Scripture and Doctrine
Lutheran and Anglicans believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God. As Evangelical Catholic Lutherans and Anglicans, we believe, teach, and confess that God has revealed Himself progressively through the ages in the Books of the Old Testament (including the Apocrypha) and the New Testament, which, being Divinely inspired, are the Word of God written. The Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church accepts the following documents as its official statements on the nature and authority of Scripture and Revelation.
“The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church” http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PBCINTER.HTM Pontifical Biblical Commission, 1994; “The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation – Dei Verbum” http://www.ewtn.com/library/COUNCILS/V2REVEL.HTM Vatican II, Pope Paul VI, 1965; and “The Catechism of the Catholic Church”: Part 1, Section 1, Chapter 2, Article 3, http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_PP.HTM“The Sacred Scriptures give support and vigor to the life of the Church. For the children of the Church, it is a confirmation of the faith, food for the soul, and the fount of spiritual Life. Sacred Scripture is the soul of theology and of pastoral preaching. The Psalmist says that it is ‘a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Psalm 119:105.) Everyone should read the Sacred Scriptures frequently because, as St. Jerome wrote, ‘ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.’” – Catechism of the Catholic Church: 105-108, 135-136, 131-133, 141. http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/profess4.html#INSPIRATION
Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel, this Church accepts The Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds, and the Definition of the Union of the Divine and Human Natures in the Person of Christ, Definition of the Faith, Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D. http://www.ewtn.com/library/councils/chalcedo.htm#2
Insofar as they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and in accord with authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, this Church accepts the following documents from The Book of Concord (1580):
The Unaltered Augsburg Confession
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-boc.html#ac
The Apology of the Augsburg Confession
http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/boc/ap
The Small Catechism of Father Martin Luther
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-boc.html#sc
The Large Catechism of Father Martin Luther
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-boc.html#lc
Insofar as they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and in accord with authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, this church accepts the remainder of The Book of Concord (1580) except the Formula of Concord; with major modifications in Sacramental Theology, the nature of the Sacrament of Ordination and the nature of Holy Orders (the Priesthood,) and Principles of Church Government derived from the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden, the Oxford Movement of the Anglican Communion, the Canon Law Code of the Catholic Church (1983), and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994.)
http://www.puseyhouse.org.uk/house/history/oxfordmovement
http://justus.anglican.org/resources/pc/tracts/
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P1.HTM
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2Z.HTM
Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and to authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, this Church accepts the doctrinal decrees of all the Ecumenical Councils recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap040400.htm
Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and to authentic Catholic Faith and Tradition, this Church subscribes to the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, Augsburg, Germany, 1999. Because they are trustworthy witnesses to the Gospel and to authentic Catholic Faith, Tradition, and Spirituality, and because the ecumenical goal of the ALCC is visible, corporate reunion with the Bishop and Church of Rome, it accepts the documents and teachings of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church though it is not under Papal Authority at this time.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_31101999_cath-luth-joint-declaration_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM
We recognize and respect the Pope as the Bishop of Rome, Successor to St. Peter, Vicar of Christ, and a prayer is said for him in our communion liturgy. (Psalm 119:1-5; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 22:18-19).
The ALCC endorses the Kansas City Declaration on Marriage and the Colorado Statement on Biblical Sexual Morality.
http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=17077
http://www.family.org/socialissues/A000001080.cfm
