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Thirty-Nine Articles, Article 20

Of the Authority of the Church.

THE Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in Controversies of Faith: And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to God's Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another. Wherefore, although the Church be a witness and a keeper of Holy Writ, yet, as it ought not to decree any thing against the same, so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation.

Source and edition

Thirty-Nine Articles. Book of Common Prayer, 1863, Articles of Religion. Book of Common Prayer, 1863, Articles of Religion

Public Domain (historic text); CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikisource transcription). Source transcription.

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