|
What we believe
There's a saying that is often quoted to describe the Episcopal Church?s approach to faith: As we pray, so we believe.
Our worship together shapes our beliefs and is the foundation of our common life as a church community. For us, faith is not primarily a list of things people have to believe; it is a way of life that is worked out through our relationships with God and with each other. That begins as we worship together—and continues as we work together in service to our brothers and sisters, and even as we gather simply to enjoy each others' company.
The best way to begin to experience this is to worship with us. We welcome newcomers. We understand that St. Philip's won't be the right church for everyone, and we realize that some people will visit and decide to join, while others might eventually move on. We are a warm and open church and we welcome visitors for as long as they want to stay with us, whether that turns out to be a Sunday or a lifetime.
 Our worship is drawn from the Book of Common Prayer. It contains a short outline of our beliefs in the Baptismal Covenant, which is also used at Confirmation.
If you're looking to read more, Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by N.T. Wright presents a good basic summary of Christian belief. Wright says questions like Why do we expect justice? and Why do we crave spirituality? are not simply perennial questions all generations must struggle with, but are instead the echoes of a voice we dimly perceive but deeply long to hear. In fact, he says, these questions take us to the heart of who God is and what He wants from us. Benjamin Meyers has an excellent short summary of this book on his Faith and Theology Blog.
At St. Philip's, we emphasize that our door is open to people who might be hearing those "echoes" but have been afraid, for one reason or another, that they wouldn't be welcomed in church.
A number of other good guides to the Christian faith are listed on our bookshelf, including Marcus J. Borg's The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith.
|
