That they may all be
one (John 17:21).
This motto of the United Church of Christ reflects the spirit of unity on which the church
is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We
are a uniting church as well as a united church.
In essentials unity, in
nonessentials diversity, in all things charity.
The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptances of any point of view not
a rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement as to
which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.
The unity of the church is not of its own
making. It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are
individuals. The common thread that runs through all is love.
Testimonies of faith
rather than tests of faith.
Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Christ has no
formula that is a test of faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians have
shared their faith with one another through creeds, confessions, catechisms, and other
statements of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed,
the Heidelberg Catechism, the Evangelical Catechism, the Augsburg Confession, the
Cambridge Platform, and the Kansas City Statement of Faith are valued as authentic
testimonies of faith.
In 1959, the General Synod of the United
Church of Christ adopted a statement of faith prepared especially for the United Church.
Since that time a revision was made by Robert V. Moss, president of the United Church of
Christ, 1969-76, and recommended for use by the 11th General Synod, 1977. Another
revision, in the form of a Doxology, was affirmed by the 14th General Synod (1981).
Both revisions use inclusive language.
There is yet more light
and truth to break forth from God's Holy Word.
This classic statement assumes the primacy of the Bible as a source for understanding the
good news and as a foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible,
though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present
condition. It declares that the study of the Scriptures is not limited by past
interpretations but is to be pursued with expectancy for new insights and help for living
today.
The priesthood of all
believers.
All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to
participate as equals in the common worship of God, each with direct access to the mercies
of God through personal prayer and devotion.
Recognition is given to those among us who have receive special training in pastoral,
priestly, educational, and administrative functions, but these persons are regarded as
ministers - servants - rather than as persons in authority. Their task is to guide, to
instruct, and to enable all Christians to do the work of ministry rather than to do the
work of ministry for us.
Responsible freedom.
As individual members, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of
God's will for our lives. But we are called to live in a loving, covenantal relationship
with one another - gathering in communities of faith, congregations of believers, and
local churches.
Each congregation or local church is free to act in accordance with the collective
decisions of its members, guided by the working of the Spirit in the light of the
Scriptures. But it is also called to live in a covenantal relationship with other
congregations for the sharing of insights and for cooperative action.
Likewise, associations of churches,
conferences, the General Synod, and national boards and agencies of the United Church of
Christ are free to act in their particular spheres of responsibility. Yet all are
constrained by love to live in a covenantal relationship with one another and with the
local churches in order to make manifest the unity of the body of Christ and thus to carry
out God's mission in the world more effectively.
The members, congregations, associations,
conferences, General Synod, and national instrumentalities are free in relation to the
world. We affirm that the authority of God as revealed in Jesus Christ, and interpreted
with the aid of the Holy Spirit, stands above and judges all human culture, institutions,
and laws. But we recognize our calling both as individuals and as the church to live in
the world:
