## THE THIRTY NINE ARTICLES OF RELIGION
These Articles were agreed by the Archbishops and Bishops of both provinces of Canterbury and York at a Convocation held in London in 1562, three years after the issue of the Elizabethan Prayer Book and intended to avoid the promulgation of conflicting opinions and establishing consent as to what the Church of England considers to be true religion. The Articles clearly teach that the Church of England is both Catholic and Reformed, a carefully balanced stance imitated nowhere else in Christendom. In 1628 Archbishop William Laud added a declaration which called upon people to cease further speculation and to submit themselves to the Articles honestly interpreted and not to attach any new meaning to any of them. The Articles were not intended to replace the three Catholic Creeds, but rather to amplify them and offer reasoned explanations of their meaning and their implications for the life of the Church at every level and for Christian people in general. They remain the Church’s only definitive directory of Christian doctrine and continue to be recognised as a principal source of authority at the institution and induction of all incumbents. In one or two cases an Article has been shortened to avoid wordiness and yet preserve the balance of the whole. Article 37 alone has been significantly altered so as to outline the general principles of relationships between Church and State, so that this Article makes it universally applicable now that we have a truly worldwide Anglican Communion, which includes nations that are republics outside the Commonwealth, as well as those which are members of the Commonwealth and others where the King is still Head of State.
## I The Holy Trinity
There is only one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts or passions; of infinite power, wisdom and goodness; the Creator and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. In the unity of this Godhead there are Three Persons, of one substance, power and eternity; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
## II The Word or Son of God, who was made a true Man
The Son Jesus, who is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting from the Father, the true and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary of her substance; so that two complete and perfect natures, the Godhead and the Manhood, were joined together into one Person, never to be divided, of which there is one Christ, truly God and truly Man; who genuinely suffered, was crucified, died and was buried to reconcile His Father to us sinners, and to be a sacrifice not only for our original guilt, but also for the actual sins of human beings.
## III Christ going down to Hell
Just as Christ died for us and was buried, so we should also believe that He went down into Hell.
## IV The Resurrection of Christ
Christ genuinely rose again from death and took back His body, with its flesh, bones and everything that belongs to the perfection of human nature; with which He ascended into Heaven, where He sits enthroned until He returns to judge all people at the Last Day.
## V The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is of one substance, majesty and glory with the Father and the Son, true and eternal God.
## VI The sufficiency of Holy Scripture for Salvation
Holy Scripture contains everything that is necessary for salvation, so that whatever cannot be read there, or proved by it, must not be required of any person to be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought necessary for salvation. Under the title of Holy Scripture we mean those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testaments, whose authority was never in any doubt in the Church. Old Testament Canon: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles 1 Esdras 2 Esdras Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habbakuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi The Apocryphal Books, as St. Jerome says, the Church reads for examples of life and instruction in good behaviour, yet it does not use them to establish any doctrine. These books are: 3 Esdras 4 Esdras Tobias Judith the rest of Esther Wisdom Sirach Baruch Song of the 3 Children Susanna Bel and the Dragon Prayer of Manasses 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees All the Books of the New Testament, as they are universally received, we accept and count Canonical.
## VII The Old Testament
The Old Testament does not contradict the New Testament. In both Testaments everlasting life is offered to human beings by Jesus Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man. Those who claim that the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets expected only passing promises are not to be believed. Although the Law given by God to Moses in connection with Jewish Ceremonies and Rites is no longer binding upon Christian people, neither should its Civil laws necessarily bind any country. However, no Christian is exempt from obeying God’s Moral Commandments
## VIII The Three Creeds
The Three Catholic Creeds, the Nicene Creed, the Creed of St. Athanasius and the Apostles Creed should be thoroughly received and believed because they may be proved by certain evidence from Holy Scripture. These summaries of Faith have held their unique authority since the earliest days of Christ’s Church.
## IX Original Sin
Original sin does not happen because we follow Adam’s bad example, as the Pelagians vainly say, but it is rather the natural fault and corruption in every person, inherited by all the descendants of Adam. Every human being is therefore very far gone from original righteousness, and in his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh is always wanting to go against the Spirit, and therefore every person born into this world deserves God’s anger and damnation. This infection of nature even remains in those who are being regenerated, by which the lust of the flesh – in Greek phronema sarkos – which some explain as the wisdom, some the sensuality, some the love and some the desire of the flesh – is not willing to obey the Law of God. Although there is now no condemnation for those who believe and are baptised, yet the Apostle Paul admits that lack of self-control and lust possess the nature of sin.
## X Free Will
The condition of a human being after the fall of Adam means that he cannot repent and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good deeds to call to God and come to faith. Therefore we have no power within ourselves to do good deeds acceptable and pleasant to God, without the Holy Spirit prompting us to have a good will, and working within us, to make that good will a reality.
## XI Justification
We are accounted righteous before God only through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, through faith and not by our own deeds or deservings. Therefore the fact that we are justified by faith alone is a most healthy doctrine and full of comfort, as is explained more fully in the Homily on Justification.
## XII Good Deeds
Although Good Deeds, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after Justification, cannot do away with our sins and endure the severity of God’s judgment; nonetheless they are pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and arise necessarily from a true and lively Faith. By these deeds a lively Faith may be as easily recognised as a tree is known by its fruit.
## XII Deeds before Justification
Deeds done before a person has received the grace of Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit do not please God because they do not arise out of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make people ready to receive grace. Rather, seeing that they are not performed as God has intended and commanded them to be done, we do not doubt that they have the nature of sin.
## XIV Deeds of Supererogation Voluntary deeds, done alongside, over and above God’s commandments, commonly called Deeds of Supererogation, cannot be taught without involving arrogance and ungodliness; for by performing these deeds people are saying that they do not only give to God what is His due, but they are doing
even more for Him than their duty requires, whereas Christ says plainly that when we have done everything we are commanded to do, we have to admit we are still unprofitable servants.
## XV Christ alone without Sin
Christ in the genuineness of our human nature was made like us in all things, except sin alone, from which He was clearly totally innocent both in His flesh and in His spirit. He came to be the Lamb without blemish, who by His sacrifice of Himself once made, would take away the sins of the whole world. As St. John says, sin was not in Him. But all the rest of us, although born again in Christ and baptised, still offend God in many things, and if we say we have no sin, we fool ourselves and the truth is not in us.
## XVI Sin after Baptism
Not every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism is sin against the Holy Spirit and not pardonable. Therefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such people as fall into sin after Baptism. After we have received the Holy Spirit, we may stray from God’s grace given to us and fall into sin. By the grace of God, however, we may return to Him and amend our lives. We do not agree with those who say that Christians cannot sin as long as they live, neither can we deny forgiveness to those who genuinely repent.
## XVII Predestination and Election.
Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby He has decreed by His secret will that He will rescue from curse and damnation those He has chosen in Christ for eternal salvation. Therefore those who have been given such an excellent gift of God are called by His Holy Spirit at work within them, so that through grace they respond to the calling, are freely justified and made children of God by adoption. They are being remade into the image of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ and they walk religiously in good deeds, and eventually, by God’s mercy, they reach everlasting happiness. The careful consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant and indescribable comfort to godly people and those who feel within themselves the working of Christ’s Spirit, killing off the deeds of the flesh and their earthly inclinations, and drawing their minds upwards to high and heavenly things. It also greatly establishes and confirms their faith in eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, and also fervently kindles their love of God.
## XVIII Obtaining eternal Salvation only through the Name of Christ
Those who say that every human being will be saved by the Law or Religion he professes because he is careful to frame his life according to that Law and the light of nature, must be considered cursed. Holy Scripture sets out clearly that it is only the Name of Jesus Christ by which people must be saved.
## XIX The Church
The visible Church of Christ is a gathering of faithful people, in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments are properly administered according to Christ’s ordinance, in all those things that are necessary for them. Just as the Churches of Jerusalem, Alexandra and Antioch have erred, so also has the Church of Rome erred, not only in their way of life and their ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.
## XX The Authority of the Church
The Church has the power to decree rites or ceremonies, and authority in determining controversies in matters of Faith. However, it is never lawful for the Church to order anything that is contrary to God’s Word written, neither is it allowed to teach one part of Scripture so that it contradicts another. Therefore, although the Church is a witness and guardian of Holy Scripture, yet just as it ought never to enforce anything against Scripture, neither should it enforce the belief of anything beyond Scripture as necessary for Salvation.
## XXI The Authority of General Councils
When General Councils are convened, they are in fact a gathering of people, not all of whom are governed by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. They can err, and sometimes have erred, even in matters belonging to God. Therefore things they command as necessary to Salvation have no power or authority unless they have been clearly taken out of Holy Scripture. However, we hold the decisions of the first four Ecumenical Councils at Nicaea 325, Constantinople,381, Ephesus 431 and Chalcedon 451 as fully authoritative, since they represent the common mind of the early Church Catholic in fulfilment of the Lord’s promise that the Holy Spirit would guide His people into all truth.
## XXII Purgatory
The Roman Catholic doctrines concerning Purgatory, Pardons, Worshipping and Adoration of Images and Relics, as well as the Invocation of Saints, are vainly invented ideas, founded upon no warranty of Scripture, but instead repugnant to the Word of God.
## XXIII Public Ministry
It is not lawful for any man to take upon himself the office of public preaching and administering the Sacraments in Church unless he has been lawfully called and sent by those who have been selected and called by the Church to perform this task. By the public authority given to them by the Church, they are able to call and send Ministers into the Lord’s vineyard.
## XXIV Using understandable Language in Public Worship
It is a thing obviously repugnant to the Word of God and the custom of the Primitive Church to have Public Prayer in Church, or to administer the Sacraments in a language that the people cannot understand.
## XXV The Sacraments
Sacraments ordained by Christ are not only badges or tokens of a Christian’s profession of faith, but
also reliable witnesses, and effectual signs of grace and God’s goodwill towards us, by which He works invisibly within us to enliven, strengthen and confirm our faith in Him. Two Sacraments have been ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel – Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Those which have been commonly called Lesser Sacraments - Confirmation, Penance, Holy Orders, Christian Marriage and Extreme Unction - should not be counted as Sacraments of the Gospel, since some have grown partly from the corrupted following of the Apostles and others are states of life already permitted by the Scriptures. These do not possess the same nature of Sacraments as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper because they do not have any visible sign or ceremony ordained by God Himself. Christ did not ordain the Sacraments to be gazed at, or carried about, but that we should use them properly. Only in those who worthily receive them do they have a wholesome effect or operation. Those who receive them unworthily purchase themselves damnation, as St. Paul tells us.
## XXVI Unworthy Ministers do not hinder the effect of the Sacrament Although in the visible Church evil is always mixed with the good, and sometimes evil has the chief authority in the administration of Word and Sacraments, these men fulfil these functions, not in their own name, but in Christ’s, using His commission and authority to perform their task. Therefore we may use their ministry, both in hearing the Word of God and in receiving the Sacraments. The effect of Christ’s institutions is therefore not removed because of their wickedness, neither is the grace of God’s gifts diminished for those who by faith, and therefore rightly, receive the Sacraments: they are effectual because of Christ’s own institution and promise, even though they may be ministered by evil men. Nonetheless, it is part of the discipline of the Church to enquire into evil ministers, so that they are properly accused by those who have knowledge of their offences, and if finally being found guilty, are deposed by just and fair conviction.
## XXVII Baptism
Baptism is a sign of Christian confession and a mark of difference, whereby Christian people are differentiated from those who have not been christened, but it is also a visible sign of new birth or regeneration, whereby those who receive Baptism in the right spirit are grafted into Christ’s Church. The promises of forgiveness of sin and our adoption to be children of God through the Holy Spirit are visibly signed and sealed, faith is confirmed and grace increased because of prayer to God. We retain the baptism of young children as it is entirely agreeable with the institution of Christ.
## XXVIII The Lord’s Supper
The Supper of the Lord, also called Holy Communion or the Eucharist, is not merely a sign of the love that Christians ought to have one to another, but also much more the Sacrament of Redemption by Christ’s death. For such people who rightly, worthily and with faith receive it, the Bread which we break is a sharing of the Body of Christ, and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a sharing of the Blood of Christ. Transubstantiation, or the permanent physical change of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Scripture. It is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, it overthrows the nature of a Sacrament and has given rise to many superstitions. The Body of Christ is given, taken and eaten in the Supper only in a heavenly and spiritual manner. The means whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten is Faith. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was never by Christ’s intention reserved, carried about, lifted up or worshipped.
## XXIX The Wicked do not eat the Body of Christ in the Lord’s Supper
The wicked and those who are devoid of a lively faith, may physically and visibly press on the bread with their teeth the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, but as St. Augustine says, in no way do they partake of Christ. Rather, to their condemnation, they make light of so great and wonderful a mystery.
## XXX Communion in both Kinds
The Cup of the Lord must not be denied to the lay people, for by Christ’s ordinance and commandment both parts of the Lord’s Sacrament ought to be ministered to all Christian people alike.
## XXXI The one Oblation of Christ completed on the Cross
Christ’s once-made offering on the Cross is the perfect redemption, propitiation and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual; there is no other satisfaction for sin, except that alone. Therefore the sacrifices of Masses, in which it was commonly said that the priest offered Christ for both the living and the dead, for the remission of their pain or guilt, were actually blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits.
## XXXII Marriage of Priests
Bishops, Priests and Deacons are not commanded by God’s Law either to make a vow to a single life or to refrain from marriage. Therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christian men, to marry at their own discretion, as they may judge marriage to serve better towards godliness.
## XXXIII Excommunicated Persons
Those persons who by public denunciation of the Church are rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and excommunicated, ought to be treated by the whole company of the faithful as heathens until they have been publicly reconciled by penance, and received back into the Church by a judge with the authority to do so.
## XXXIV Church Traditions
It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies should be completely alike in every place, for at all times in history they have been diverse and capable of change, according to the varieties of nations, times and people’s ways of life, provided that nothing is authorised against God’s Word. Whoever uses his own private judgment and willingly and purposely, openly breaks those traditions and ceremonies of the Church which are not repugnant to the Word of God and agreed by common authority, ought to be openly rebuked, so that others do not do the same. Whoever offends against the common order of the Church, damages the authority of ecclesiastical law and wounds the consciences of weak brothers and sisters. Every national Church has the authority to order, change or abolish ceremonies or rites of the Church which have been instituted only by human authority, but all things must be done to maximise the
building up of the faithful.
## XXXV The Homilies
The Second Book of Homilies, containing the 21 separate titles itemised in the 1562 Thirty Nine Articles, contain godly and wholesome doctrine necessary for these times, as does the former Book of Homilies set out in the reign of Edward VI. Therefore we consider that they should be read in Church by the Ministers carefully and distinctly, so that they may be fully understood by the people.
## XXXVI The Consecration and Ordination of Bishops and Ministers
The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and the Ordering of Priests and Deacons set out in 1550 during the reign of Edward VI and confirmed at the same time by the authority of the English Parliament, contains all things necessary for the validity of such Consecrations and Ordinations, neither does it contain anything superstitious or ungodly. Therefore whoever has been consecrated or ordained according to the rites of that Book since the second year of King Edward VI’s reign until now, we decree to be have been rightly, properly and lawfully consecrated or ordained.
## XXXVII Church and State
We do not give our Governments the power to minister God’s Word or Sacraments, but only that prerogative which we see given to them in Holy Scripture by God Himself – that they should rule with fairness and care all their people of whatever circumstance, and restrain by force those who are guilty of evil deeds. The laws of a particular nation may punish Christian people with whatever penalty they lawfully ordain against serious and grievous offences. It is lawful for Christian people to serve in the armed forces of their country, and if asked to do so, go to war by order of their Government.
## XXXVIII Christian People’s Property
The money and property of Christian people are not to be considered as of common ownership, because they rightfully belong to their owners. However, every Christian has a duty to give liberally to the poor from whatever he possesses, according to his ability to do so.
## XXXIX Christian People’s Oaths
Vain and rash swearing is forbidden to Christian people by our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostle St. James. However, we judge that the Christian Religion allows that a person may swear before a Judge or Magistrate to tell the whole truth, so that honesty, justice, truth and charity may be maintained at all times.