1563 — Church of England
Anglican Tradition
Translation: public domain. Section headings and indentations added for clarity.
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The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are the historic statement of doctrine of the Church of England, finalized in 1571 under Queen Elizabeth I. They define Anglican belief on the essentials of the Christian faith, drawing from both the Catholic tradition and the Protestant Reformation.
There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts, or passions; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there be three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, and of one substance with the Father, took Man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance: so that two whole and perfect Natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God, and very Man.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.
We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort.
Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
The Articles open with Trinitarian monotheism — the foundation of all Christian confession, grounding Anglican faith in Israel’s ancient confession of the one God.
2 Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Article VI states Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation — nothing may be added or required beyond what Scripture teaches.
Ephesians 2:8
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Article XI declares we are justified by Faith only — one of the most Protestant statements in the Articles, placing Anglican teaching squarely in the Reformation tradition.
Acts 2:42
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
Word and sacrament define the visible church — structural uniformity is not required, but faithful preaching and right administration of the sacraments are.
Romans 6:3
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”
Baptism as sign and seal of union with Christ — the Articles affirm baptism’s sacramental significance without requiring a single theory of how that grace operates.
1 Corinthians 10:16
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?”
The Articles affirm Christ’s presence in the Lord’s Supper without requiring the Roman doctrine of transubstantiation or the Lutheran doctrine of consubstantiation.
Romans 13:1
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
The Articles affirm the monarch’s authority over the church in civil matters, grounding this in Paul’s teaching that all civil authority is instituted by God.
The English translation presented follows the traditional rendering used in Catholic and/or Protestant traditions.
This text is provided for study, research, and educational purposes in Christian theology and church history.
The Thirty-Nine Articles emerged from one of the most turbulent periods in English history. When Henry VIII broke with Rome in the 1530s, the Church of England found itself in need of a clear doctrinal identity. Early attempts under Henry — including the Ten Articles of 1536 and the Six Articles of 1539 — reflected the ongoing tension between those who wanted a fully Protestant settlement and those who preferred a Catholic church simply freed from papal jurisdiction.
Under Edward VI, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer moved the Church decisively in a Protestant direction. His Forty-Two Articles of 1553 established a thoroughly Reformed doctrinal framework — but Edward died before they could take full effect, and the Catholic Queen Mary reversed the Reformation, burning Cranmer and nearly three hundred Protestants at the stake.
When Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558, she sought a religious settlement broad enough to hold the nation together. Archbishop Matthew Parker revised Cranmer's Forty-Two Articles, reducing and moderating them. The resulting Thirty-Nine Articles were ratified by Convocation in 1563, revised slightly, and given full parliamentary authority in 1571. They have remained the doctrinal standard of the Church of England ever since — subscribed to by every Anglican clergyman at ordination.
There is one living and true God, eternal and of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. In the unity of the Godhead there are three Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Ghost — of one substance, power, and eternity.
Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation. Whatever cannot be read in Scripture or proved thereby is not to be required as an article of faith or considered necessary to salvation.
We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of Christ by faith, and not for our own works. Justification by faith alone is a most wholesome doctrine, very full of comfort.
Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby he has decreed to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he has chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid.
Sacraments are certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace. Christ ordained two sacraments in the Gospel: Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. These are not mere signs but means by which God works invisibly in us.
The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. Transubstantiation cannot be proved from Scripture and gives rise to many superstitions.
The Thirty-Nine Articles are the historic doctrinal statement of the Church of England, finalized in 1571 under Queen Elizabeth I. They define Anglican belief on the Trinity, Scripture, salvation, the sacraments, and the relationship between church and state. They remain the doctrinal standard of the Church of England and many Anglican provinces worldwide.
Yes. Church of England clergy are required to give their assent to the Thirty-Nine Articles at ordination. The precise form of subscription has varied over the centuries, but the Articles retain their authority as the doctrinal standard of the Church of England and form part of the foundational documents of the Anglican Communion.
Yes. Article XI states plainly: 'We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings.' This is the classic Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone, which the Articles describe as 'a most wholesome Doctrine, and very full of comfort.'
Article VI teaches that Holy Scripture contains all things necessary to salvation. Whatever cannot be read in Scripture or proved thereby cannot be required as an article of faith. This is the Anglican expression of the Reformation principle of sola scriptura — Scripture as the supreme authority in matters of faith and salvation.
The Articles reject the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation (Article XXVIII) while affirming that the body of Christ is 'given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner.' This is a Reformed spiritual presence view — neither a bare memorialism nor a physical presence in the elements.
The Articles are broadly Reformed in doctrine, sharing the Reformation emphases on Scripture's authority, original sin, justification by faith alone, and the bondage of the will. Article XVII on predestination is within the Reformed tradition. However, the Articles are broader than strict Calvinist confessions, maintaining episcopacy and a high view of the ancient creeds and catholic tradition.
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