Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA

+ Belief Statements +

Preamble: The 2007 Synod of the Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA declared that this Church is an Old Catholic Church in name, spirit, and polity. The Synod also formally accepted the Declaration of Utrecht and the Fourteen Theses of the Old Catholic Church. (See this Church’s understandings related to these documents in Appendix C of our Church Law.)

We believe in the Holy Trinity.

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We believe that Jesus is the Christ, that he is God, and that he is our personal savior.

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We believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of Jesus,

worthy of honor,

 and worthy of liturgical observance and intercession in prayer.

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We believe in the inerrancy and divine inspiration of Holy Scriptures.

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We believe in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

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We believe in the three historic creeds:

Nicene (see sidebar), Apostles, and Athanasian.

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We believe and accept the doctrines of the

Seven Early Church Ecumenical Councils

of the undivided catholic church.

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We believe and appreciate the wisdom and guidance of the Early Church Fathers.

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We believe in the seven sacraments of the Church:

Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist,

Anointing and Prayers for the Sick, Confession --Reconciliation,

Marriage, and Holy Orders.

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We believe that Jesus Christ

is present in the Eucharist, body and blood

under the appearance of bread and wine.

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We believe in and our clergy share in the Apostolic Succession of Holy Orders.
(All Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA bishops are consecrated in the
Vilatte, Utrecht, and Duarté-Costa lines of Apostolic Succession.)

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We believe that all Holy Orders (bishops, priests, and deacons)

are open to both men and women.

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We believe that celibacy

for those in Holy Orders is a personal decision.

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We believe in the sanctity of marriage

as a life long commitment between a man and woman.

We also believe that within certain marriages there may be circumstances

or conditions that make life within that relationship unbearable or dangerous

and thus divorce becomes appropriate or even necessary.

Realizing that Jesus is merciful and it is he alone

who understands fully the reality of any human decision,

the church welcomes to all the sacraments

those who have been divorced and/or remarried.

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We believe that all humankind is called to

chastity and sexual purity within their state in life.

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We believe that contraception

is a personal decision of the married couple.

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We believe that all life is sacred.

We believe that abortion and euthanasia are the taking of human life.

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We believe that the Gospel commandment

to "love others as we love ourselves" is the key to living the Christian life

and it manifests itself in global concern for all peoples,

patriotism for one's nation, good citizenship,

and responsible stewardship of our planet.

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed

(381 A.D.)

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, [bow] and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life + of the world to come.

Amen.