20 February 2026

Last night the Presbytery organised an act of worship at Cellardyke  Church to celebrate the recent union of St. Ayle with Pittenweem and the new linkage with Crail. During the service, the congregation was invited to recite the Kirk’s ‘Statement of Christian Faith’.

This was composed by the Panel on Doctrine and authorised for us in worship and teaching by the General Assembly in 1992. It is one of five items in our recently composed ‘Book of Confessions’. The other four are – the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, the Scots and the Westminster Confessions of Faith.

This official ‘Statement’ was an audacious initiative at a time of doubt and decline. And now  it marks our place within the Church of Scotland at a difficult time in its history. Like the Nicene and Apostles’ Creeds, it follows a Trinitarian pattern celebrating Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Unlike the historic creeds, it does not mention Pontius Pilate by name. Mary is not described as ‘Virgin’. The Church is not defined as ‘one, holy, catholic and apostolic’ nor ‘holy catholic’. It is stated simpliciter. There is no reference to the ascension per se nor to baptism.

Unlike the other two, it does mention he Bible and the Sacraments and, most significantly, Christ’s triumph over evil. It existed in these more ancient cultures  too and we are certainly witnesses to it now. Evil is a reality not to be denied. There is also a welcome reference to our calling ‘to serve God in the world’.

The conclusion of our ‘Statement of Christian Faith’ is the most satisfying of the three. It talks about the renewal of creation and the unity which will be accomplished when the creation ‘will rejoice in worshipping the Father, through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. This doxological unity is what we strive for in our corporate ministry.

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