As
United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a
faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the
living reality at the center of the Church’s life
and witness. To fulfill this obligation, we reflect
critically on our biblical and theological
inheritance, striving to express faithfully the
witness we make in our own time.
Two considerations are central to
this endeavor: the sources from which we derive our
theological affirmations and the criteria by which
we assess the adequacy of our understanding and
witness.
Wesley believed that the living
core of the Christian faith was revealed in
Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in
personal experience, and confirmed by reason.
Doctrinal
Standards and Our Theological Task |
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United Methodists profess the historic
Christian faith in God, incarnate in Jesus Christ
for our salvation and ever at work in human history
in the Holy Spirit. Living in a covenant of grace
under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we participate
in the first fruits of God's coming reign and pray
in hope for its full realization on earth as in
heaven.
The
Ministry of All Christians |
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The mission of the Church is to make
disciples of Jesus Christ. Local churches provide
the most significant arena through which
disciple-making occurs.
Social
Principles |
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The United Methodist Church has a long
history of concern for social justice. Its members
have often taken forthright positions on
controversial issues involving Christian principles.
Early Methodists expressed their opposition to the
slave trade, to smuggling, and to the cruel
treatment of prisoners.
