What we believe at Pathway
We are a proud member of the Canadian Reformed Churches, a federation deeply grounded in the principles and practices of the early church and its restoration during the time of the 16th century Reformation. Central to our mission is exalting the Triune God through the unwavering proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our commitment lies in upholding God’s Word as the true story of the world – a story which serves as the cornerstone of our faith and guides our efforts to faithfully share the transformative message of Christ.
Our Creeds
CS Lewis once warned the church against what he called “chronological snobbery” – that is, pridefully thinking that we have little to learn from the past. At Pathway, we believe that the Holy Spirit has been leading the church into truth for centuries and one of the evidences of this is found in what are called ecumenical creeds – brief statements of faith that we share with fellow Christians around the world and throughout time. We have three creeds we embrace and profess: the Apostles’ Creed (3rd/4th centuries), the Nicene Creed (4th century), and the Athanasian Creed (6th century).
Our Confessions and Catechism
In addition to ecumenical creeds, we also subscribe to more detailed expressions of the Christian faith called confessions and catechisms. These documents are rooted in the 16th and 17th centuries and faithfully summarize the teachings of the Bible. As doctrinal standards, they provide excellent teaching tools for grounding Christians in their faith. If you examine church history, you will discover that almost every denomination and tradition have used confessions and catechisms for the religious instruction of children and adults (Lutherans – Luther’s Small Catechism; Presbyterians – Westminster Shorter Catechism; Baptists – Keach’s Catechism; Anglicans – The Book of Common Prayer’s Catechism, and Reformed – Heidelberg Catechism). At Pathway, we have three detailed doctrinal standards: the Belgic Confession (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) and the Canons of Dort (1618-1619). If you take time to explore them, you will gain a rather comprehensive understanding of what we believe and the doctrinal foundations upon which we build our lives.
Additional Recommended Resources
New City Catechism
In addition to our confessional standards, check out the New City Catechism, an abbreviated and modern-day resource aimed at helping children and adults alike learn the core teachings of the Christian faith.
The Gospel Coalition
The Gospel Coalition provides daily articles on a host of relevant doctrinal and cultural topics. It draws from many different writers from a broad spectrum of Reformed and Presbyterian backgrounds.
