The Articles of Religion
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, ¶103
John Wesley adapted these articles from the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England for American Methodists in 1784. They are protected by the first Restrictive Rule of the UMC Constitution and cannot be revoked, altered, or changed.
Together with the Confession of Faith, the Articles of Religion constitute the doctrinal standards of The United Methodist Church. Below are selected articles; the full text appears in the Book of Discipline.
Article I — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity
There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Article II — Of the Word, or Son of God, Who Was Made Very Man
The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided; whereof is one Christ, very God and very Man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.
Article V — Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation
The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.
Article IX — Of the Justification of Man
We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.
Source: The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, ¶103
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The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
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