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.
OUR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: JESUS
We believe in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ. God became human in Jesus of Nazareth; his life, death, and resurrection demonstrate God’s redeeming love.
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.
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.
OUR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: THE CHURCH
The church is the body of Christ, an extension of Christ’s life and ministry in the world today.
OUR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: THE BIBLE
We believe that the Bible is the primary authority for our faith and practice.
OUR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: GOD’S REIGN
The kingdom or reign of God is both a present reality and future hope.