We believe in the fullness of the Faith that has been passed down to us from the Apostles, the Church Fathers, and the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
The Creed.
As Christians we are bound to define exactly what our Faith is and what it is we believe. 1,700 years ago in the city of Nicaea, 300 Bishops of the Church gathered to discuss the parameters of what it is the doctrine that would define the universal Church - the Council of Nicaea. However the most important thing that developed from the gathering of the bishops is the statement of faith - the Nicene Creed:
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of
God, begotten of the Father before all ages;
Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten,
not created, of one essence with the Father
through Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven and was incarnate
of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,
and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day,
according to the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
And He will come again with glory to judge the living
and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life,
Who proceeds from the Father†, Who together with the
Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, Who
spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the age to come.
We of course also recognize The Apostles Creed and the Athanasian Creed as valid and appropriate expressions of the faith.
Unity Among Bishops.
Unity among bishops is central to our communion. Each bishop who sits on the Synod of the Old Catholic Church of the Americas subscribes to the essential spirit of both the Declaration of Utrecht and the Bonn Agreement of 1931 in that there is room for difference of catholic expression between various diocese and ministries so each diocese and ministry recognizes the Catholicity and independence of the other, and maintains its own. Each diocese or ministry admits members of the other members of the Union to participate in the Sacraments, but our intercommunion does not require the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion or liturgical practice characteristic of the other, but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of the Christian Faith. With respect to the centrality of catholic worship, our bishops subscribe in particular to the following statement from the Declaration of Utrecht:
"Considering that the Holy Eucharist has always been the true focal point of worship in the Catholic Church, we consider it our duty to declare that we maintain in all faithfulness and without deviation the ancient Catholic doctrine concerning the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, by believing that we receive the Body and the Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ Himself under the species of bread and wine."
The Sacraments.
Over the course of the Church's history the external expression of acts that are sacred to the Church are found in the Seven Sacraments.
THE EUCHARIST
BAPTISM
CHRISMATION (CONFIRMATION)
CONFESSION
MARRIAGE
HOLY ORDERS
ANOINTING OF THE SICK (HOLY UNCTION)
Of these Holy Sacraments perhaps the most treasured to us is the Eucharist. We believe fully that when the Eucharist is offered during the Mass that the wine and bread truly become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. We hold true to this for as Christ says to the Apostles, " Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: 'Take ye, and eat. This is my body.' And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: 'Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins'" (Gospel according to St. Matthew 26:26-28).
Non-Discrimination. We believe that discrimination in any form has no place in the church. See our statement of non-discrimination at http://occoa.org/non-discrimination.html.
The Creed.
As Christians we are bound to define exactly what our Faith is and what it is we believe. 1,700 years ago in the city of Nicaea, 300 Bishops of the Church gathered to discuss the parameters of what it is the doctrine that would define the universal Church - the Council of Nicaea. However the most important thing that developed from the gathering of the bishops is the statement of faith - the Nicene Creed:
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of
God, begotten of the Father before all ages;
Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten,
not created, of one essence with the Father
through Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven and was incarnate
of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,
and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day,
according to the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
And He will come again with glory to judge the living
and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life,
Who proceeds from the Father†, Who together with the
Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, Who
spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the age to come.
We of course also recognize The Apostles Creed and the Athanasian Creed as valid and appropriate expressions of the faith.
Unity Among Bishops.
Unity among bishops is central to our communion. Each bishop who sits on the Synod of the Old Catholic Church of the Americas subscribes to the essential spirit of both the Declaration of Utrecht and the Bonn Agreement of 1931 in that there is room for difference of catholic expression between various diocese and ministries so each diocese and ministry recognizes the Catholicity and independence of the other, and maintains its own. Each diocese or ministry admits members of the other members of the Union to participate in the Sacraments, but our intercommunion does not require the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion or liturgical practice characteristic of the other, but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of the Christian Faith. With respect to the centrality of catholic worship, our bishops subscribe in particular to the following statement from the Declaration of Utrecht:
"Considering that the Holy Eucharist has always been the true focal point of worship in the Catholic Church, we consider it our duty to declare that we maintain in all faithfulness and without deviation the ancient Catholic doctrine concerning the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, by believing that we receive the Body and the Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ Himself under the species of bread and wine."
The Sacraments.
Over the course of the Church's history the external expression of acts that are sacred to the Church are found in the Seven Sacraments.
THE EUCHARIST
BAPTISM
CHRISMATION (CONFIRMATION)
CONFESSION
MARRIAGE
HOLY ORDERS
ANOINTING OF THE SICK (HOLY UNCTION)
Of these Holy Sacraments perhaps the most treasured to us is the Eucharist. We believe fully that when the Eucharist is offered during the Mass that the wine and bread truly become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. We hold true to this for as Christ says to the Apostles, " Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke: and gave to his disciples, and said: 'Take ye, and eat. This is my body.' And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: 'Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins'" (Gospel according to St. Matthew 26:26-28).
Non-Discrimination. We believe that discrimination in any form has no place in the church. See our statement of non-discrimination at http://occoa.org/non-discrimination.html.