We Believe
The CEEC enjoys and affirms the Great Tradition (as articulated, for example, in the ancient rule of faith and the Nicene creed) and the apostolic teachings, ministries, spiritualities, and practices that both have shaped and are shaped by it, especially those entrusted to us through the beliefs and practices of the broader Anglican movement.
In keeping with that trust and our call to be a convergence movement, we seek to engage the Tradition in ways that allow Christians from all the corners of the faith to find themselves at home while worshipping, studying, and/or serving with us.
We believe that our theology is embodied in our worship, especially in the regular Eucharistic celebration and in the orders, collects, and offices of the Book of Common Prayer. Lex Orandi, lex credendi - this ancient motto reminds us that we cannot separate our beliefs from our practices, and in particular from the practice of prayer. This does not mean our individual acts of worship have worth only if we are sincere in doing them. It would be a serious mistake to imagine the Christin life in such individualistic terms. Instead, this motto tells us our understanding of the faith delivered to us is at every point dependent on the church’s call to pray with Christ on behalf of the world.
Because of our devotion to the faith handed down to us, we seek always to deepen our understanding of the truth, to strengthen our capacity for living truly human lives, and to widen our shared communion with another and with God through regular shared prayerful study of the Scriptures in conversation with the wisdom of the saints who have gone before us so we can make room in our lives for what God means for us and for others, now and in the future purposed for all God’s people.
APOSTLES CREED
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
*that is, the universal Christian church of all times and all places.
NICENE CREED
We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit
and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and to life in the world to come. Amen.