Beliefs

What We Believe

United Methodists share a common heritage with all Christians. According to our foundational statement of beliefs in The Book of Discipline, we share the following basic affirmations in common with all Christian communities:

Our Christian Beliefs: God
God, who is one, is revealed in three distinct persons. Read More

Our Christian Beliefs: Jesus
We believe in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ. God became human in Jesus of Nazareth; and his life, death and resurrection demonstrate God’s redeeming love. Read More

Our Christian Beliefs: The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God’s present activity in our midst. When we sense God’s leading, God’s challenge, or God’s support or comfort, it’s the Holy Spirit at work. Read More

Our Christian Beliefs: Human Beings
Genesis 1:27 asserts that we’ve been made in the image of the Creator. Like God we have the capacity to love and care, to communicate, and to create. Read More

Our Christian Beliefs: The Church
The church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today. Read More

Our Christian Beliefs: The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice. Read More

Our Christian Beliefs: God’s Reign
The kingdom or reign of God is both a present reality and future hope. Read More

The United Methodist Church believes God’s love for the world is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty. We cannot just be observers. So we care enough about people’s lives to risk interpreting God’s love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex. The church helps us think and act out a faith perspective, not just responding to all the other ‘mind-makers-up’ that exist in our society.

Preface: Social Principles
The Social Principles are a prayerful and thoughtful effort of the General Conference to speak to the issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation. Read More

Preamble
We affirm our unity in Jesus Christ while acknowledging differences in applying our faith in different cultural contexts as we live out the gospel. Read More

The Natural World
All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Read More

The Nurturing Community
We believe we have a responsibility to innovate, sponsor, and evaluate new forms of community that will encourage development of the fullest potential in individuals. Read More

The Social Community
We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God’s sight. We reject discrimination and assert the rights of minority groups to equal opportunities. Read More

The Economic Community
We claim all economic systems to be under the judgment of God no less than other facets of the created order. Read More

The Political Community
We hold governments responsible for the protection of people’s basic freedoms. We believe that neither church nor state should attempt to dominate the other. Read More

The World Community
God’s world is one world. We pledge ourselves to seek the meaning of the gospel in all issues that divide people and threaten the growth of world community. Read More

Our Social Creed
Our Social Creed is a statement of faith reflecting our Social Principles. Read More