Presbyterian Beliefs
Who
We Are
University Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). That name gives us a unique identity in the family of Christ’s church.
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The Presbyterian Church (USA) is governed by three documents:
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The Bible, our prime witness to the message of Christ and God’s action in the world;
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The Book of Confessions, where for 2000 years we have attempted to state our faith in words relevant to the times in which we live;
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The Book of Order, which guides the daily living of our faith in the fellowship and work of the church. Above all these is Jesus Christ, our Lord, the ultimate and only head of the church, to which all else, including ourselves, is subject.
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WE ARE A CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD
We accept Christ’s lordship in our lives as He leads us to find appropriate ways to live out our faith, remembering that “God alone is Lord of the conscience.”
WE ARE A CONNECTIONAL CHURCH
We witness to the wider church in the world as we work together with other Christians in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
WE BELIEVE IN THE GREAT ENDS OF THE CHURCH…
…as set forth in our Book of Order: “the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”
WE BELIEVE THAT “IN LIFE AND IN DEATH WE BELONG TO GOD.”
“Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.”
WE ARE A CONFESSIONAL CHURCH
Our confessions witness the great themes of our tradition:
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the majesty, holiness, and providence of God who creates, sustains, rules, and redeems the world in righteousness and love;
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the election of the people of God for service as well as for salvation;
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a covenant life marked by a disciplined concern for order in the church according to the Word of God;
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a faithful stewardship that shuns ostentation and seeks proper use of the gifts of God’s creation;
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the recognition of the human tendency to idolatry and tyranny, which calls the people of God to work for the transformation of society by seeking justice and living in obedience to the Word of God.
WE BELIEVE IN A THEOLOGY OF MISSION
“Christ has commissioned His Church to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. All believers are therefore under obligation to contribute by their prayers, gifts and personal efforts to the extension of the Kingdom of Christ throughout the whole earth.”
