacrament ought to
be administered to all Christian people alike.
31. The oblation of Christ finished upon the cross
The offering of Christ made once is the perfect redemption, propitiation,
and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and
actual. There is no other satisfaction for sin but this alone. Consequently,
the sacrifices of masses, in which it was commonly said that the priest
offered Christ for the living and dead so as to gain remission of pain
or guilt, were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits.
D. Discipline (32-36)
32. Marriage of Priests
It is not commanded by any decree of God that bishops, presbyters,
or deacons take a vow of celibacy or abstain from marriage. So it is lawful
for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their own discretion
when they judge that this will promote godliness
33. The excommunicated: how they are to be avoided
Any person who has openly been denounced by the church and justly cut
off from its fellowship and excommunicated is to be regarded by the whole
body of the faithful as a 'pagan and swindler' until he is openly reconciled
by repentance and received back into the church by a judge who has the
necessary authority in such matters.
34. The customs of the church
It is not necessary that customs and forms of worship be exactly the
same everywhere. Throughout history they have differed. They may be altered
according to the differing nations, times, and habits o people provided
that nothing is commanded contrary to God's Word. Whoever by his own private
judgment openly, willingly, and deliberately breaks those customs and forms
of worship of the church which do not contradict the Word of God and are
approved by common authority, is to be openly rebuked. This is so that
others will be afraid to act similarly, and in so doing offend against
the common order of the church, to undermine the authority of the state's
representative and to wound the consciences of weak Christians. Every particular
or national church has authority to command, change, or abolish the ceremonies
or forms of worship of the church which are appointed by man's authority
provided that every thing is done for the building up of Christian people.
35 The Homilies
The second Book of Homilies contains godly and wholesome teaching which
is necessary for these times, as does the first book of Homilies published
during the reign of Edward VI. We therefore judge that they ought to be
read diligently and distinctly in the churches by the ministers so that
they may be understood by the people.
36. The consecration of bishops and ministers
The Book of Consecration of Bishops, and Ordering of Priests and Deacons,
as set forth by the General Convention of this Church in 1792, contains
all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering; neither has it
any thing that of itself, is superstitious and ungodly. And, therefore,
whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to said Form, we decree
all such to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated and ordered.
The original 1571, 1662 text of this Article reads as follows: "The book for the consecration of archbishops and bishops and for ordaining presbyters and deacons, published in the time of Edward VI and confirmed at the same time by the authority of Parliament, contains all things necessary to such consecration and ordination. Nor does it contain anything which of itself is superstitious and ungodly. Therefore whoever is consecrated or ordained according to the services of that book, since the second year of Edward VI to the present time, and whoever will be consecrated and ordained according to those services in the future, we declare to be rightly, duly and lawfully consecrated and ordained."
E. Church-State Relations (37-39)
37. The state and its civil representatives
The power of the Civil Magistrate extends to all men, as well as Clergy
as Laity, in all things temporal; but has no authority in things purely
spiritual. And we hold it to be the duty of all men who are professors
of the Gospel, to pay respectful obedience to the Civil authority, regularly
and legitimately constituted.
The original 1571, 1662 text of this article reads as follows: The sovereign has the chief power in the realm of England and his other possessions. The supreme government of all in this realm, whatever their station, whether ecclesiastical or civil, and in all matters, belongs to him and is not, nor ought to be, subject to any foreign jurisdiction.
38. Private Property
Contrary to what some Anabaptists claim, the wealth and possessions
of Christians are not common, as far as the right, title, and possession
of them is concerned. Nevertheless, everyone ought to give freely to the
poor from what he possess, according to his means.
39. A Christian's Oath
We believe that the vain and rash swearing of oaths is forbidden to
Christians by our Lord Jesus Christ and St. James. However, we judge that
the Christian faith does not prohibit the swearing of an oath when the
state requires it if in a cause where the faithfulness and love justify
it, and according to the prophet Jeremiah's teaching, in justice, judgment
and truth.