Questions and Answers
Part I
The Faith We Profess
1. God and Creation
Q. Who is God?
God is the Creator of all things, eternal, loving, holy, and just. God is revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: a communion of love inviting all creation into divine life.
Q. What does it mean that all people are created in the image of God?
Every human being bears the image and likeness of God and possesses equal dignity, worth, and spiritual vocation. No person is excluded from God’s grace because of sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, or social condition.
Q. What is the Church?
The Church is the Body of Christ on earth, called to proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments, care for the poor, and embody God’s reconciling love.
2. Jesus Christ
Q. Who is Jesus Christ?
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God made flesh, fully divine and fully human, who lived among humanity to reveal God’s love and redeem the world.
Q. What was central to Christ’s ministry?
Christ welcomed the marginalized, healed the excluded, challenged injustice, forgave sinners, and proclaimed the Kingdom of God.
Q. What does Christ teach about love?
Christ teaches that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another. Every Christian vocation and moral teaching must be measured against these commandments.
3. The Holy Spirit
Q. How does the Holy Spirit guide the Church?
The Holy Spirit grants wisdom, discernment, gifts, and vocations to all believers. The Spirit continues to guide the Church into deeper truth throughout history.
Q. Can the Holy Spirit call women and married persons to ordained ministry?
Yes. The gifts and calling of God are not limited by sex or marital status. Scripture and Christian history testify that women and married believers served in leadership, teaching, pastoral care, prophecy, and ministry within the early Church.
Q. Can LGBTQ persons receive the gifts and calling of God?
Yes. LGBTQ persons are beloved children of God and are fully capable of holiness, discipleship, faithful covenantal love, and ordained or lay ministry.
Part II
The Sacraments
1. The Nature of Sacraments
Q. What are the sacraments?
The sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, instituted within the life of the Church to strengthen believers in communion with God and one another.
Q. Who may receive the sacraments?
All baptised Christians who seek God in faith, repentance, and love may receive the sacraments according to the discipline of the Church.
Q. May LGBTQ Christians receive all sacraments?
Yes. LGBTQ Christians are entitled to full sacramental participation, including Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick.
2. Baptism
Q. What is Baptism?
Baptism is the sacrament by which a person is united with Christ and welcomed into the Church.
Q. Who may be baptised?
Any person seeking union with Christ may be baptised.
Q. May children of same-sex couples be baptised?
Yes. The grace of Baptism belongs to all who seek Christ in faith.
3. The Eucharist
Q. What is the Eucharist?
The Eucharist is the sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood, given for the life of the world.
Q. Who may receive Communion?
All baptised Christians seeking communion with Christ and neighbour are welcome at the Lord’s Table.
Q. Can divorced persons, married clergy, women clergy, and LGBTQ Christians receive Communion?
Yes. No faithful Christian is excluded from the Eucharist on these grounds.
4. Reconciliation
Q. What is the sacrament of Reconciliation?
Reconciliation is the sacrament of confession, forgiveness, healing, and restoration.
Q. Is being LGBTQ sinful in itself?
No. Sin arises from actions contrary to love, justice, truth, and human dignity, not from a person’s God-given identity.
5. Marriage
Q. What is Christian marriage?
Christian marriage is a sacred covenant of faithful love, mutual support, spiritual companionship, and lifelong commitment.
Q. Who may enter Christian marriage?
Any two adults capable of freely consenting to a covenant of faithful love may enter Christian marriage.
Q. Does the Church recognize same-sex marriage?
Yes. The Church blesses and recognizes same-sex marriages as holy covenants reflecting fidelity, sacrifice, joy, and divine love.
Q. What are the purposes of marriage?
Marriage exists for mutual love, companionship, spiritual growth, hospitality, family life, and the flourishing of the couple and community.
Q. Is procreation required for marriage?
No. While children are a blessing, marriage is not dependent upon the ability or desire to have children.
6. Holy Orders
Q. What is Holy Orders?
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which persons are ordained for ministry in the Church.
Q. Who may be ordained?
Any baptised and qualified Christian whom the Church discerns to be called by God may be ordained.
Q. May women be ordained as deacons, priests, and bishops?
Yes. The Church recognises the equal spiritual authority and vocation of women in all forms of ministry.
Q. May married persons be ordained?
Yes. Marriage and ordained ministry are compatible vocations.
Q. May LGBTQ Christians be ordained?
Yes. Sexual orientation or gender identity does not disqualify a person from ordained ministry.
Q. What qualities are required for ordained ministry?
Faithfulness, wisdom, humility, compassion, theological understanding, moral integrity, pastoral care, and devotion to Christ.
7. Anointing of the Sick
Q. What is Anointing of the Sick?
Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament of healing, comfort, and prayer for those suffering in body, mind, or spirit.
Q. Who may receive this sacrament?
Any person in need of healing and spiritual strength may receive it.
Part III
Christian Moral Life
1. Human Dignity and Justice
Q. What is the Christian moral life rooted in?
The Christian moral life is rooted in love of God and neighbour.
Q. What does the Church teach about discrimination?
Discrimination, hatred, violence, and exclusion against any person are contrary to the Gospel.
Q. What is the Church’s responsibility toward marginalized people?
The Church must stand with the oppressed, defend human dignity, and seek justice, reconciliation, and peace.
2. Sexuality and Relationships
Q. Is human sexuality good?
Yes. Human sexuality is a gift from God meant to foster love, intimacy, fidelity, joy, and mutual care. Celibacy must be observed until to consenting adults have celebrated the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Q. What makes a relationship holy?
Relationships become holy through faithfulness, honesty, consent, mutual respect, sacrifice, and love.
Q. Does the Church condemn loving same-sex relationships?
No. Loving and faithful same-sex relationships may reflect God’s grace and covenantal love.
Q. What ethical standards apply to all relationships?
All relationships are called to embody fidelity, consent, mutuality, honesty, responsibility, and care.
Part IV
The Mission of the Church
1. The Church in the World
Q. What is the mission of the Church?
The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, serve humanity, pursue justice, nurture holiness, and reveal the love of Christ.
Q. How should the Church treat those who have been excluded?
The Church must actively seek reconciliation, healing, hospitality, and restoration for those harmed by exclusion.
Q. What is the Church’s vision of Christian community?
A community where every person is welcomed, every vocation is discerned faithfully, and every believer may fully participate in the life of Christ.
Closing Affirmation
We believe that the grace of God is wider than human fear, stronger than division, and deeper than prejudice. We affirm that all people are called into the life of holiness and communion through Jesus Christ.
We therefore proclaim:
-
that women and men alike may be called to ordained ministry;
-
that marriage is a holy covenant open to loving and faithful couples;
-
that LGBTQ Christians are full members of the Body of Christ;
-
that the sacraments are gifts of grace, not rewards for exclusion;
-
and that the Church is called to reflect the boundless mercy and justice of God.
Amen.