In the United Church of Christ, we respect historic Christian creeds as testimonies of God's loving purposes for humanity, but we don't use them as tests to ensure conformity of belief. We and our ancestors have expressed the faith in many ways: in creeds and confessions, in catechisms and poetry. Sometimes our testimonies agree, sometimes they don't—and there is always a healthy debate in the UCC about the meaning and purpose of faith. We try to live in the spirit of this classic formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

We embrace a broad theological heritage that affirms the Bible as the authoritative witness to the Word of God, the creeds of the ancient councils, and the confessions of the Reformation. The UCC has roots in the "covenantal" tradition—meaning there is no centralized authority or hierarchy that can impose any doctrine or form of worship on its members. Christ alone is Head of the church. We seek a balance between freedom of conscience and accountability to the faith of our ancestors.

In practice, this means that the United Church of Christ deeply respects the freedom of each individual to find his or her own way towards God. But that does not mean we have to take that journey alone: the community of the church—both those who are alive now and those who lived before us—can help us on the road. So we seek to learn from each other a living faith that is open to the future as well as the past.

Here is our modern testimony of faith.

WE BELIEVE IN YOU, O God, Eternal Spirit, God of our Savior Jesus Christ and our God, and to your deeds we testify:

YOU CALL the worlds into being, create persons in your own image,and set before each one the ways of life and death.

YOU SEEK in holy love to save all people from aimlessness and sin.

YOU JUDGE people and nations by your righteous will declared through prophets and apostles.

IN JESUS CHRIST, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior, you have come to us and shared our common lot, conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to yourself.

YOU BESTOW upon us your Holy Spirit, creating and renewing the church of Jesus Christ, binding in covenant faithful people of all ages, tongues, and races.

YOU CALL us into your church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship, to be your servants in the service of others, to proclaim the gospel to all the world and resist the powers of evil, to share in Christ's baptism and eat at his table, to join him in his passion and victory.

YOU PROMISE to all who trust you forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace, courage in the struggle for justice and peace, your presence in trial and rejoicing, and eternal life in your realm which has no end.

BLESSING AND HONOR, GLORY AND POWER BE UNTO YOU.

Amen.