Doctrine

As an institution dedicated to training leaders for Christ’s church, we hold firmly to the following doctrinal beliefs and standards:

• The Bible as the Word of God is the primary standard for our faith. We are unqualified in our commitment to the Scriptures as being immediately inspired and inerrant in their original manuscripts. Covenant Seminary's faculty and Board of Trustees annually subscribe in writing to this belief.
• The Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, although subordinate to the Bible in their authority, set forth our understanding of biblical truth in a consistent, concise, and reliable form. Our faculty and board subscribe annually to this belief as well.
• The doctrines of the historic Christian faith to which we adhere are expressed clearly in such documents as the Apostles' Creed and the Statement of Faith of the National Association of Evangelicals.

• The Apostles' Creed

  Although not written by the apostles, the Apostles' Creed dates from the early centuries of the church and provides a concise summary of essential biblical teachings.

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

  I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into the grave. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into 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 catholic [i.e., universal] church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

• Statement of Faith of the National Association of Evangelicals

  The National Association of Evangelicals was organized in 1942 by evangelical denominations and churches in the United States. Its Statement of Faith summarizes essential evangelical beliefs.

  1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
  2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his virgin birth, in his sinless life, in his miracles, in his vicarious and atoning death through his shed blood, in his bodily resurrection, in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in his personal return in power and glory.
  4. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
  5. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
  6. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
  7. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Other Perspectives

We do occasionally permit a limited number of applicants who do not share these beliefs to enroll in individual courses as non-degree students. As part of our educational curriculum, we also periodically invite to campus guest speakers who may not hold to the Seminary's doctrinal standards but who offer perspectives and points of view with which our faculty and students need to be familiar.

If you have questions or concerns about any of these beliefs, please contact our Admissions staff.

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