What United Methodists Believe
UNITED METHODISTS SHARE A COMMON
HERITAGE WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS:
* conviction that God has mercy and love for all people
* belief in a triune God--Father, Son and Holy Spirit
* faith in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ
* celebration of the sacraments
In these and many other ways, Methodism affirms
the unity of all Christians in the Body of Christ.
UNITED METHODISTS ALSO SHARE FOUR
MAIN GUIDELINES FOR BELIEF:
These guidelines help them understand their
faith, and include:
* scripture
* tradition
* experience
* reason
They are interdependent and allow for variety in theology.
SOURCES FOR THEIR FAITH INCLUDE:
* The Bible
* John Wesley's writings
* The Articles of Religion
* The Confession of Faith
* The United Methodist "Book of Discipline"
* Theologians and Educators.
PRIMACY of GRACE
God, who is revealed through Jesus Christ, loves human
beings and all creation.
Grace is God's loving action in human existence through the
Holy Spirit.
HOLINESS
Christians are to allow the Holy Spirit to shape them more
and more into the image of Christ.
Faithful disciples work for world reconciliation, peace,
justice and love.
HUMAN WORTH
Even though all human beings are sinners, God endows
each person with worth and moral responsibility.
Reconciliation between humans and God is chief among
God's purposes.
The full splendor of true humanity is seen in Jesus Christ.
CONVERSION and NEW BIRTH
God forgives sins and changes the human heart when
persons repent and trust in Christ.
Not all Christians experience the workings of divine grace
in the same ways.
PREVENIENT GRACE
This is the Grace--the divine love--that "runs ahead" of our
conscious impulses and leads our hearts toward faith.
FAITH and GOOD WORKS
They belong together. Personal salvation leads to
involvement in Christian Mission in the world.
Personal religion and Christian social action are mutually
reinforcing.
TOLERANCE
While United Methodism retains much from its several
heritages, different theological positions grow out of the
circumstances and experiences of different groups.
It acknowledges the virtues of different points of view
even within the same community of believers.
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