At St. Aidan’s we affirm the historic doctrines that the Christian faith has held since her earliest days. These are expressed in the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. As Anglicans we hold to the 39 Articles of Religion as a trustworthy and true guide to Christian faith and as members of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCon), we affirm the Jerusalem Declaration.
The Holy Trinity
We believe that God is one divine being who exists eternally in three persons. God the Father is the first person of the Trinity, from whom the Son (Jesus Christ) is eternally begotten and from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds.
Jesus
We believe that Jesus is God as the second person of the Holy Trinity. While Jesus has existed for all eternity, at just the right time, he took on flesh (was incarnate) and was born of the Virgin Mary. In coming to earth, Jesus lived the perfect life and died for us on the cross as the perfect atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. He then rose from the grave, conquering both sin and death, and showed himself to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. Jesus lives now at the right hand of God the Father and is our Saviour, Lord, and Friend. We believe that it is through faith in Jesus alone that people can be saved.
The Bible
We believe that the Bible, made up of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s word written and contains all things necessary for salvation. Scripture is inspired by God and the primary means by which he reveals himself to the world. Since it is the Word of God, Holy Scripture is the full and final source of authority for Christians.
Justification and Sanctification
We believe that justification (being declared righteous in the sight of God) is God’s gracious act alone. He declares this based on the reconciling act of Jesus’s death and resurrection. Jesus suffered in our place on the Cross for our justification.
Sanctification is the also the gracious act of God and is the process by which a follower of Jesus is changed over time to be more like him. This work is done through the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit, as he convicts us of sin, brings us to confession, shapes us in Christ-likeness, and helps us to do good works in the world.
Sacraments
We believe that there are two Sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Sacraments are outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace. We believe that they are not simply signs but that they have an effect on us as we take them. By the Sacraments, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians have their faith strengthened and confirmed.
Baptism is a one-time event, whether it happens during infancy or adulthood. It is a sign of our being set apart as Christians. Those who have been baptized are part of the Covenant community of Christ and are welcomed to the Lord’s Table. Baptism is not a saving act in itself; it must be accompanied by faith. As Anglicans we believe it is a right and Biblical practice to baptize the infants of believing Christians.
Holy Communion is the celebration and remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion. In celebrating it, we proclaim the Gospel that Jesus died for us. We believe that Jesus is truly and spiritually present in the elements of bread and wine, and that they are the instruments by which we receive his Body and Blood. In receiving him, our faith is increased and strengthened, and we are empowered to live as his followers in the world.
As Anglicans, we invite all baptized Christians, in right relationship with God and neighbour, to receive Holy Communion, regardless of their denomination. Communion is for baptized Christians only, as faith is necessary to properly receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
The Church
We believe that the universal church is made up of all who believe in Jesus and have trusted him for their salvation, throughout all of history and through all the world. As a local group of believers at St. Aidan’s, we are part of the Body of Christ and exist to praise, worship, and love him, and to proclaim the Gospel in Windsor and beyond.