The Thirty-Nine articles of Religion.  Text of the articles (with a modern rendering) and links to other information on each article.

Articles 6-8 : The rule of faith

Articles 1-5 (previous page)

Article 6  The sufficiency of Holy Scripture for Salvation

Article 7  The Old Testament

Article 8  The three Creeds

Articles 9-14 (next page)

(See also Donald Allister's Cross†Way article on Articles 6-8)

VI. Of the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation.
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 an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books.

And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:

All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical.


6. The sufficiency of Holy Scripture for salvation
Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation. Consequently whatever is not read in Scripture nor can be proved from Scripture cannot be demanded from any person to believe it as an article of the faith. Nor is any such thing to be thought necessary or required for salvation. By holy Scripture is meant those canonical books of the Old and New Testaments whose authority has never been doubted within the church.

The canonical books of the Old Testament are:

The canonical books of the New Testament are:

The books of the Apocrypha, as Jerome says, are read by the church for examples of life and instruction in behaviour, but the church does not use them to establish any doctrine. They are:

Pages on Scripture

Pages on the Apocrypha

VII. Of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to Mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the old Fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touching Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.

7. The Old Testament
The Old Testament is not contrary to the New, for in both the Old and New Testaments eternal life is offered to mankind through Christ. Hence he, being both God and man, is the only mediator between God and man. Those who pretend that the Patriarchs only looked for transitory promises must not be listened to. Although the law given by God through Moses is not binding on Christians as far as its forms of worship and ritual are concerned and the civil regulations are not binding on any nation state, nevertheless no Christian is free to disobey those commandments which may be classified as moral.

Article from Cross†Way 2004.

The Old not contrary to the New.

VIII. Of the Three Creeds.
The Three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles' Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture.

8. The three Creeds
The three creeds, the Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, and that known as the Apostles' Creed, ought to be wholeheartedly accepted and believed. This is because their contents may be proved by definite statements of Holy Scripture.

Pages on the Creeds:

The Three Creeds

History of the Creeds

The Athanasian Creed - damned if you don't

Text of Athanasian creed from An English Prayer Book