Core Beliefs of the UCC
That they may all be one.
This motto of the United Church of Christ reflects the spirit of unity on which it is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the Body of Christ.
In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.
The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view, nor rigid formulation of doctrine.
The unity of the church is not of its own making.
It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as there are individuals. The common thread that runs through all is love.
Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith.
Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, the United Church of Chris has no formula that is a test of faith.
There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God's Holy Word.
This affirmation by one of the founders of the Congregational tradition assumes the primacy of the Bible as a source for understanding the Good News and as a foundation for all statements of faith.
The priesthood of all believers.
All members of the United Church of Christ are called to minister to others and to participate as equals in the common worship of God.
Responsible freedom.
As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of God’s will for our lives. The UCC respects freedom of individual conscience, and there are no “tests of faith” mandatory on our 1.1 million members. We honor the historic testimonies of our spiritual ancestors as they explored the Bible and applied its insights. The most important of these testimonies are gathered here.
