An Affirmation of Faith. What Do You Believe?

A work group of St. John's-Grace members, in consultation with the congregation as a whole, has developed this Affirmation of Faith. What we have sought to do is to concentrate on those things which we think most Christians readily agree on, rather than the few issues about which Christians have disagreed and argued. These shared beliefs include the power of faith, the two great commandments, the Golden Rule, the idea that "God is love," the centrality of justice, compassion and forgiveness as principles for living. This Affirmation of Faith attempts to describe the Christian Faith as a way of living based in the sacred stories of scripture, rather than as a series of propositions to be agreed or disagreed with. In fact, the earliest Christians did not know their faith as "Christianity," but as "The Way" - the Way of Jesus.

In developing this Affirmation of Faith, we have also sought to use language which avoids imposing either a purely literal or purely sacramental meaning on the sacred scripture and images upon which Christianity is based. We have sought to produce a text to which most Christians can respond, "Yes, I do believe that," regardless of what other things they might disagree about.

The group working on this project included Ann Dutton, David Hamilton, Rob Petersen, Carol Brothers, Stefana Paskoff, John Schimminger, and Phil Dougharty. An Affirmation of Faith was presented and discussed at several Lenten Soup Dinners in 2005 after which it was redrafted to incorporate ideas coming out of those conversations.

Here is the St. John's-Grace Affirmation of Faith. Click here to tell us what you think!

(This Affirmation of Faith may be used as a prologue to worship, or as an alternative to a creed, or as a hand-out for visitors. It may be used in sections at intervals during the service. It may be spoken antiphonally.)

An Affirmation of Faith

We are a community of faith.

We share a vision of God:
a God whose spirit is love,
accessible to all yet beyond our knowing,

the source of all being,
the way leading to wholeness,
the spirit which pervades everything.

We search for the meaning of God and our own experience
revealed in those sacred stories which have been passed down to us.
We tell them again and again:

Of God the Creator, the Almighty,
who made everything that is,
and saw that it was good.

Of Jesus of Nazareth, who in history lived among us,
healed the afflicted, taught, suffered and died.
He forgave those who crucified him.
In the mystery of the resurrection
he continues to live more profoundly through the ages,
the Incarnation of Love, the Christ,
to whom his disciples have responded "My Lord and my God!"
He shows us the Way which leads
to the reconciliation of all things, saying
"Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me."
It is the Way of love, compassion, justice, forgiveness and peace.

Of the Spirit, the Breath, the Wind of God,
the Giver of Life, the Holy Wisdom,
who inspires the people of God
to cry out for justice for the powerless and oppressed,
to see the presence of God in every created thing,
and to respond with love.

Of the communion of saints: all the people of God,
living, dead and yet to be born,
who are empowered to recognize that they are,
and always have been,
brothers and sisters,
one family in God.

We are reborn in the Spirit,
followers of that Way shown by Jesus:

to love God with our whole being;
to love our neighbors as ourselves;
to treat others as we would have them treat us;
to strive for justice and peace;
to have respect and compassion for every person
and for the whole of creation;
to forgive those who do us harm;
to love one another as Christ has loved us.

We journey together on this Way
towards reconciliation with the whole creation.
We break bread together and pray together.
We reach out to one another
for strength beyond our own.

This is our community. This is our faith.

(St. John's-Grace Episcopal Church, May 2005)

The following version of An Affirmation of Faith has been divided into sections for use at the suggested points, or other points, in the Eucharistic service.

Section I. - Beginning of Service - A Vision of God

We are a community of faith.

We share a vision of God:
a God whose spirit is love,
accessible to all yet beyond our knowing,

the source of all being,
the way leading to wholeness,
the spirit which pervades everything.

Section II. - After the Sermon - The Sacred Story

We search for the meaning of God and our own experience
revealed in those sacred stories which have been passed down to us.
We tell them again and again:

Of God the Creator, the Almighty,
who made everything that is,
and saw that it was good.

Of Jesus of Nazareth, who in history lived among us,
healed the afflicted, taught, suffered and died.
He forgave those who crucified him.
In the mystery of the resurrection
he continues to live more profoundly through the ages,
the Incarnation of Love, the Christ,
to whom his disciples have responded "My Lord and my God!"
He shows us the Way which leads
to the reconciliation of all things, saying
"Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me."
It is the Way of love, compassion, justice, forgiveness and peace.

Of the Spirit, the Breath, the Wind of God,
the Giver of Life, the Holy Wisdom,
who inspires the people of God
to cry out for justice for the powerless and oppressed,
to see the presence of God in every created thing,
and to respond with love.

Of the communion of saints: all the people of God,
living, dead and yet to be born,
who are empowered to recognize that they are,
and always have been,
brothers and sisters,
one family in God.

Section III. - Post Communion - The Way of Jesus

We are reborn in the Spirit,
followers of that Way shown by Jesus:

to love God with our whole being;
to love our neighbors as ourselves;
to treat others as we would have them treat us;
to strive for justice and peace;
to have respect and compassion for every person
and for the whole of creation;
to forgive those who do us harm;
to love one another as Christ has loved us.

Section IV. - Dismissal - The Journey Together

We journey together on this Way
towards reconciliation with the whole creation.
We break bread together and pray together.
We reach out to one another
for strength beyond our own.

This is our community. This is our faith.

Click here to send us your comments on An Affirmation of Faith.

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