The Jerusalem Declaration was written in 2008 by Anglican leaders from around the world who gathered in Jerusalem for the first Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON). It was a joyful and serious moment. These leaders wanted to affirm that the historic, biblical Christian faith still speaks with clarity, hope, and power in our modern world.
They wrote this declaration because many parts of the worldwide Church—including some Anglican provinces—had compromised on essential truths of the gospel. This declaration doesn’t create something new. It simply reaffirms what faithful Anglicans have always believed, reminding us that God’s Word is trustworthy, that Jesus is Lord, and that His mission continues through the Church today.
The 14 points of the declaration appears below in bold text, simple and clear explanations in italics.
They wrote this declaration because many parts of the worldwide Church—including some Anglican provinces—had compromised on essential truths of the gospel. This declaration doesn’t create something new. It simply reaffirms what faithful Anglicans have always believed, reminding us that God’s Word is trustworthy, that Jesus is Lord, and that His mission continues through the Church today.
The 14 points of the declaration appears below in bold text, simple and clear explanations in italics.
1. We rejoice in the gospel of God through which we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Because God first loved us, we love him and as believers bring forth fruits of love, ongoing repentance, lively hope and thanksgiving to God in all things.
We’ve been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—nothing we’ve done, only what He’s done for us. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts to receive God’s love, and in response, we grow in love, repentance, gratitude, and hope. The Christian life is not about fear or guilt, but about daily transformation by God’s mercy. The gospel is not good advice—it’s good news. We are rescued, renewed, and restored in Christ.
2. We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God written and to contain all things necessary for salvation. The Bible is to be translated, read, preached, taught and obeyed in its plain and canonical sense, respectful of the church’s historic and consensual reading.
We believe the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. They are fully trustworthy, completely true, and contain everything necessary to know God and be saved. We read the Bible carefully and reverently, trusting the Church’s historic understanding while applying it faithfully to today’s world. The Bible is not a human invention—it’s God’s voice in every generation, including ours.
3. We uphold the four Ecumenical Councils and the three historic Creeds as expressing the rule of faith of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
The ancient Creeds (like the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds) and early Church councils help us stay anchored to the faith once delivered by the apostles. They protect us from distortions of the gospel and remind us that we are part of one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic Church. We don’t follow fads or chase trends. We stand in a long line of faithful believers from every century.
4. We uphold the Thirty-nine Articles as containing the true doctrine of the Church agreeing with God’s Word and as authoritative for Anglicans today.
These statements, written during the English Reformation, clearly express the core beliefs of Anglican Christianity. They uphold the authority of Scripture, the centrality of Christ, and the need for both sound doctrine and sincere faith. Though written centuries ago, they still speak with wisdom and clarity to today’s challenges.
5. We gladly proclaim and submit to the unique and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, humanity’s only Saviour from sin, judgement and hell, who lived the life we could not live and died the death that we deserve. By his atoning death and glorious resurrection, he secured the redemption of all who come to him in repentance and faith.
Jesus is not just one religious figure among many. He is the Son of God, the only Savior from sin, judgment, and death. He lived a perfect life in our place and died the death we deserved. Through His resurrection, He offers forgiveness, freedom, and eternal life to all who turn to Him in repentance and faith. Only Jesus can give us what we truly need—peace with God, purpose in life, and hope for eternity.
6. We rejoice in our Anglican sacramental and liturgical heritage as an expression of the gospel, and we uphold the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as a true and authoritative standard of worship and prayer, to be translated and locally adapted for each culture.
Our worship is deeply rooted in Scripture and beautifully shaped by the Book of Common Prayer, especially the 1662 edition. These prayers and patterns help us center our lives on the gospel and grow in love for God and neighbor. Each culture can adapt them, but the heart remains the same—worship that is reverent, joyful, and Christ-centered. Our liturgy is more than tradition—it’s a way of life shaped by God’s truth and grace.
7. We recognise that God has called and gifted bishops, priests and deacons in historic succession to equip all the people of God for their ministry in the world. We uphold the classic Anglican Ordinal as an authoritative standard of clerical orders.
God has given the Church bishops, priests, and deacons to equip and shepherd His people. This pattern of leadership goes back to the early Church and continues to serve today’s mission. Our leaders are called to serve humbly, teach faithfully, and model a life devoted to Christ. Church leaders are not spiritual CEOs—they are servants of Jesus and His people.
8. We acknowledge God’s creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family. We repent of our failures to maintain this standard and call for a renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those who are not married.
We believe that God created humanity as male and female, and that marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. This is the only proper place for sexual intimacy and the foundation of family life. While the culture may change its definitions, we trust that God’s design leads to human flourishing. And where we’ve failed, we seek His grace, mercy, and power to change. God’s vision for love, marriage, and identity is not just true—it’s beautiful and good.
9. We gladly accept the Great Commission of the risen Lord to make disciples of all nations, to seek those who do not know Christ and to baptise, teach and bring new believers to maturity.
The mission of the Church is clear: go into all the world, proclaim the gospel, baptize new believers, and help them grow in faith. Every Christian has a part to play in this mission—at work, at home, in their neighborhood, and across the globe. We’re not a spiritual club, but a people on mission. Jesus didn’t tell us to stay safe—He sends us out with His Spirit to change the world.
10. We are mindful of our responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation, to uphold and advocate justice in society, and to seek relief and empowerment of the poor and needy.
The gospel doesn’t just change hearts—it transforms communities. We are called to care for the earth, speak up for the voiceless, and serve the poor and vulnerable with compassion and justice. These acts of mercy are not distractions from the gospel; they are a demonstration of it. Faith in Jesus leads to love in action—for people, places, and all God has made.
11. We are committed to the unity of all those who know and love Christ and to building authentic ecumenical relationships. We recognise the orders and jurisdiction of those Anglicans who uphold orthodox faith and practice, and we encourage them to join us in this declaration.
True unity comes not from agreement on every issue, but from shared love for Jesus and obedience to His Word. We seek genuine relationships with other Christians and churches that honor the gospel. When we disagree, we aim to do so in humility and love. Unity without truth is shallow. But unity in Christ is deep, lasting, and beautiful.
12. We celebrate the God-given diversity among us which enriches our global fellowship, and we acknowledge freedom in secondary matters. We pledge to work together to seek the mind of Christ on issues that divide us.
The global Anglican family is wonderfully diverse—different cultures, languages, and styles of worship all enriching the body of Christ. We allow freedom in non-essential matters and strive together to understand God’s will on difficult issues. We do not walk alone but seek the mind of Christ in community. Our differences don’t divide us—they help us grow as one body, under one Lord.
13. We reject the authority of those churches and leaders who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed. We pray for them and call on them to repent and return to the Lord.
We cannot follow leaders or churches who openly reject the Bible’s teaching. With humility and love, we call them to turn back to the truth of Christ. This is not about superiority—but about fidelity to the gospel that saves. To love the Church means sometimes saying hard things—with tears, truth, and hope.
14. We rejoice at the prospect of Jesus’ coming again in glory, and while we await this final event of history, we praise him for the way he builds up his church through his Spirit by miraculously changing lives.
Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead and make all things new. Until then, we live with joyful expectancy, trusting the Holy Spirit to change lives and build the Church. Every healing, every act of faith, every new believer is a sign of the coming kingdom. We are not waiting in fear, but in hope. Jesus is alive, at work, and coming again.
The Jerusalem Declaration is not a political statement or a reactionary stance. It’s a loving call back to the heart of the gospel, rooted in Scripture and empowered by the Spirit. As a church, we are joyfully committed to this vision—anchored in truth, centered on Jesus, and sent into the world with love.
The Creeds
The Apostles' Creed
The Nicene Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The Anglican Communion
The Anglican Church is a historic and global fellowship of Christians all over the world. Its origins trace to the Apostles through Augustine of Canterbury who was sent to southern England as a missionary in 597 AD. By this time, Celtic Christianity was already flourishing on the English Isles. By the time of the reformers about a thousand years later, the English Reformation was a movement to reform the Church from the problematic doctrines espoused by the Roman Catholic Church.
Today, the Anglican Communion is the third largest expression of Christianity with around 80 million participants worldwide.
Today, the Anglican Communion is the third largest expression of Christianity with around 80 million participants worldwide.
Evangelical
The Anglican Church is considered an evangelical church insofar as we believe that it is necessary to confess faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and to be born again of the Spirit. Moreover, we believe that the Word of God contained in the 66 books of the Bible are the highest authority in the Church, and that they determine the form of the Christian faith.
Spirit-Filled
We believe that the Holy Spirit is still active today. We believe that the Spirit dwells within each Christian giving life saving faith, uniting them to Christ, and equipping them for the work of ministry.
Catholic (Little "c")
The Anglican Church is the third largest expression of Christianity with around 80 million participants worldwide. Historically, it is traced through the 16th century reforms in the Church of England. Today, Anglicanism can be diverse in expression, but is unified through orthodox belief and common prayer.
For a more extensive explanation of our beliefs, visit the beliefs page of the Anglican Church in North America.
To learn more about the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), visit gafcon.org.