All employees at the university must agree to the statement of faith. Over the years this statement has changed.
Before 1950, the college did not have a separate statement of faith. Instead, faculty and staff had to agree to uphold the doctrinal statements contained in the Northwest Yearly Meeting Faith and Practice, George Fox’s Letter to the Governor of Barbados (1671), and the Richmond Conference’s Declaration of Faith (1887). Starting in 1950, the college issued a separate statement of faith although this aligned closely with the Yearly Meeting.
1951-52 Statement of Faith
“We believe the Bible to be the only inspired, infallible, authoritative word of God
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
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 body resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father as the only mediator between God and man and in His personal return to power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of the lost and sinful man regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We reverently believe that as there is one Lord and one faith, so there is one baptism, whereby all believers are baptized into the one Spirit and into the one Body.
We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit who fills and indwells in the consecrated believer enabling him to live a godly life and to carry out the Great Commission with its outreach in evangelistic, missionary and humanitarian service.
We believe that the true supper of the Lord is observed when the believer partakes spiritually and inwardly of the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe that all war is utterly incompatible with the plain precepts of our divine Lord and Lawgiver in His instructions to His followers.
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.”
By 1965, the statement remained basically the same except that the first sentence had been amended to read, “We believe the Holy Scriptures were given in inspiration of God and are the divinely authorized record of Christian doctrines.”
In 1991, the statement was slightly altered. The original statement about the Bible that is present in the 1951-52 statement reappeared. The statement on the ministry of the Holy Spirit dropped mention of the Great Commission and instead read “We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who fills and indwells the consecrated believer and enables him to live a godly life.”
When the Western Evangelical Seminary (now Portland Seminary) became part of the university, the statement of faith needed to change to reflect both Fox’s Quaker heritage and the Wesleyan foundations of the seminary. In addition to these, there was increasing denominational diversity among the faculty and staff. There was also the need to update some of the language. The 2001-02 Statement of Faith is the one currently used by the university.
2001-02 Statement of Faith
“The Trinity: We believe in one eternal God, the source and goal of life, who exists as three persons in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In love and joy, God creates and sustains the universe, including humanity, male and female, who are made in God’s image.
God the Father: We believe in God the Father Almighty, whose love is the foundation of salvation and righteous judgment, and who calls us into covenant relationship with God and with one another.
God the Son: We believe in Jesus Christ, the Word, who is fully God and fully human. He came to show us God and perfect humanity, and, through his life, death, and resurrection, to reconcile us to God. He is now actively present with us as Savior, Teacher, Lord, Healer, and Friend.
God the Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit, who breathed God’s message into the prophets and apostles, opens our eyes to God’s Truth in Jesus Christ, empowers us for holy living, and carries on in us the work of salvation.
Salvation: We believe that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, to whom we must respond with repentance, faith, and obedience. Through Christ we come into a right relationship with God, our sins are forgiven, and we receive eternal life.
The Bible: We believe that God inspired the Bible and has given it to us as the uniquely authoritative, written guide for Christian living and thinking. As illumined by the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures are true and reliable. They point us to God, guide our lives, and nurture us toward spiritual maturity.
The Christian Life: We believe that God has called us to be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to be God’s agents of love and reconciliation in the world. In keeping with the teaching of Jesus, we work to oppose violence and war, and we seek peace and justice in human relationships and social structures.
The Church: We believe in the church as the people of God, composed of all who believe in Jesus Christ, who support and equip each other through worship, teaching, and accountability, who model God’s loving community, and who proclaim the gospel to the world.
Christian Worship: We believe Christ is present as we gather in his name, seeking to worship in spirit and in truth. All believers are joined in the one body of Christ, are baptized by the Spirit, and live in Christ’s abiding presence. Christian baptism and communion are spiritual realities, and, as Christians from many faith traditions, we celebrate these in different ways.
The Future: We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, in the resurrection of the dead, in God’s judgment of all persons with perfect justice and mercy, and in eternal reward and punishment. Ultimately, Christ’s kingdom will be victorious over all evil, and the faithful will reign with him in eternal life.”
Current(2024) Statement of Faith
The Trinity
We believe in one eternal God, the source and goal of life, who exists as three persons in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In love and joy, God creates and sustains the universe, including humanity, male and female, who are made in God’s image.
GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God the Father Almighty, whose love is the foundation of salvation and righteous judgment, and who calls us into covenant relationship with God and with one another.
GOD THE SON
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Word, who is fully God and fully human. He came to show us God and perfect humanity, and, through his life, death, and resurrection, to reconcile us to God. He is now actively present with us as Savior, Teacher, Lord, Healer, and Friend.
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who breathed God’s message into the prophets and apostles, opens our eyes to God’s Truth in Jesus Christ, empowers us for holy living, and carries on in us the work of salvation.
Salvation
We believe that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone, to whom we must respond with repentance, faith, and obedience. Through Christ we come into a right relationship with God, our sins are forgiven, and we receive eternal life.
The Bible
We believe that God inspired the Bible and has given it to us as the uniquely authoritative, written guide for Christian living and thinking. As illumined by the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures are true and reliable. They point us to God, guide our lives, and nurture us toward spiritual maturity.
The Christian Life
We believe that God has called us to be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to be God’s agents of love and reconciliation in the world. In keeping with the teaching of Jesus, we work to oppose violence and war, and we seek peace and justice in human relationships and social structures.
The Church
We believe in the church as the people of God, composed of all who believe in Jesus Christ, who support and equip each other through worship, teaching, and accountability, who model God’s loving community, and who proclaim the gospel to the world.
Christian Worship
We believe Christ is present as we gather in his name, seeking to worship in spirit and in truth. All believers are joined in the one body of Christ, are baptized by the Spirit, and live in Christ’s abiding presence. Christian baptism and communion are spiritual realities, and, as Christians from many faith traditions, we celebrate these in different ways.
The Future
We believe in the personal return of Jesus Christ, in the resurrection of the dead, in God’s judgment of all persons with perfect justice and mercy, and in eternal reward and punishment. Ultimately, Christ’s kingdom will be victorious over all evil, and the faithful will reign with him in eternal life.