Values

Religious Values

God's Word. It is divinely inspired, infallible, and the final authority in all matters of doctrine, morals, worship, and piety.

Church Tradition. Is subordinate to the instruction of Scripture, and inasmuch as it does not contradict the letter or the spirit of the same it ought to be retained, respected, and observed.

Holy Orders. We hold, in accordance with the Church from its earliest days, that the Church is to be led, served, and governed by ministerial officers according to the three-fold order of Bishops, Priests (Presbyters), and Deacons. We further affirm the patterns and instruction of Holy Scripture that such officers are to be ordained from among men alone. Ordained Ministers are endowed with divine authority, by Christ, to administer His sacraments, teach the Word, and exercise Church discipline—all with binding and loosing authority.

The Eucharist. Also called Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper. We are committed to celebrating this every Lord's Day (Sunday). We offer the Lord's Table to all baptized Christians who profess the Apostles' Creed. We believe that in consuming the consecrated bread and wine we are truly united with our Lord Jesus Christ in a real yet supernatural way and are continually endowed with all His benefits. We receive worthily by partaking in faith, humility, and repentance.

Baptism. We affirm that baptism is an act of God's grace upon us, and not an act of our obedience toward God. It is by baptism that we are grafted into Christ, given new life, and made part of His Church. The promises of baptism are that if we abide in Christ by faith we shall surely be saved. As such, in addition to professing adults, we also baptize our small children, because this covenantal promise of baptism is unto us and our children.

Submission & Authority. All Christians are called to submit to God and to one another with neighborly love. Children are called to submit to their parents. Wives are called to submit to their husbands. Congregants are called to submit to their ministers (in matters spiritual). Women are called to cover their heads during worship to signal their submission to God and their husbands/fathers.

Prayer & Fasting. We are all called to live a life of prayer and fasting. From its earliest days the Church would fast Wednesdays and Fridays, dawn-till-dusk, both to mortify the flesh and to petition the LORD. Prayer threes times per day—morning, midday, and evening—was not uncommon. Today we maintain that pattern with the morning and evening prayer offices. Prayer and fasting are not matters of obligation for merit, but are for the sake of honoring God and exercising spiritual discipline.

Spiritual Warfare. We understand that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." We recognize that Satan and the forces of evil are actively at work in the world to kill, steal, and destroy through any means at their disposal. We affirm the need for prayer, fasting, and the Word of God to contend with this; as well as the need for spiritual deliverance ministries to contend with demonic oppression.

The Lord's Day & The Sabbath. The Lord's Day, while falling on Sunday—the first day of the earthly week—is also the beginning of the eschatological 8th Day. The Resurrection of Christ inaugurated the New Creation, with Him being the firstborn of the brethren. He is the Lord of the Sabbath; the incarnation of the Sabbath Rest itself. The Sabbath was instituted in the First Creation to prefigure Christ. This same Christ has fulfilled the work of the Law for us, is the Lord and Genesis of the New Creation, and is our eternal rest. The Sabbath has not been abrogated or annulled, but fulfilled and satisfied in the Incarnate, Resurrected, and Glorified Christ. To observe our Lord Jesus Christ is to observe the Sabbath, and we observe Him when we celebrate the day of His resurrection.

Moral Values

Sanctity of Human Life. All human life is created in the Image of God, and is therefore a sacred creation. A unique life, person, and image-bearer begins at the moment of conception. Therefore, we unequivocally oppose and condemn any and all intentional and unjust destruction or desecration of human life, including: feticide, geronticide, suicide (assisted or otherwise), and homicide. Per the Scriptures and our Confessions, we recognize that the civil magistrate has been granted the sword by God's providence to execute evildoers in accordance with the law.

Sanctity of Intimacy. We affirm that sexual intimacy—being designed by God to be the means of creating new human life—is clearly intended by Him to be shared exclusively between one man and one woman within the bonds of holy matrimony. We agree with the Holy Scriptures that all sexual relations outside of this marital bond are contrary to God's law, and therefore sinful.

Sanctity of Matrimony. As the Holy Bible and Book of Common Prayer testifies, marriage is a lifelong covenantal union and “honourable estate” between one man and one woman, as established by God's design and affirmed throughout the Scriptures. We affirm Marriage was established for the following reasons:

“First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy name.”
“Secondly, it was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication, that those persons who have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ’s body.”
“Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.”

Divorce ought only be sought as a final remedy for a marriage catastrophically damaged by one or both parties due to grave sin: as in the case of adultery, abuse, or abandonment.

Sanctity of Personhood. God has created each one of us according to His wisdom and purposes. He knit us together in our mother's womb, and He knew us before the foundations of the Earth. As persons created in the Image of God we are also created male and female, and these aspects of our person and identity have been established immutably by God's providence. That which God has wrought cannot be changed by man, regardless of how earnestly or creatively we may try. A man cannot cease to be a man, a woman cannot cease to be a woman, and neither may become anything other.

Civil Values

The Institution of Civil Government. Has been established by God for the maintenance of peace and justice, and the restraint of immorality.

The Structure of Civil Government. Is not established by divine precept. Peoples have the freedom of conscience to organize their civil government and its magistrates according to whatever structure their discretion deems best for the maintenance of civil peace and justice.

The Corruption of the Civil Magistrate. Should at any time any organization or person claiming civil magistracy overturn justice, reward the evil, persecute the good, or operate outside the bounds of its authority; ipso facto invalidates its claim. Such rogue entities illegitimately claiming jurisdiction may be peacefully resisted and have their edicts annulled by Christian peoples until such a time as a legitimate magistrate overturns them down and rightly assumes the jurisdiction.

The Scope and Limit of Civil Government. Is in maintaining peace and justice. It has no de jure authority over any other sphere of life—including education, healthcare, commerce, religion, personal relationships, etc.—except inasmuch as any intrusion is warranted and necessary to fulfill the demands of peace and justice.

Warfare. In order to maintain peace and justice it is at times necessary that the magistrate engages in defensive warfare. Christian people may be rightly called upon, in one manner or another, by the magistrate to aid in such just warfare.

Christian Duty. Christian persons are encouraged, but under no duty or obligation, to participate in the matters of civil government. Christians are required, at all times, to be loving neighbors to their fellow countrymen and submit to legitimate lawful authority.

The Christian Right to Bear Arms. Christian persons are called to live peaceably with all men, but are also granted the liberty to bear arms, if necessary, use them to maintain peace and justice and to defend human life.

UECNA Principles & Values

Preface to the Constitution of the UECNA

The United Episcopal Church of North America, which is a branch of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, united by faith to Him who is the divine head over all things to the Church, which is His body, and recognizing the essential unity of all who accept this faith, and standing in succession to the Church of England, and its descendants, the Protestant Episcopal Church, USA, and the Anglican Church of Canada, declares:

That the United Episcopal Church of North America, holding the faith once delivered to the saints, accepts and unfeignedly believes all the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, and to be the ultimate rule of faith and practice in the Church.
This Church accepts the Apostles’ Creed as the baptismal symbol, and the Nicene Creed as sufficient statement of the Christian faith. Furthermore, it accepts the witness of the ancient Fathers, and undisputed councils of the Early Church to this faith, and shall endeavor, by the grace of God, to pass the same to succeeding generations.
This Church maintains that the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are of Divine institution, and will continue to administer the same with unfailing use of Christ’s words of institution, and with the elements instituted by Christ Himself.
This Church will maintain inviolate the three orders of Bishop, Priest (Presbyter), and Deacon, which are, by Scripture, confined to qualified males.
This Church hereby maintains its constant witness against all those innovations in doctrine and worship, whereby the primitive faith has been overlaid, and which at the Reformation the Church of England did disown and reject.
The United Episcopal Church of North America receives and approves The Book of Common Prayer, and the Administration of the Sacraments, etc. approved by the Convocation held in the year 1662, as subsequently amended for use in the United States and the Dominion of Canada. This Church will continue to use the same, subject to such amendment as shall be made by lawful authority of this Church. Furthermore, it receives and approves the Articles of Religion approved by the Convocation held in London in 1562, as amended by the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America held in 1801, as a witness to the historic teaching of the Anglican Communion.
The United Episcopal Church of North America will maintain communion with all churches agreeing to the principles of this Declaration, and will set forth, as far as in it lies, quietness, peace, and love among all Christian people.
The United Episcopal Church of North America, deriving its authority from Christ, who is the head of all things to the Church, declares that a General Convention or Synod, consisting of the bishops, and representatives of the clergy and laity, shall act as the chief legislative power therein, and shall exercise such administrative power as may be necessary for the Church, and consistent with its Episcopal Constitution. Such General Convention or Synod shall have no competency to alter doctrine.

Read UECNA Core Values

The Didache

The Didache, Διδαχή (dih-dakh-AY) "teaching," or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is an Early Church text that most scholars date to the first or early second century, likely between 70-100 AD. Tradition ascribes authorship to the Apostles and/or their immediate disciples.

As a catechism for new converts, a manual for basic Christian living, and a liturgical guide, the Didache was highly regarded by many early Christian authors and theologians. Many Early Church Bibles included the Didache. It's emphasis is primarily on moral living, and its content suggests it was primarily intended for Gentile converts who required basic education in the moral standards of God's Law (contra the norms of the Roman Empire).

Here we find, from the Church's earliest days, clear and unambiguous instruction on basic moral matters such as sexual promiscuity, "sexual perversity" (homosexuality), abortion, etc. Many of our Church's values expressed here are supported by the Didache.

Read the Didache Here

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