Articles of Religion (Anglican)

The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are the defining statements of Anglican doctrine. They were issued by the Convocation of clergy of the Church of England in 1571 and are printed in the Book of Common Prayer and other Anglican prayer books. From 1673 to 1828, the Test Act made adherence to the Thirty-Nine Articles a requirement for holding civil office in England.

The Articles were not intended as a complete statement of the Christian faith, but as a statement of the position of the Church of England over against the Roman Catholic Church and some continental Reformers. The Articles highlight some of the major differences between Anglican and Catholic doctrine, as well as more conventional declarations of a Trinitarian Christianity. The Articles also argue against some Anabaptist positions such as the holding of goods in common, and the necessity of believer's baptism.

Outside the Church of England, Anglican views of the Thirty-Nine Articles vary. The Episcopal Church in the United States regards them as an historical document and does not require members to adhere to them.

Anglican clergyman John Wesley adapted the Thirty-Nine Articles for utilization by Methodists in the 18th century. The adapted Articles of Religion remain official United Methodist doctrine.

Summary of Content
In the order given in the Book of Common Prayer, the thirty-nine articles are:


 * 1) Faith in the Holy Trinity
 * 2) Of the Word or Son of God, which was made very Man
 * 3) Of the going down of Christ into Hell
 * 4) Of the Resurrection of Christ
 * 5) Of the Holy Ghost
 * 6) Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scripture for Salvation
 * 7) * including a recommendation of the Apocryphal books 'for example of life and instruction in manners ... [but not] to establish any doctrine'
 * 8) Of the Old Testament
 * 9) Of the Three Creeds (Nicene, Athanasian, and Apostles' Creed
 * 10) Of Original or Birth-sin
 * 11) Of Free Will
 * 12) Of the Justification of Man
 * 13) Of Good Works
 * 14) Of Works before Justification
 * 15) Of Works of Supererogation
 * 16) Of Christ Alone without Sin
 * 17) Of Sin after Baptism
 * 18) Of Predestination and Election
 * 19) Of Obtaining Eternal Salvation only by the Name of Christ
 * 20) Of the Church
 * 21) Of the Authority of the Church
 * 22) Of the Authority of General Councils
 * 23) Of Purgatory
 * 24) * The source of the phrase a fond thing vainly invented
 * 25) Of Ministering in the Congregation
 * 26) Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth
 * 27) Of the Sacraments
 * 28) * identifies only two sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist
 * 29) Of the Unworthiness of the Ministers, which hinders not the effect of the Sacrament
 * 30) Of Baptism
 * 31) Of the Lord's Supper
 * 32) Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Prayer
 * 33) Of both kinds
 * 34) * i.e. Communion in both kinds
 * 35) Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Cross
 * 36) Of the Marriage of Priests
 * 37) Of Excommunicate Persons, how they are to be avoided
 * 38) Of the Traditions of the Church
 * 39) Of the Homilies
 * 40) * Includes a list of Thomas Cranmer's homilies, to be read in Churches
 * 41) Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers
 * 42) Of the Civil Magistrates
 * 43) Of Christian Men's Goods, which are not common
 * 44) Of a Christian Man's Oath

External Links to the Articles of Religion online

 * Articles of Religion
 * The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion
 * The revised 1801 version adopted by the US Episcopalian church