basics of our faith960edae80ede29bddbb5-56ca5cf966b0e517ab3b7387019e2425.r21.… · church...

Basics of

Our Faith

CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS Copyright © 2018 Christ Church Charlotte, NC

Basics of Our Faith 2



LEARN AT HOME

BASICS OF OUR FAITH understanding the traditions of the Episcopal Church

NARRATIVE Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, The Very Right Reverend Michael Curry, tells

us that we are the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus movement. And what an improbable journey it has been for a church that resulted from occupations, political and religious

schisms, geography, courage, and an imperative toward self-expression. This session focuses on this branch of Christianity and how we, as Episcopalians, live out our faith

through our lives, worship, and action.

Joseph of Arimathea, who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after Jesus’

crucifixion, was the first person to evangelize the British Isles and construct one of the first

church buildings in southwest England at Glastonbury in the first century. Christianity

flourished in this Roman outpost for several centuries. Constantine the Great (306-337 CE)

instituted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire in 312, and the

geographic isolation of the British Isles from Rome enabled the English Church to put its stamp on the official religion.

Roman Catholicism experienced several schisms, and the church split into Eastern and Western divisions in 1054, with Constantinople becoming the head of the Eastern

Orthodox Church and Rome the seat of the Western Church. Problems within the

Roman Catholic Church simmered for the next five centuries. The theological

differences finally came to a boiling point in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German Priest,

posted his ninety-five theses on the chapel door of Wittenburg, Germany. Luther’s ninety-five points addressed the abuses, such as selling indulgences, he witnessed in the

Catholic Church.

Shortly thereafter, in England, Henry VIII brought divisive issues to the Vatican to a head by his Act of Supremacy in 1534 when Henry declared himself the Supreme Leader of the

Church of England, officially breaking with the Roman Catholic Church.

The split with Rome allowed the English monarch and his bishops to reimagine the church,

and they chose the middle way, the Via media. The new Church of England was to be both catholic, in that it was a continuation of the early apostolic church, and reformed, in that

it was altered by the reformation movement in Europe. The head clergy of the new church was to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, but the English monarch was to be the overall

head of the church.



There were certainly tensions within the new church about what to keep and what to

jettison. Henry VIII preferred traditional Catholic practices in his new church, but his successor, Edward VI, did not. In a move to make the worship feel free of the vestiges of

Catholicism, in 1549, Thomas Cranmer and a group of Bishops published

the first Book of Common Prayer, printing the worship services in the language of the

people. It has been revised 16 times, but it still stands as a unifying liturgical source for churches all through the Anglican Communion.

During the tumult of succession after Henry, until the crown settled on his daughter Elizabeth, it was unclear what it meant to be separated from the Catholic Church and

other European reform movements, such as Puritanism. An overarching question for many Christians who were members of the newly formed Church of England was what source or

sources had authority over their lives as Christians. Was every word of the Bible to be

true? Could some be accepted and others not? What should one do when the Bible

contradicted itself? Who could interpret Biblical texts? These were the types of questions

that engaged an English priest and theologian named Richard Hooker, who, through study and debate, presented a model for authority that relied on three sources: scripture,

tradition, and reason. These three came to be known as the three-legged stool of Anglicanism. The three together were foundational, but if any were removed, the stool

became destabilized.

In colonial America, the state-sponsored religion in the English colonies was the Church of

England, whose clergy were required to swear allegiance to the King. During the

Revolutionary War, there were obvious conflicts of interest for clergy and members of the church, and the church’s health suffered. After the war, the Church of England in America

was adrift, with no name, few assets, a dwindling membership, and no infrastructure.

Into this quagmire walked a rector from Pennsylvania, the Rev. William White, who

proposed a revamped church structure based on a spiritual connection to the Church of

England and a new and independent form of church governance. He chose the word “Episcopalian” to describe the new church as one that would have a system of overseers

or Bishops. The new creation was often called the Protestant Episcopal Church.

The three-legged stool of scripture, tradition, and reason became the defining authority for the new Episcopal Church and continues to guide and direct us.

Over the centuries the Episcopal Church has faced divisive and difficult issues throughout

its history, from within the Church and from outside forces, and it is not likely to be different in the future. As Episcopalians and members of the Anglican Communion grapple

with these issues, we are reminded that unity, not uniformity, is our common goal and that those things that unite us – history, liturgies, a common Book of Prayer, shared authorities –

are strong and mighty gifts from God to be used in building the Kingdom.

In 2015, Pew research estimated that 1.2 percent of the adult population in the United

States, or three million people, self-identified as Episcopalians/Anglicans.2

CHRISTIAN ESSENTIALS Copyright © 2018, 2019, 2020 TEC Christ Church Charlotte, NC


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TERMINOLOGY

ANGLICAN COMMUNION – the Churches in communion with the See of Canterbury throughout the world. Member churches exercise jurisdictional independence but share a common heritage concerning Anglican identity. Churches in the Anglican Communion continue to reflect the balance of Protestant and Catholic principles that characterized the Via Media of the Elizabethan settlement.3

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY – the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England and the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Church.

BIBLE – the inspired Word of God that tells the story of God and God’s relationship with a covenanted people - organized into two covenants: the Old Testament and New Testament.

BISHOP – an ordained individual who represents Christ and his Church, as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up on the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.4

CATECHISM – a brief summary of the Church’s teaching, intended for use by priests, deacons, and the laity to learn about the beliefs and doctrines of The Episcopal Church and faith. It is also known as “An Outline of the Faith” and is found in the Book of Common Prayer on page 845.

CREEDS – the statements of our basic beliefs about God. The Episcopal Church primarily uses the Apostles’ Creed and Nicene Creed. The Apostles’ Creed is the ancient Creed of Baptism and is used in the Church’s daily worship to recall our Baptismal Covenant. The Nicene Creed is the Creed of the universal Church and is used at the Eucharist.

CURATE – a member of the clergy engaged as assistant to a vicar, rector, or parish priest

DEACON – derived from the Greek diakonia, which literally means “service”, a deacon is an ordained minister of the Episcopal Church called to lead church members in service to the poor, needy and oppressed. The deacon has specific ceremonial and leadership responsibilities which differ from those of a priest, and might be responsible for caring for a parish’s congregation.



GENERAL CONVENTION– the national legislative body of the Episcopal Church. It consists of a House of Bishops, which includes all active and retired bishops and a House of Deputies, which includes four lay persons and four clergy from each diocese and each area mission. The convention meets every three years and has authority to amend the Prayer Book and the Church’s Constitution, to amend the canons (laws) of the Church, and to determine the program and budget of the national Episcopal Church.5

LAITY – the people of God. The term is from the Greek laos, “the people.” The ministry of the laity is to “represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.” 6

PRESIDING BISHOP – the elected Chief Pastor and Primate of the Episcopal Church. As

Chief Pastor, the Presiding Bishop is charged with initiating and developing church policy and strategy, speaking God’s Word to the Church and the world, and visiting every diocese of the Church. The present term of office for the Presiding Bishop is nine years.

PRIMATE – the chief bishop in an Anglican Province is called a primate. In the United States, the Presiding Bishop serves as “Chief Pastor and Primate.”

PRIEST – a title derived from the Greek presbyteros, “elder” or “old man.” The ministry of

a priest is to “represent Christ and his Church, particularly as pastor to the people; to proclaim the gospel; to administer the sacraments; and to bless and declare pardon in the name of God.” 7 After the Reformation the Anglican Church used the term “priest” while others used the term “presbyter.”

PROTESTANT – a church or Christian that belongs to one of the many branches of Christianity that developed out of the Protestant Reformation started by Martin Luther in

1517 (Episcopal (Anglican), Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and others).

REFORMATION – (also known as “The Protestant Reformation) a term used to describe a series of events that took place in the 16th century in the Christian Church. Because of corruption in the Catholic Church, some people saw a need for change. This caused a schism and resulted in a number of Protestant churches splitting from the Catholic Church.

SACRAMENTS 7– the outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual graces. The Episcopal

Church recognizes the following seven sacraments:

Baptism – in Baptism we are adopted by God into God’s family, which we call the Church, and given God’s own life to share and reminded that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ and marked as Christ’s own for ever.

Eucharist– It goes by several names: Holy Communion, the Eucharist (which literally means “thanksgiving”), the Lord’s Supper, the Mass. But whatever its formal name, this is the family meal for Christians and a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.



Confirmation– the adult affirmation of our baptismal vows Reconciliation of a Penitent – Private Confession Holy Matrimony – Christian Marriage Orders – Ordination to deacon, priest, or bishop Unction– Anointing with oil those who are sick or dying8

SCHISM – a split or division between strongly opposed groups, caused by differences in opinion and belief.

THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER – the official book of worship in The Episcopal

Church. The BCP provides liturgical forms, prayers, and instructions enabling a common worship experience throughout the Episcopal Church. (Revised 1979)

THOMAS CRANMER – a leader of the Reformation in England and author of the first two editions of the Book of Common Prayer (1549 and 1552).

THREE-LEGGED STOOL – a metaphor for the three sources of authority in The

Episcopal Church and Anglicanism (Scripture, Tradition, and Reason).

SCRIPTURE – the normative source for God’s revelation and the source for all Christian teaching and reflection.

TRADITION – the legacy of the church’s ongoing experience of God’s presence

and activity passed along from generation to generation.

REASON – the human capacity to discern the truth in both rational and intuitive ways. (It is not limited to logic as such. It takes into account and includes experience.)

VIA-MEDIA – translated from the Latin phrase as “middle way,” from the philosophy of Aristotle. The via-media describes the middle way between the extremes of Roman Catholicism and Puritanism.

VICAR – a member of the clergy who serves in a chapel



Basics of our Faith: Basics of our faith are how we, in the Episcopal Church, understand our Christian identity as one rooted in Scripture, tradition, and reason.

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me.

I cling to your decrees, O Lord; let me not be put to shame.

I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

PSALM 119:30-341

I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.

EPHESIANS 1:16-18



SMALL GROUP

GATHER As participants gather, facilitators welcome participants and reflect on questions from last session and review individual practices from “Build It Into Your Life.” Once all participants have arrived, the group transitions.

CENTER

Hold silence for one minute or more to allow participants and facilitators the opportunity to

center, prepare, and focus on the Christian Essential Basics of our Faith.

PRAY Read aloud by one member of the group.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting, O God, that you will make all things right if I surrender to your will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and

supremely happy with you for ever in the next. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR DISCERNMENT8

READ

A member of the group reads aloud the Essential Definition and the Scripture passages.



CHECK-IN

Check-in using one or more of the following: (20 minutes)

1. Share a response or question related to NARRATIVE or TERMINOLOGY.

2. Share what spoke to you, touched you or challenged you in the NARRATIVE or

TERMINOLOGY.

3. Facilitators choose a DISCUSSION question from Page 12.

BASICS OF OUR FAITH VIDEO Use the space below to capture thoughts, ideas, and questions provoked by the video.

NOTES:

Share a thought or an idea from the video.



SMALL GROUP

REFLECTIONS We are exploring together. We are cultivating a garden together, backs to the sun. The question is a hoe in our hands, and we are digging beneath the hard and crusty surface to the rich humus of our lives.

- PARKER PALMER, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation

What is the “heart” of Christianity? What is the most central to Christianity and to being a Christian? The question arises in each new period of Christian history. It is especially important in our time. Because this vision of Christianity is quite different from the dominant ways of seeing Christianity over the past few hundred years, our time is also a time of conflict. In our context of change and conflict, what is Christianity’s “heart”? Like all good metaphors, heart has more than one nuance of meaning. To begin, it suggests what is most central. What is the core of Christianity, the “heart of the matter”? What is the essence of Christianity and the Christian life?

- MARCUS BORG, The Heart of Christianity

I had arrived at an understanding of faith that had far more to do with trust than with certainty. I trusted God to be God even if I could not say who God was for sure. I trusted God to sustain the world although I could not say for sure how that happened. I trusted God to hold me and those I loved, in life and in death, without giving me one shred of conclusive evidence that it was so.

- BARBARA BROWN TAYLOR, Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/124728



SMALL GROUP

DISCUSSION

Facilitators will select one or more prompts for small group discussion. (25 minutes)

1. What is a really big question you have about faith, God, Christianity, etc.?

2. Who first taught you about Jesus?

3. What issues do you feel the Episcopal Church or Christianity is facing today?

4. The Church is described in the Bible as the Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head and of which all baptized persons are members. It is called the People of God, the New Israel, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, and a pillar and ground of truth. In your own words, describe the Church.

5. Although we rely on the three legs of the stool, most of us would make one longer, if we could. Considering the three-legged stool (Scripture, Tradition, and Reason) think about one that is the easiest for you. And the one most difficult for you. Share your insights about the one that is your “favorite” or the one that is the hardest for you.

6. The below statement was written in 1789 to be included as the Preface for The Book of Common Prayer.

“And now, this important work being brought to a conclusion, it is hoped the whole will be received and examined by every true member of our Church, and every sincere Christian, with a meek, candid, and charitable frame of mind; without prejudice or prepossessions; seriously considering what Christianity is, and what the truths of the Gospel are; and earnestly beseeching Almighty God to accompany with his blessing every endeavor for promulgating them to mankind in the clearest, plainest, most affecting and majestic manner, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Savior.”

How has the Book of Common Prayer been part of your faith journey?



SMALL GROUP

BUILD AS A GROUP

The facilitator will select and lead one of the practices to be experienced by the group. (20 min.)

1. EXPLORE “AN OUTLINE OF THE FAITH” The Book of Common Prayer

An Outline of the Faith, commonly called the Catechism, provides a brief summary of the Church’s teaching and is intended for all to learn about the faith and beliefs of The Episcopal Church. The Catechism begins on page 845 in the Book of Common Prayer. Explore as a group and discuss new discoveries.

2. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Visit the website for the national Episcopal Church to learn more about “What we believe” and watch videos from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe

Topics Include:

The Baptismal Covenant, The Bible, The Book of Common Prayer,

The Catechism, The Creeds, Holy Baptism, Holy Communion,

The Sacraments

3. STUDY THE NICENE CREED

Use the Study Guide on page 16 to learn more about the Nicene Creed.

4. LEARN ABOUT THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

https://anglicancommunion.org/

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe



BUILD IT

INTO YOUR LIFE

Select one of the practices below to focus on in the coming week. Journal about your experience.

WATCH A VIDEO FROM PRESIDING BISHOP MICHAEL CURRY

Watch a video about The Episcopal Church from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry https://www.episcopalchurch.org/library/video/word-church-bishop-curry

READ MORE ABOUT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

1. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church_(United_States)

3. Watch a video about the Way of Love: Practices for a Christ Centered Life

https://episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love

STUDY THE NICENE CREED

Using the Nicene Creed Study Guide on Page 16, learn more about this important reaffirmation of the faith.

SIGN UP FOR INQUIRIES AND CONFIRMATION CLASS

Check to see when the next Inquirers and Confirmation Class is offered at your church. Even if you have been confirmed, the consider attending to learn more and the be reaffirmed by the Bishop.

LEARN ABOUT THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

https://anglicancommunion.org/

CHOOSE A QUESTION FROM THE DISCUSSION PAGE Journal about your responses.

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/library/video/word-church-bishop-curry


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church_(United_States)

https://episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love



CLOSING PRAYER Read aloud by one of the participants.

Almighty and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family. Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent. Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE PARISH, Book of Common Prayer, 817



The Nicene Creed: Study Guide

About the Nicene Creed: The Nicene Creed was created and authorized by over 300 bishops, representing the entire Christian Church, in both Nicaea in 325 AD and again in Constantinople in 381 AD. Also called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, the Nicene Creed is accepted by the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Churches all over the world. The Nicene Creed is about the Trinity, and recounts the historical realities of Jesus’ life and is a summary of the concepts and truths found in scripture. Throughout the church’s history, the Nicene Creed has been used at different times in different ways.

We believe in one God, The Greek and Latin translations begin with “I” believe because reciting the Creed is an individual expression of belief. The Anglican translation often uses “we” because the Creed is communal opportunity to reaffirm our faith. The first words echo the ancient Shema: Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.

the Father, the Almighty, Jesus refers to God as “Father” throughout scripture. God the Father is the first person (Greek hypostasis, “individual reality”), or distinction, within the Trinity. The Father is the “origin” or “source” of the Trinity.

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. God created all that is, visible and invisible. Everything that exists was created by God. This means that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single loving God who creates, sustains, and directs it.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, Jesus is the Lord of all. The title Lord has connotations of deity, since the Hebrew word adonai and Greek word kyrios (both meaning Lord) were applied to Yahweh in the Old Testament. Jesus is Lord and Master of all this creation.

the only Son of God, Jesus is in a unique relationship with God the Father as God’s only Son. Old Testament Hebrew kings were sons of God symbolically. However, Jesus is the only Son of God by nature.

eternally begotten of the Father, Begotten has the meaning of born, generated, or produced. God the Son is out of the essence of God the Father. Just as a child shares the same humanness as his or her parents, the Son shares the essential nature of God with the Father. Since God is eternal, the Son, being begotten of God, is also eternal. The Son is often called the Only-Begotten God in early Christian literature. Jesus was begotten of the Father before this world came into being and was present at its creation.



God from God, Light from Light, God the Son exists in relation to God the Father. The Son is not the Father, but they both are God. Just as a torch is lit one to another, the Father and Son are distinct, but bring light to the world. When you add the Holy Spirit you are given “Three in one. One of three.” Not one, not three, yet one. Related to this, St. Athanasius, writing during the Nicene era, said that the Father and Son are one as “the sight of two eyes is one,” probably the best analogy. Another analogy is the musical C-chord. The C, E, and G notes are all distinct notes, but joined together as one chord, the sound is richer and more dynamic than the notes played individually. The notes are all equally important in producing the full, dynamic, sound of the chord, but the sound is lacking and thin if one of the notes is left out.

true God from true God, God the Son is fully God, distinct but not separate from the Father. The ancient Arians believed that Jesus could be called God but not true God. In other words, they believed the Logos (the “Word,” a popular title for Jesus in early Christian literature) was the first creation of God, necessary to mediate between the unknowable distant God (a concept borrowed from Platonic thought) and creation. Because God knew that the Logos would be perfect, the title god could be bestowed upon the Son “by participation,” but “true God” was a title reserved only for the unknowable Father..

begotten, not made, Just as a woman gives birth, she does not create a child out of nothing. Being begotten of God, the Son is not created out of nothing. Since the Son’s creation from the Father occurred before time was created, begotten refers to a permanent relationship as opposed to an event within time.

of one Being with the Father. Father and Son share the same essence of divinity. Father and Son both share the qualities and essential nature that make one in reality God. However, sharing the same substance does not mean they share identity of person. While certainly an inadequate example, think of three humans: they share a common nature, the essential qualities and essence of humanity, but are not the same person (although unlike the persons of the Trinity, humans do not share one will).

Through him all things were made. Through Jesus, all things have been created. As Logos, the Son is an agent of creation.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: Jesus came down from heaven, a reality other than what we know. “Heaven is God’s dimension of the created order, whereas ‘earth’ is the world of space, time, and matter that we know. Heaven thus sometimes stands reverentially for ‘God.’ Normally hidden from human sight, heaven is occasionally revealed or unveiled so

that people can see God’s dimension of ordinary life.” 9



by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

God the Son became incarnate in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He was born of a virgin through the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we proclaim God truly became human in Jesus Christ. The incarnation of God in Christ is the ultimate act of love because, rather than sending an angel or good human to accomplish the redemption and restoration of creation, God Himself became human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. Jesus was nailed to a cross, suffered as humans do, died, and was laid in a tomb.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; Jesus was resurrected in bodily form as the Scriptures say. Just as Jesus truly died, he truly rose from the dead three days later. The bodily resurrection is the keystone of Christian doctrine and experience. However, Jesus was not just physically resuscitated (as was Lazarus), but rather his body was transformed at the resurrection.

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus left this world and went into heaven (see the note about “heaven” mentioned above). We are limited by our language like the ancient authors about the ascension and the science behind it. Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, sharing authority with the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

Jesus will come again to judge both the living and dead as mentioned in the book of Revelation and taught by Jesus during his earthly ministry. ( See Matthew 25)

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, The Holy Spirit is the “breath” God breathed to give life to the world in Genesis. The original Nicene Creed of 325 CE ended right here with the Holy Ghost. The remainder of the Creed was approved at the Council of Constantinople in 381 CE. However, most scholars believe that the text of the full Creed dates prior to this council, and that the bishops simply gave their approval to a local creed already in use. The reason these additions were included in the Nicene Creed is that some fourth century Christians denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

who proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Son is said to be begotten, while the Spirit is said to proceed. Both words convey that the Son and Spirit are in special relationships to the Father, yet also fully divine.

With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is God and is due the same worship as the Father and the Son.



He has spoken through the Prophets. Scriptures are recorded by human authors and prophets, inspired by the Holy Spirit to be the “Word of God.”

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. The Creed affirms the belief in the catholic (universal) Church, whose origins are

ancient and historical, going back to the Apostles themselves. The Episcopal Church claims an apostolic succession, wherein apostles appointed leaders, who themselves appointed new leaders to replace them, a process continuing to this day.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the sacrament in which one is initiated into the Body of Christ for the forgiveness of sin – a relationship that is indissoluble.

We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. The final words of the Creed address the end of life here on earth and reference the new world to come.11

Adapted from “The Nicene Creed: Symbol of the Catholic Faith” by David Bennett



RESOURCES BOOKS:

The Bible, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Book of Common Prayer 1979

The Heart of Christianity, Marcus Borg Always Open, Being an Anglican Today, Richard Giles What is Anglicanism?, Urban T. Holmes, III The Episcopal Church in Crisis, John Booty Faith Rules, An Episcopal Manual, Ian S. Markham

A People Called Episcopalians, John H. Westerhoff with Sharon Ely Pearson A Pilgrim People, John Westerhoff Sharing our Biblical Story, Joseph Russell The Reason for God, Tim Keller

Jesus Among Other Gods, Ravi Zacharias

Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis

ONLINE RESOURCES

www.episcopalchurch.org The Episcopal Church www.bcponline.org The Book of Common Prayer

www.dionc.org The Diocese of North Carolina

FOOTNOTES

1 The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National

Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 2 “Religious Landscape Study”. pewforum.org. Pew Research. Retrieved February 12, 2016. 3 About the Anglican Communion - http://www.anglicancommunion.org/identity/about.aspx

4 The Book of Common Prayer, 855 5 http://www.generalconvention.org/about-the-general-convention/ 6 https://episcopalchurch.org/baptism

7 The Book of Common Prayer, 855 8 Definitions adapted from https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe

9 The Book of Common Prayer, 856 10 Reinhold Neibuhr is credited as the author of the first form of this prayer, expanded by William Griffith Wilson, founder of

Alcoholics Anonymous. “The serenity prayer” is widely used by AA and other groups based on AA’s 12- Step program (this version altered with inclusive language).

11 The Early Christian Letters, NT Wright,2011, page 213

12 Adapted from “The Nicene Creed: Symbol of the Catholic Faith” by David Bennett www.ancient-future.net and

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church “The Nicene Creed: Line by Line” www.churchsp.org

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/

http://www.bcponline.org/

http://www.dionc.org/

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/identity/about.aspx

http://www.generalconvention.org/about-the-general-convention/


http://www.ancient-future.net/

http://www.churchsp.org/

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