What We Believe

The Anglican 39 Articles of Religion

in Contemporary English

with some explanatory notes

and

The REC Declaration of Principles

At the time of the Protestant Reformation, when it became apparent that the Roman Catholic Church would not be Reformed and that Protestants must form separate bodies, each Church made their own doctrinal statements, often called “Confessions of Faith”. The 39 Articles is the Confession of Faith of Anglicanism. The Articles explain the doctrinal stance of our tradition, a summary of what we believe the Bible teaches.

These Articles were originally written in the 16th century, and adopted by the Church of England in 1571. After the American Revolution, members of the Church of England living in the newly independent United States, had to also form a separate church, this was the beginning of the Episcopal Church in the United States. In 1801, the American Episcopal Church adopted the 39 Articles as their doctrinal statement with political modifications where necessary. A movement in the 19th century, called the “Oxford Movement” sought to distance the Episcopal Church from the Protestant principles of the 39 Articles. In order to maintain the Protestant heritage of our church, the Reformed Episcopal Church formed in 1873, and adopted the same 1801 version of the Articles, with the addition of the newly drafted “Declaration of Principles” which addressed the specific concerns of those Episcopalians committed to Biblical Protestantism.

Because the 39 Articles were originally written in the 1500s, 21st century readers may find them difficult to understand. For this reason, we wanted to provide a version of the 39 Articles in contemporary English; however, the 1801 version in historical English remains our official doctrine. We hope this modernized version will help both life-long Anglicans and those new to Anglicanism better understand the theological basis of our Reformed tradition.

A version of the 39 Articles in historical language may be found here.

The language of the Declaration of Principles has not been modernized.

The Articles of Religion

of 1801

as affirmed by the Bishops, Clergy, & Laity

of the Reformed Episcopal Church,

on the 2nd day of December,

in the Year of our Lord

1873

(modernized)

Part I: Of God (Articles 1-5)

1. Faith in the Holy Trinity

There is only one living and true God, who is eternal and without a body, that cannot be divided into parts, and who is without passions (ie. unlike humans, God and his Will is free from the control of emotions). He has infinite power, infinite wisdom, and infinite goodness. He is the maker and sustainer of all things, both all visible things and all invisible things. Within the one-ness of God there are three persons. These persons are of the one, same divine substance, power, and eternity. We call them the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

(*Note* 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. There are not different Gods, but all the same One God. They are equally almighty. They are equally eternal. They are equally God.)

2. The Word, or the Son of God, who truly became a Man

The Son, who is the Word of the Father, was begotten from eternity of the Father, and is (along with the Father) the one, true and eternal God. He is of the same divine substance as the Father.

The Son took on human nature in the womb of the virgin Mary. He is her natural, biological child. In Jesus, there are two whole and perfect natures, the Divine Nature and the human nature. These two natures were joined together in one person, and can never be divided. Jesus Christ is one person with two natures. He is truly God and truly man at the same time.

He truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried, to reconcile the Father to us (that is, to restore a right relationship between the Father and us) and to be a sacrifice that not only cleanses us from our sinful nature, but also washes away all sins we have actually committed.

3. The Descent of Christ into Hell

Just as Christ died for us and was buried, we also believe that he descended into hell.

(*Note* Historically, “hell” is not understood to be the lake of fire, but simply the place of the dead. By saying Christ descended into hell, or “the place of the dead”, we mean that he really did actually die.)

4. The Resurrection of Christ

Christ truly rose again from the dead. This was not just a spiritual resurrection, but he rose again with a glorified body, with his very flesh, bones, and everything that makes up a complete human nature.

In this resurrected body, he ascended into heaven, where he is now seated until the last day, when he will return again to earth to judge everyone who has ever lived.

5. The Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. He is of the same, one divine substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, the true and eternal God.

Part II: The Bible and the ancient Creeds (Articles 6-8)

6. The Sufficiency of Scripture for Salvation

The Bible is Holy Scripture, and it contains all things necessary for us to know how to be saved. Any belief or teaching that is not stated outright in the Bible, or, that is not supported by a careful study of the Bible should not be required for anyone to believe as an essential part of the Christian Faith. Nor should any opinion or teaching be taught as if it is necessary for salvation if it cannot be proved to be Biblical.

(*Note* Everything that is essential to the Christian Faith is contained in the Bible. We cannot add to what God has revealed to us.)

We acknowledge that the Bible, also called Holy Scripture or the word of God, consists of the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments whose authority has always been accepted by the whole Church throughout history.

The Old Testament contains 39 Books:

The Books of the Law -

1. Genesis

2. Exodus

3. Leviticus

4. Numbers

5. Deuteronomy

The Books of History -

6. Joshua

7. Judges

8. Ruth

9. 1st Samuel

10. 2nd Samuel

11. 1st Kings

12. 2nd Kings

13. 1st Chronicles

14. 2nd Chronicles

15. Ezra

16. Nehemiah

17. Esther

The Books of Literature & Poetry -

18. Job

19. Psalms

20. Proverbs

21. Ecclesiastes

22. Song of Solomon

The Books of the Major Prophets -

23. Isaiah

24. Jeremiah

25. Lamentations

26. Ezekiel

27. Daniel

The Books of the Minor Prophets -

28. Hosea

29. Joel

30. Amos

31. Obadiah

32. Jonah

33. Micah

34. Nahum

35. Habakkuk

36. Zephaniah

37. Haggai

38. Zechariah

39. Malachi

Regarding the Apocrypha - We believe that the other ancient Jewish books written in between the end of the prophets and the coming of Jesus (which some churches consider part of the Old Testament, but which we call the “Apocrypha”), are not divinely inspired, and therefore not properly part of the Bible. However, we believe it can be beneficial for Christians to read them in the same way we might read religious books by other uninspired believers. These books may have good morals for us, but, because they are not the inspired word of God, they cannot be used for the basis of any doctrine.

The books we include as the Apocrypha are as follows:

1. 3rd Esdras

2. 4th Esdras

3. Tobit

4. Judith

5. extra chapters to the Book of Esther

6. The Wisdom of Solomon

7. Sirach

8. Baruch

9. The Song of the Three Children

10. Susanna

11. The Story of Daniel and Bel & the Dragon

12. The Prayer of King Manasses

13. 1st Maccabees

14. 2nd Maccabees

We acknowledge the same 27 Books of the New Testament that are acknowledged by all Christians to be Holy Scripture:

1. Matthew

2. Mark

3. Luke

4. John

5. Acts

6. Romans

7. 1st Corinthians

8. 2nd Corinthians

9. Galatians

10. Ephesians

11. Philippians

12. Colossians

13. 1st Thessalonians

14. 2nd Thessalonians

15. 1st Timothy

16. 2nd Timothy

17. Titus

18. Philemon

19. Hebrews

20. James

21. 1st Peter

22. 2nd Peter

23. 1st John

24. 2nd John

25. 3rd John

26. Jude

27. Revelation

(*Note* - In this article, the word “Apocrypha” is used in its strict, historical sense. Today, the word “apocrypha” is sometimes used to refer to not only the ancient Jewish books listed above, but also to the heretical books written hundreds of years later. Anglicanism outright rejects all heretical & “gnostic” books that were written under false pretensions for the purpose of subverting the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.)

7. The Old Testament

The Old Testament is not opposed to the New Testament. In both the Old Testament and the New

Testament, eternal life is offered to mankind through Christ. He, being both God and man, is the only mediator between God and man. We reject the claim that the ancient Hebrew Fathers only looked for temporary promises. In the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy there are many rules pertaining to the worship & religious ritual of the ancient Israelites; there are also civil laws & political regulations for ancient Israel. Christians are not required to follow these ritualistic laws or the political laws. But there are also moral laws God gave to Moses in those same books, and every Christian is still required to follow the moral laws where ever they are taught in Scripture.

(*Note* The laws pertaining to the sacrifices of the Temple were shadows that pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross. Once Jesus had fulfilled this one sacrifice for all time, the ritual shadows were no longer necessary.

Before the coming of Christ, God's chosen people were the nation of Israel. As a nation, it was required they had national laws. The nation of Israel was a shadow of the church of Jesus Christ. Unlike ancient Israel, the Church is universal and it contains members from every tribe, nation, ethnicity, and language. Christians are still called out to be God's chosen people in this world, but we no longer form a single national or political state. Therefore the state laws of ancient Israel are not required for Christians to follow. However, since morality is universal, all Biblical laws pertaining to morality are universal and eternal.)

8. Of the Three Creeds

The doctrinal points made in the Nicene Creed, in the Athanasian Creed, and in what we call the Apostles' Creed ought to be completely received and believed by all Christians because everything they proclaim may be proved from the Bible.

Part III: The Individual Christian's Life Of Faith (Articles 9-18)

9. Original or Birth-sin

Original sin is not just following of Adam's example, but it is the corruption of nature found in every person since Adam's fall. The consequence of this fall is that all humans are now far gone from our original state of righteousness. Now, after the fall, our nature is predisposed to evil because it always desires to behave in a manner contrary to the Spirit. Every person born into this world is a sinner by nature and therefore deserves God's wrath and just condemnation.

This spiritual infection within man's nature persists even within those who have been born-again. The desire of the sinful nature is not ever (during this earthly life) made perfectly obedient to the Law of God. Although there is no condemnation for those that believe the gospel and are baptized, nevertheless the Apostle Paul teaches us that such a desire that inclines towards evil is from our fleshly nature.

10. Free Will

Humankind is in such a spiritual state after the fall of Adam that we cannot turn to faith or call upon the Lord for salvation, or even prepare ourselves for faith by our own natural strength and good works. We have no power to do good works that are pleasing and acceptable to God, unless the grace of God through Christ first makes our wills good, and continues to work in us after we are given that good will.

11. The Justification of Man

We are considered righteous by God only on the account of the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through faith. We are not considered righteous on account of our own good works or because we did anything to truly deserve being considered righteous. (That is impossible.) That we are justified by faith alone is a fully true doctrine and a comforting doctrine. This doctrine that salvation is by faith alone is further expounded in the Homily on Justification. (See Art. 35)

12. Good Works

Although good works, which are the fruits of faith and naturally follow an individual's justification, can never make up for our sins or withstand the strict justice of God's judgment, they are still pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ. Even more than that, good works necessarily spring from a true and living

faith. It is by the fruit of good works that a living faith is as plainly known, just as a tree is known by the fruit it bears.

13. Works Before Justification

Works done before receiving the grace of Christ, and the movement of his Spirit in us, are not pleasing to God. This is because they do not spring out of faith in Jesus Christ. Nor do they make people ready to receive grace or (as some of the Medieval theologians wrote) to deserve grace by cooperation. On the contrary, because they are not done as God has willed them and commanded them, it is undoubtedly the case that they have the nature of sin.

(*Note* This article does not teach that non-Christians are incapable of leading what humans consider good, moral lives. The purpose of this article is to teach that those good works do not impress God, or that, simply because we might lead good lives relative to other people that God owes us salvation. God does not save us because we convince him we're good. He saves us when we realize that we are sinners in need of his salvation.)

14. Works of Supererogation or Trying to be Moral Beyond what God has Commanded

The concept of freely doing extra works besides, beyond, and above God's commandments, which are sometimes called works of “supererogation”, is nothing but arrogance and false piety. By trying to be better than even what God commanded, people think they are able to give God not only what they owe him, but that they can actually serve him beyond what we owe him. But Christ plainly taught us: “When you have done everything you were commanded to do, you should say, 'We are unprofitable servants.' ”

(*Note* It's impossible to think we can do so many good works that we actually make God indebted to us. God does not owe us anything, and there's nothing we can do to make him owe us anything. All that we have is a gift from him. To think we can make do enough to make God owe us grace or favors is both foolish and blasphemous.)

15. Of Christ Alone without Sin

Jesus Christ, who truly took our human nature, was made like us in every way, except that he had no sin. He was clearly free from sin in both his body and his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without blemish, who, by his one and only sacrifice of himself, took away the sins of the world. Sin, as St. John says, was not in him. But all the rest of us - even though we are baptized and born

again in Christ - still break God's laws 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 willingly committed after baptism is the unforgivable sin against the Holy Ghost. It's not impossible for those who fall into sin after baptism to still be given the gift of repentance. After we have received the Holy Spirit we still might depart from following the grace given to us and fall into following sin. But even then, the grace of God can still work in us to return us to grace and begin again to lead Christian lives.

Those who teach that they have reached such a state of perfection that they never sin any more in this life are to be condemned. Likewise, those who teach that there is no forgiveness for those who backslide are also to be condemned. If a person truly repents, if he truly turns from sin and unto God, he will be forgiven.

(*Note* “Repentence” is not merely saying one is sorry. Repentance is a change of life in which we turn away from sin that leads to death and we turn to Christ who alone is life.)

17. Predestination and Election

Predestination to life is the eternal purpose of God:

(a) Before the foundations of the world were laid, God decreed, by his secret counsel, to deliver all those he chose in Christ out of mankind from curse and damnation, and to bring them, through Christ, to eternal salvation as vessels made for honor.

(b) Those blessed to be chosen by God are called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in them at the appointed time.

(d) They are justified freely (by grace, not by their own works).

(e) They are made the children of God by adoption.

(f) They are progressively conformed to the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ. (g) They walk faithfully in good works during their earthy lives,

(h) and at the last, by God's mercy, they attain eternal happiness.

The godly and reverent consideration of predestination, and of our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and to those who feel within themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ - putting to death the sinful deeds of their earthly nature, and lifting their minds up to higher, heavenly things. This same godly consideration establishes their their belief in the eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, and makes it firm. It also kindles a fervent love towards God in them.

But for overly-inquisitive and unspiritual persons, who don't have the Spirit of Christ in them (and therefore misunderstanding this doctrine), the idea of God's predestination becomes a dangerous trap which the devil uses to drive them either into desperation or into recklessly immoral living. Both desperation and carelessly evil living are equally deadly.

Because of this dangerous misunderstanding of predestination, it is extremely important to remember that we need to receive God's promises as they are presented to us in the Bible. So in our lives (rather

than say it doesn't matter what we do since everything is predestined) we need to always follow the will of God as declared in his word, the Bible.

(*Note* God does not only ordain the end, but he also ordains the means to that end. Rather than worry over whether we are predestined or not – which, being God's hidden will, is beyond our ability to know – we ought all to repent and believe the Gospel as we all are commanded to do. Those who repent and

have living faith in Christ are his elect. Those who lead wicked lives and die without repentance & faith are non-elect.

The doctrine of predestination is one meant to humble us if we are tempted with spiritual pride, and it is meant to comfort us if we begin to think salvation relies on our human ability. Salvation is the gift of God alone, and we are kept saved by the power of God alone. If we think the doctrine is meant to cause us to worry, we misunderstand it.)

18. Obtaining Salvation Only by the Name of Christ

Those who claim that every person will be saved by whatever religion each chooses to follow, so long as he follows it sincerely, are to be considered accursed. The Bible declares to us that it is only by the name of Jesus Christ that anyone will be saved.

Part IV: The Church (Articles 19-22)

19. The Church

The visible church of Christ is a congregation (or group) 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 essentials.

As the ancient churches in Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch have fallen into errors, so also has the Roman Catholic Church fallen into errors, not only in their way of living and forms of worship they use, but they have also fallen into errors in matters of faith.

20. The Authority of the Church

The church has the authority to arrange the order and ceremonies of public worship. She also has the authority to make decisions when controversies concerning the faith arise in the church. However, the church may not order anything that is contrary to God's written Word. Nor may she so explain one passage of Scripture so that she makes it contradict another passage of Scripture. So, although the church is a witness and guardian of Holy Scripture, she does not have the authority to decree anything contrary to Scripture, nor can the church add any teaching to Scripture and insist her members must believe it to be saved. (See also Art. 6 – on the Sufficiency of Scripture)

21. The Authority of General Councils

{This Article is omitted in American versions of the Articles because it relates specifically to the subjects of the British monarch. However, it is provided here for the sake of historical interest. The language has not been modernized.}

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 and other Roman Doctrines

The Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory is a foolish teaching, fancifully imagined, and not based upon the the teaching of the Bible.

Likewise, the Roman Catholic doctrine of indulgences, the practice of worshipping and venerating images and relics, and the practice of praying to saints are all also foolish things, which men vainly thought up in their own heads, and none of them are grounded in the words of Scripture. All these doctrines and practices are repugnant (ie. contrary) to the Word of God.

Part V: The Ordained Ministry (Articles 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 officers who have been given public authority 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 contrary to the Word of God, and to the custom of the early church, for the church service to use another language besides the native language of the congregation.

(*Note* The original purpose of this article was to explain why the English Reformers used English instead of Latin in church. There is nothing magical or sacred about any specific language. Church services should use the language that the people speak, and any words or phrases they don't understand should be explained to them. There's no benefit in hearing or saying things we don't understand.)

Part VI: The Sacraments (Articles 25-31)

25. The Sacraments

The sacraments, as instituted by Christ, are not merely rituals by which believers show that they are Christians, but the sacraments are also genuine witnesses and effectual signs of God's grace and good will towards us. Through these outward & visible signs, God works invisibly within us. By the sacraments, God makes us spiritually alive and also strengthens and confirms our faith in him.

In the Gospel, our Lord, Jesus Christ, gave us only two sacraments — 1. Baptism and 2. The Lord's Supper.

The five rituals that are some people often call “sacraments” (ie. confirmation, confession, ordination,

marriage, and last rites) are not to be considered sacraments of the Gospel. These rituals fall into one of two categories – 1. Some of them are actual corruptions of apostolic practice. 2. Others of them are just states of life allowed in the Scriptures. But even those allowable states of life are not the same as the two sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper since they do not have any visible sign or ceremony that was instituted by God.

Christ did not institute the sacraments for us to just stare at them or to carry them around in processions. (There is no sacramental benefit in either of these superstitious practices.) But he intends for us to use the sacraments exactly as he commanded us to use them.

Only those who receive Baptism & the Lord's Supper worthily also receive the beneficial effect of them. St. Paul the Apostle tells us that those who receive them in an unworthy manner bring nothing but condemnation upon themselves.

26. The Power of the Sacraments is unaffected by the Worthiness or Unworthiness of the Minister

In the visible church there are always evil people mixed in with good people. Sometimes evil people are even able to attain the highest positions in the church – both preaching and administering the Sacraments. Nevertheless, since ministers do not do preach or administer the sacraments in their own names but in the name of Christ, and since they minister under Christ's command and authority, faithful church members can still 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 when they are administered by evil men.

Nevertheless, it is part of the discipline of the church that ministers should be investigate when they have been accused of evil by witnesses who claim to have caught them in an evil act. If any of them who are accused are found guilty, they should be removed from the office of minister.

(*Note* This articles assumes that even ministers who have done something evil in their private lives are still preaching the true gospel and administering the sacraments according to the command of Christ. In that case, their evil deeds do not necessarily detract from the truthfulness of the doctrines they preach publicly or of the sacraments. Evil men can still speak truths even if they don't live by them. Of course, hypocrites ought not to be ministers.

However, if any minister begins to preach false doctrine or to invent additional sacraments or to administer the sacraments in a way that go against the commandment of Christ, Christians cannot gain any benefit from hearing his false doctrine or from receiving false sacraments.

We believe God's truth not because a certain man speaks it, but because it is objectively true no matter who speaks it. We know the sacraments of Christ are beneficial to those who have faith not because of the earthly minister who administers them to us, but because Christ himself gave the sacraments to us. Our faith must be in God's truth and Christ's promises, not in any human man who may fail us.)

27. Baptism

Baptism is not merely a sign of a Christian's profession or a mark by which Christians are distinguished

from non-Christians, but it is also a sign of being born-again. Those who receive baptism properly are made part of the church. The promise of the forgiveness of sin, and the promise that they are adopted by God to be his children, are both visibly signed and sealed to them by the Holy Ghost. Furthermore, faith is confirmed in them, and grace is increased in them by virtue of prayer to God.

The baptism of infants is a practice that should be kept in the church because it is agreeable with Christ's institution of baptism.

(*Note* Children, properly brought up in the church, and taught the Christian faith, are brought up as disciples of Christ until they come to an age at which they are able to decide for themselves whether to continue as Christ's disciple or to abandon him in order to follow the world. At the baptism of our children, both parents of those baptized and the whole congregation, take it upon themselves to see that the child will be taught the gospel and urged to remain a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ throughout his or her whole life.)

28. Of the Lord's Supper

The Supper of the Lord is not merely a sign of the mutual love that Christians ought to have among themselves, but rather, it is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death. To those who rightly and worthily receive the Lord's Supper with faith the bread which we break is also a partaking of the body of Christ, and similarly the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation (the Roman Catholic doctrine that the bread and wine turn into the Body and Blood of Jesus) cannot be proved from Holy Scripture. In fact, this doctrine is contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture. It dismisses the very nature of what a sacrament is, and it has been the basis for many superstitions.

In the Lord's Supper, the body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten only in a heavenly and spiritual manner. Faith is the means by which the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper.

If we follow Christ's institution of the Lord's Supper, the bread and wine are not to be kept for later use after the Supper is over. They are not carried around in processions or lifted up above the priest's head. And they are not to be worshipped.

29. The Wicked Who Partake of the Lord's Supper Do Not Eat the Body of Christ

Wicked people and those who don't have a living faith are not partakers of Christ. Even though they physically and visibly 'chew with their teeth' (as St. Augustine says) the bread and wine of sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, they are in no way partakers of Christ. Instead, by eating and drinking the sign or sacrament of such a great thing, they bring condemnation upon themselves.

30. Reception in Both Kinds (Taking both the bread and the wine)

The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the laity. According to Christ's institution and commandment both the bread and the wine of the Lord's sacrament ought to be administered to all Christian people alike.

(*Note* At the time of the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church did not allow the lay people to drink the wine at communion; only the priests were allowed to drink it. The reason for this article is to

restore the reception of the wine to all Christians, both ordained and not ordained.) 31. The Oblation of Christ Finished Upon the Cross

The offering of Christ made once is the only 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 so-called “sacrifice of the mass”, in which some claim that the priest is offering Christ in order to obtain forgiveness for of the sins of the living and dead, are blasphemous lies and dangerous deceptions.

Part VII: Church Discipline (Articles 32-36)

32. Marriage of Clergy

Bishops, presbyters, or deacons are not commanded anywhere in the Bible to take a vow of celibacy or to abstain from marriage. Actually, it is lawful for them, just as it is for all other Christians, to marry at their own discretion when and if they decide that this will promote godliness.

33. Excommunicated persons: How they are to be Avoided

Any person who has openly been denounced by the church, and rightly removed from church membership, and officially excommunicated, is to be regarded as a 'non-Christian and traitor' by the remaining faithful persons until he is openly reconciled by repentance and received back into the church by those who have been given authority in such matters.

34. The Traditions of the Church

It is not necessary that the traditions and the details of church ceremony be exactly the same everywhere. They have been different at different times in history (and in different countries). So they may be altered according to the customs of different countries, times, and social norms, at least, so far as no practice is set up that is 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 which are approved by common authority, is to be openly rebuked. This is so that other individuals will think twice before they also try to disrupt the usual way the church worships publicly. By trying to force their individual opinion upon the whole church, they offend the order of the church that is held in common by all members. They also undermine those rightly placed in authority. And they hurt the consciences of the weaker brother.

Every particular denomination or national church has the authority to set forth, alter, or abolish only those ceremonies or details of church services that were appointed by human authority. However, even here, all decisions made in regards to public worship must be chosen so that the church service will edify the congregation.

35. The Homilies or the official Sermons of the Church

Both the First Book of Homilies (published under Edward VI) and the Second Book of Homilies

(published under Elizabeth I) contain godly and wholesome doctrines which are right now necessary to be taught. Because the people need to be educated in Biblical doctrine, we believe that these Homilies (or Sermons) ought to be carefully and clearly read by the ministers to their congregations.

The First Book of Homilies contains these Sermons:

1. A Fruitful exhortation to the reading of holy Scripture.

2. Of the misery of all mankind. (ie. that we are sinners)

3. Of the salvation of all mankind. (Also called “The Homily on Justification” see. Art. 11.) 4. Of the true and lively faith.

5. Of good works. (How we can truly serve God)

6. Of Christian love and charity.

7. Against swearing and perjury.

8. Of the declining from GOD. (What we now might call “back-sliding”.)

9. An exhortation against the fear of death.

10. An exhortation to obedience.

11. Against fornication and adultery.

12. Against strife and contention.

The Second Book of Homilies contains these Sermons:

1. Of the right use of the Church. (How we should use the church building for worship.) 2. Against peril of Idolatry and Superfluous Decking (ie. over decorating) of Churches. 3. For repairing and keeping clean the Church.

4. Of good works. And first of Fasting.

5. Against gluttony and drunkenness.

6. Against excess of apparel. (To be modest and humble in how we dress)

7. An homily of Prayer.

8. Of the place and time of Prayer.

9. Of Common Prayer and Sacraments

10. An information of them which take offense at certain places of holy Scripture. (How to deal with difficult passages)

11. Of alms deeds. (Charity work)

12. Of the Nativity. (The Birth of Christ)

13. Of the Passion for good Friday. (The Death of Christ)

14. Of the Resurrection for Easter day.

15. Of the worthy receiving of the Sacrament. (How we should prepare ourselves to receive Communion)

17. An Homily concerning the coming down of the holy Ghost.

18. An Homily for Rogation week. (On our thanksgiving for and stewardship over nature.) 19. Of the state of Matrimony.

20. Against Idleness.

21. Of Repentance and true Reconciliation unto God.

22. An Homily against disobedience and willful rebellion.

{Our Church accepts this Article insofar as we agree that the Books of Homilies are a detailed explanation of our Christian doctrine, and that they teach us good piety and morals.

But the specific references to the laws of England do not apply to the members of our church since we are not subjects of the Kingdom of England. Because of this, we will not require the Homilies to be

read publicly in churches – at least, not until a revision of them can be made that is both applicable to our own national context and which is modernized to be more in lines with today's style of preaching.}

[*Note* The Homilies are Sermons that were written by the English Reformers during the 16th century for the purpose of teaching Biblical doctrine to the people. This was especially necessary in the 1500s because ministers, if they had any theological training, had been trained in the doctrine of the medieval Roman Catholic Church. Since it would have been impossible to retrain from the ministers, these official sermons were written to be read by them.

Even though the sermons are old-fashioned, and we don't read them in church anymore, the doctrines taught in the are still the official doctrines of our church.

Currently, the Church Society in England has published a modernized version of the First Book of Homilies. While this does not remove the portions of the Homilies that are specific to those living in England, it does at least update the language for readers today.]

36. The Consecration of Bishops and Ministers

The Book of Consecration of Bishops, and the Ordination of Presbyters and Deacons, as set forth by the General Convention of this Church in 1792, contains all things that are necessary to Consecrate a Bishop to his office and to ordain Presbyters or Deacons. Nothing in those services, (as they are found) has anything that is superstitious and ungodly. So we decree that whomever is consecrated or ordained according to those Forms has been properly, orderly, and lawfully consecrated or ordained.

Part VII: Church-State Issues (Articles 37-39)

37. The State and its Civil Representatives

The Power of the state government over secular matters extends to all persons, both clergy and laity; but the state government has no authority in purely spiritual matters. We believe it is the duty of all who claim to follow the Gospel to be respectfully obedient to Governments that are regularly and legitimately constituted.

38. Private Property

Contrary to what some fringe religious groups claim, the property and money of individual Christians are not supposed to be owned by all Christians commonly, as far as the the legality of property rights, titles, and laws of possession are concerned. Still, every Christian ought to freely give, out of his own possessions, to the poor from what he possesses, according to his means.

[*Note* While this articles was originally written to combat the teaching of a small sect of communal Anabaptists, it remains useful today to combat the fringe groups who try to teach a form of Christian Communism or Christian Marxism.)

39. A Christian's Oath

We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ (as well as St James) taught that Christians are forbidden to make

empty promises or to swear carelessly. However, we believe that the Christian faith does not prohibit us from swearing oaths when the state requires it – insofar as the oath may be justified by good faith and love for our neighbors. This is in accordance to the teach of the prophet Jeremiah - in justice, judgment and truth. (Jeremiah 4:2)

The Declaration of Principles

2nd December 1873

1. The Reformed Episcopal Church, holding “the faith once delivered unto the saints,” declares its belief in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God, as the sole rule of Faith and Practice; in the Creed “commonly called the Apostles' Creed;” in the Divine institution of the Sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper; and in the doctrines of grace substantially as they are set forth in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.

2. This Church recognizes and adheres to Episcopacy (ie. church government by regional bishops), not as of Divine right, but as a very ancient and desirable form of Church polity.

3. This Church, retaining a liturgy (ie. form of public worship) which shall not be imperative or repressive of freedom in prayer, accepts The Book of Common Prayer, as it was revised, proposed, and recommended for use by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, A.D. 1785, reserving full liberty to alter, abridge, enlarge, and amend the same, as may seem most conducive to the edification of the people, “provided that the substance of the faith be kept entire”.

4. This Church condemns and rejects the following erroneous and strange doctrines as contrary to God's Word:

First, that the Church of Christ exists only in one order or form of ecclesiastical polity: (*Note* This is meant to combat the claim that only churches with bishops are true churches.)

Second, that Christian Ministers are "priests" in another sense than that in which all believers are a "royal priesthood:"

Third, that the Lord's Table is an altar on which the oblation of the Body and Blood of Christ is offered anew to the Father:

Fourth, that the Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper is a presence in the elements of Bread and Wine:

Fifth, that regeneration (ie. being born-again by the Spirit) is inseparably connected with Baptism.