What We Believe

What We Believe

The Articles of Religion of the United Methodist Church (UMC): Core Doctrinal Beliefs

The Articles of Religion are the foundational doctrinal standards of the UMC, originating from John Wesley’s adaptation of the Church of England’s Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion. When Methodism was formally organized in the United States, Wesley reduced the articles to 25 core doctrines that have shaped Methodist theology ever since. These articles are part of the UMC’s constitution and reflect the essential beliefs of the denomination.

What do United Methodists Believe?

The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a global denomination that opens hearts, opens minds and opens doors through active engagement with our world. The mission of the UMC is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The UMC shares a great deal with other Christian denominations. We believe God's grace is open to all, and therefore practice "open Communion", meaning that anyone may participate in receiving Communion. We believe salvation is an open gift from God, accepted by individuals according to their own free will. The United Methodist denomination is a "big tent" theologically, providing space for theological discourse and, at times, disagreement.

Like many other Christian groups, we affirm the beliefs expressed in the Apostles Creed. These include:

• The belief in one God, who is the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
• The belief in the Trinity, that there is one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
• The belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is fully human and fully divine.

Theological Guidelines – The Wesley Quadrilateral

When we think about and study our faith, we are doing theology. All of us, both clergy and laity, are to participate in this work as part of the Christian community. To help us faithfully carry out this task, The United Methodist Church (UMC) identifies four helpful tools we call our theological guidelines. They are:

Scripture – Tradition – Experience - Reason

These four tools work in conjunction, with Scripture always being of primary importance. The Book of Discipline summarizes it, “In theological reflection, the resources of tradition, experience, and reason are integral to our study of Scripture without displacing Scripture’s primacy for faith and practice. These four sources—each making distinctive contributions, yet all finally working together—guide our quest as United Methodists for a vital and appropriate Christian witness”.