Beliefs

We hold fast to the core doctrines of the historically orthodox faith. We can't know God exhaustively, but we can know Him accurately. We're unified in the big stuff, don't make small stuff into big stuff, and make it a mission to clarify which is which through scripture.

Historically Orthodox

Unity in essentials. Liberty in non-essentials.
In all things, charity.

Essentials

Biblical Authority

The Trinity

Jesus

Holy Spirit

Sin

Atonement

Non-Essentials

Predestination

Church styles

Speaking in tongues

Drinking alcohol

Political parties

Listening to Ariana Grande

Dressing up for Halloween

Naming Your firstborn Harry Potter

01

The Bible

We believe in the plenary verbal inspiration of the traditional canon of Scripture; that both the Old Testament and the New Testament are the infallible Word of God in all matters of life and doctrine; that the Bible is completely relevant today for every area of the human experience because it is living and active; that the Bible is the exclusive and only authority for faith and lifestyle; and that the original autographs are without error. It is to be believed, practiced, trusted, and hoped in (1 Cor. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12; 2 Pet. 1:21).

02

The Triune God

We believe that there is One true God, the eternally self-existing “I AM”, who has revealed himself to us in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe that the persons of the Trinity are co-eternal, co-equal, and yet with unique function (Ex. 3:14; Deut. 6:4; Isa. 43:10, 11; Matt. 28; Jn. 8:58; 2 Cor. 13:14).

03

Jesus Christ

We believe in a Chalcedonian Christology of the Second Person of the Trinity. He is a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Spirit, yet of the same substance, two natures in One person (divine and human). We believe that Jesus Christ is God of God, the Son of God, who was incarnated as a human, was born of a virgin, was crucified, was buried, was resurrected, and is seated at the right hand of God on high (Mt. 1:20; Mk. 16:19; Jn. 1:1, 14; 3:16; 20:1-2; 1 Cor. 15::3-5; Hebrews 2:17; Gal. 4:4 Phil. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:22).

04

The Holy Spirit

We believe in an Athanasian pneumatology of the Third Person of the Trinity. He is a distinct person from the Father and the Son, God of God, sent by the Father to equip the Body of Christ with grace for work. In all he does, he glorifies Christ. He convicts the world of sin, regenerates sinners, and in him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted into the family of God. The Holy Spirit is received at salvation, and assists us in our weaknesses by enabling us to live victorious, bold, Christ-like lives (Jn. 14:16-26; Rom. 8:9, 26; Eph. 4:30; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Heb. 10:29).

05

Sin and the Fall of Humanity

We believe that humankind was created in the image of God but voluntarily sinned when tempted by Satan and fell short of God’s righteousness. Sin is willful transgression of the law of God and deserves death. At the fall, humankind incurred physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God. All human beings are in union with Adam and are sinners by nature and by choice. Sin has alienated humankind from God and subjected it to his wrath (Ge. 1:26, 27; 2:17; 3:6; Rom. 5:12-19).

06

Salvation and the Work of Christ

Fallen humankind’s hope of redemption is only possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his work on the cross. The redemption offered to humankind through the work of Christ must be received by repentance toward God and faith in Christ who shed his blood. Those who receive God’s offer of grace by faith are born again, justified, regenerated, adopted into the family of God, made heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and are partakers of eternal life to come (John 3:3; Acts 4:12; Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:10; 8:14-17; 10:9-10; Titus 3:5-6).

07

The Church

We believe that the Church is the Body of Jesus Christ, who is its Head. The Church is comprised of all those who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. The Church is manifest in local churches, who’s membership should be only believers. The Church is being built up and made into the Bride of Christ, fully matured and presentable at Jesus’s Second Coming. We believe the Church is a pillar of truth to the world because of the abiding story and presence of Jesus as mediated by the Holy Spirit (Mt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 5:1, 5; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:11-17; 5:27; Rev. 2-3).

08

Christ’s Return and the Eternal Perfect State

We believe in the personal, bodily, and glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the moment of his coming, which time is unknown, we will be caught up in the air, transformed in glory, and brought back to the to the earth whereupon Christ will sit in judgment, separate the wheat from the chaff, renew the earth, and reign as King forever. We believe that God is creating a New Heavens and a New Earth where humans will dwell forever with God. The imminent coming of Christ should inspire godly living and commitment to the mission of the Gospel (Isa. 65:17; Mt. 24:30; Acts 1:11; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 19:11-22:21).

09

Eternal Conscious Punishment

We believe that those who reject God’s offer of grace and forgiveness and are not found in the book of Life will be raised and judged in the resurrection of the wicked and given over to eternal conscious punishment in the Lake of Fire along with the devil and his angels for all eternity (Mt. 25:46; Mark 9:43-48; Rev. 19:20; 20:11-15; 21:8).

10

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

We believe in the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and that the charismata did not cease after the Apostolic age. The purpose of the gifts is to equip the Church to carry out its mission until Christ returns, as well as to be a foretaste of the life to come. Believers should seek God in prayer for the gifts of the Spirit to operate in their own lives and ministries and should not only agree to them theoretically but practice them outwardly as the Spirit leads (Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 1:5, 7; 12:1, 31; 1 Cor. 14:12; 2 Tim. 1:6-7; Heb. 6:5).

11

Marriage

We believe God has ordained marriage and defined it as a covenant relationship between one man, one woman, and himself. Hence, we only recognize marriage between a biological man and a biological woman. As a result, the staff and faculty of TheosU will only participate in weddings and the solemnization of marriages between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4; Eph. 5:25; 1 Pet. 3:7).

12

Gender

We believe that from the beginning God created two separate and distinct biological sexes: male and female. Moreover, we believe that Scripture does not permit any difference between biological sex and gender identity or expression. Humankind has been created by God and any attempt to misconstrue the difference between male/female and/or biological sex/gender identity is an attempt to self-create and is a result of sin and the fall. We also acknowledge that there are rare instances where people are born with an indiscriminate biological sex. Yet, these cases do not involve an attempt to self-create nor deny the dignity of how they were born (Gen. 1:26-27; Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6-7; Psalm 139:14).

13

Race

We believe that God loves all races of human beings equally and without preference or favoritism. Racism, which is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group, is evil and is the result of sin. We believe that the authority for approaching racism is Scripture and, therefore, our approach to racism centers around such. As a result, we reject Critical Race Theory (CRT) and other systems of thinking that insist on being the authority on racism and the resolution to it. (Mk 12:31; Acts 17:26; Rom. 2:11;: Rev. 7:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

14

Ecumenism

We believe in unity among the essentials and liberty among non-essentials. We embrace ecumenism, finding it more edifying and Christ-like to build bridges when it comes to peripheral doctrinal matters (i.e., eschatological interpretations, Calvinism/Arminianism, etc.) versus drawing lines of division. Because of this, our students and faculty are comprised of diverse theological backgrounds and are exhorted to be respectful and inquiring toward one another in the spirit of Christian unity and healthy academia (Ps. 133:1; Acts 15:1-21; Eph. 4:3; Phi. 2:2; 2 Cor. 13:11).

15

Right to Life

We believe that all human life is valuable and sacred, and that human life and full personhood begins at conception and continues until death. As stewards of life, we are endowed by God with the responsibility to protect the worth and dignity of human beings from the moment of conception until the moment of death. Therefore, we oppose taking innocent life in all forms, including abortion and euthanasia. (Gen. 1:26-27; Job 31:15; Ps. 22:10; Ps. 127:3-5; Ps. 139:13-16; Jer. 1:5; Acts 17:25).

16

Religious Liberty

We believe that religious and civil liberty has a theological basis on the grounds that humans were created in the imago Dei and given certain inalienable rights. One of these rights is freedom to worship. The state should not have any authority over religious practices and matters that would infringe on this right. Equally, the state exists to protect this right. Each church and every religion should seek religious freedom, not only as its own inherent right, but as the right of other churches and religions (Gen. 1:27; Jn. 8:36 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 5:1).

What We Believe

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ,

His only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to hell.

The third day he rose again from the dead.

He ascended to heaven

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy christian church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.