What do Anglicans Believe?

In one sense, Anglicans have no distinct beliefs of their own. Anglicans simply believe what Christians have espoused since the times of the historic creeds and councils. These essentials are what C. S. Lewis had in mind when he wrote Mere Christianity in order “to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times” (Mere Christianity [New York: Collier Books, 1952], vi.).

Since the earliest of times, Christians have believed the teachings of the Bible and recited the creeds during times of prayer and worship to remind them of the faith they professed, the faith handed down to the apostles and guarded by the church to the present day.

However, in another important sense, Anglicans do have a unique set of beliefs that embraces the best of the ancient Christian faith and the Protestant Reformation. In an article titled “Is There an ‘Anglican Understanding’ of the New Testament?” Professor Wesley Hill said the following about Anglican beliefs:

“Anglicans may be confident that they are adhering to the same apostolic teaching and inhabiting the same ecclesial order as their earliest forebears in the faith did. . . . We are distinctive precisely by aiming not to be distinctive. Our theology is the theology of the early church, the era of the Fathers, the best of the medieval world and the Reformation—all set decently on the table in our prayer book and other formularies.”

Rather than reinventing the faith, Anglicanism reminds us that we need to get back to the foundational truths of Christianity, back to orthodoxy.

Scripture and the Creeds

Anglican Christianity is unified by its center, not by its boundaries. In particular, the three creeds of the church (the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed) constitute the core of Anglican belief. But what exactly is a creed? A creed is a brief statement of faith used to summarize Biblical teaching, clarify doctrinal points, and distinguish truth from error.

From “What Do Anglicans Believe? An Overview of Anglican Beliefs” by Winfield Blevins https://anglicancompass.com/what-do-anglicans-believe/