We believe, teach, and confess that Holy Scripture is the sole inerrant source of faith and life. And, as confessional Lutherans, we accept as fundamental and primary confessions of faith the Confessional Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which are contained in the 1580 Book of Concord , namely: the Apostolic, Nicean and Athanasian Creeds; the Augsburg Confession and its Apology; the Smalcald Articles (including the treatise On the Power and Primacy of the Pope); Luther's Small and Large Catechisms and the Formula of Concord (Epitome and Solid Declaration), including the confessional books which have not yet been translated into Ukrainian, which will become the official confessions of the ULC after their translation and publication in the Ukrainian language, according to the Constitution of the ULC. We accept this Confessions not only insofar as, but because they agree with Holy Scripture, and we believe that they are a faithful exposition of the Word of God, which is above all. According to Holy Scripture and our Confessions, Christ is the living, eternal revelation of the divine Word; the Holy Spirit creates faith only through the Gospel and Sacraments. All teachings must be focused on the person and work of Christ, and in that way, ought to express also a faithful exposition of Law and Gospel This leads to confession that the doctrine of justification of the sinner before the holy and righteous God is by grace, through faith, for the sake of Jesus Christ, as the chief article of faith, which is what defines what the Church is.

As for those articles of faith that our primary and fundamental confessions do not deal enough with, but which are under sharp discussions now, we believe, teach and confess:

I. OF GOD

We believe, teach and confess that only one God exists, the Triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus other teachings are rejected.

II. OF THE WORD OF GOD

We believe, that the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments in their pristine form, as they were written down by the prophets, apostles and Evangelists, are God-inspired. And this means, that Holy Scripture does not only contain within itself the word of God, but that it is exactly Gods Word in its fullness and entirety. On this account, Holy Scripture is inerrant and infallible in all that it teaches, since it is the single infallible rule and norm of Christian doctrine and practice. We reject the historical-critical method of interpreting Holy Scripture as a completely impermissible, blasphemous method of using of human reason to rule over Holy Scripture.

III. OF KNOWLEDGE AND TRUTH

We confess that the Word of God is absolute and objective truth, and that it is possible both to know the truth, and to confess it. Adherence to the truth of the Word in doctrinal questions, after diligent study of Holy Scripture, is not an act of human pride, but rather is a God-pleasing act of our submission to His will.

IV. OF CREATION

We confess that God created everything out of nothing during six ordinary days by the power of His Word, just as it is taught in the book of Genesis and other places in Holy Scripture. Thus we contradict and reject the theory of "evolution" and likewise the related "theistic evolution", not only because of the lack of weighty scientific proofs, but primarily because it contradicts the divinely inspired record of creation.

V. OF THE HISTORICITY OF THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST

We confess that all Biblical prophecies about Christ, the Messiah, were fulfilled in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This Jesus Christ is a true and actual historic figure, the only-begotten eternal Son of God, true God and true man (without sin). He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, was born and led an actual, sinless human life. He carried out the Law in our place and in our stead, died for our sins and rose again the third day, as it was prophesied in the Holy Scriptures. This living Jesus Christ bodily ascended into heaven and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God in holy Trinity. He is our Savior and the Head of our church. On the last day He will come in glory with His holy angels to judge the living and the dead. There is no other Christ and no other Christ can exist beside this historical, Biblical Jesus of Nazareth.

VI. OF JUSTIFICATION

We confess that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world. Thus all people are declared righteous by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This righteousness belongs only to the person who believes in Jesus as his or her one and only Savior from sin. These can also be called objective (general) and subjective (individual) justification.

VII. OF CONVERSION AND COMFORT

We confess that the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, effects conversion of the sinner who is dead in sin only through the Means of Grace, without any co-operation, decision or expression of the sinner's will. And this sinner, justified and regenerated by the Word of God, will find the genuine comfort of forgiveness of sins not in his own sanctified feelings or Christian experience, or in the indwelling of Christ in his heart, but in the objective pronouncement of the Gospel in Word and Sacraments, in which he was called and elected by God in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world

VIII. OF CHURCH ART

We confess that church art (icons, statues, stained glass and so forth) which faithfully represents Bible teachings is useful for teaching and for pious purposes of the modern child of God, just as it was useful for the children of God during the whole history of the Church, both New and Old Testament.) We reject and condemn the teachings which proclaim that this art has an intermediary character (plays a mediating role) between God and man, or which regards this art as means of grace.

IX. OF THE MINISTRY AND THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH

We confess that no one ought to teach or preach in the church, or administer the Sacraments, without a regular call. (AC XIV.) We also confess that when Holy Scripture says that a woman should not teach or "have authority" over man in the church, this means that the pastoral ministry of the Gospel may not abide in the hands of a woman. In keeping with just this principle, a woman ought not to have authority over man in the process of making congregational decisions. However, the views of women ought to be taken into account therein, since women are also members of the body of Christ and together with men share the blessings and duties of the "priesthood of all believers."

X. OF THE BASIS OF CHURCH FELLOWSHIP

We confess, as it is taught in AC VII, 2, "that it suffices for genuine unity of the Christian Church that the Gospel [here we mean the complete teaching of the Bible] be taught with its pure understanding and, that the Sacraments be distributed according to the divine Word." However, departures from the teaching of the divine Word ought not be accepted or tolerated in the church. Thus we reject any ecumenical unification and endeavors toward compromise in the pure teaching of the Word of God. But simultaneously we also condemn separatism, which leads to refusal of fellowship when there is harmony in doctrine.

XI. OF CHURCH AND STATE

We confess that according to Holy Scripture God has designated certain, separate ordinances to the Church and State respectively, which do not contravene each other. God established Church and State to be two separate kingdoms with the use of means appropriate to each. God ordains to the Church authority to call sinners to repentance, to preach and impart forgiveness of sins, as in the Gospel and Sacraments, and to encourage the believers in their Christian life. God ordains to the state authority to introduce civil order among people, punishing evildoers and defending the innocent. The Church's time on earth is not to consist in ordaining worldly order, and the State, on its part, is no preacher of the Gospel and ought not be entrusted with its propagation.

XII. OF HUMAN LIFE

We confess that Holy Scripture defends God's gift of human life. We acknowledge that God has imparted to the state the right to punish evildoers, even by execution, and to wage just wars. However, we confess that to take human life in any way not specified by God is a sin and is severely condemned by Holy Scripture. Thus there is no justification for any criminal act directed at depriving a person of life by suicide, euthanasia or abortion inclusive (if the latter is not called for with the aim of saving another gift of life with preponderant reasons in its favor).

The above-mentioned affirmations are not a modification of the Book of Concord or of any confession in it, and they are not any sort of addition to it, but rather should be regarded as a contemporary affirmation to briefly inform those interested in the position of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church concerning important questions.