What We Believe

The central belief of the Christian church is succinctly stated by the Nicene Creed, which dates from the fourth century:

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and on the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. 
 

On a more personal level, the Apostles' Creed expresses the belief as an individual's personal statement:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Additional statements of belief specific to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are:

The Scots Confession 
The Heidelberg Catechism 
The Second Helvetic Confession 
The Westminster Confession of Faith 
The Shorter Catechism 
The Larger Catechism 
The Theological Declaration of Barmen 
The Confession of 1967.