more about beliefs

Christians believe that there is one God

who is Creator, Saviour and Spirit.

The Christian scriptures are the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament records the spiritual history of the Jewish people up to the time of Jesus. The New Testament records: the life, death and resurrection of Jesus (The Gospels), the missionary journeys of Paul (the Acts) the letters of Paul and others of Jesus’ followers (The Epistles) and the Book of Revelation.

There are two statements of Christian faith recognised by the great majority of Christians: the Apostles' Creed, which is a summary of the faith accepted by those about to be baptised; and the Nicene Creed which is a more detailed statement of Christian doctrine.

Admission into the church is by baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At baptism a person is made one with Christ and received into the fellowship of the Church. This initiation is open to children as well as to adults.

Central to worship for most Christians is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, also called the Divine Liturgy, the Mass, the Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. In this service, the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are recalled through scripture readings, preaching and prayer and by recalling Jesus’ Last Supper on earth in the blessing of bread and wine.

The Church of England is part of the world wide Anglican Communion (numbering some 70 million members). Anglicans trace their Christian roots back to the early Church. While their separate identity stems from the English Reformation, Anglicans uphold the catholic and apostolic faith, the threefold ministry of bishops, priests and deacons, the two principal sacraments of baptism and the eucharist and the other sacraments including confirmation, holy orders, reconciliation, marriage and the anointing of the sick.