SouthPark Church
AI summary — doctrinal positions on this page are inferred by AI from this church's own public statements and may be inaccurate.
Inherited from denomination
What United Methodist Church teaches
Positions bound by the denomination's confessional standards. This is what the tradition teaches; whether this specific congregation publicly holds each is a separate question — see Statements below.
Affirms
- Homosexual practice and biblical sexual ethicsweakSame-sex marriage authorization implies moral affirmation.
- Infant BaptismstandardWestminster XXVIII; Book of Concord SC IV; Council of Trent Session VII; Wesleyan Articles Art. XVII
- Permissibility of divorce and remarriageweakMatthew 19:9 (adultery ground); 1 Corinthians 7:15 (abandonment ground). Practice varies.
- Women in pastoral / ordained officeweakVarious denominational actions (TEC 1976, ELCA 1970s, PC(USA) 1956, AG 1935, CofE 1994 priests / 2014 bishops, etc.)
Denies
- Assumption of MaryweakUniversal Protestant rejection — not attested in Scripture; not received as dogma.
- Immaculate ConceptionstandardUniversal Protestant + Orthodox rejection. Orthodox reject on the grounds that they hold prepurification at the Annunciation, not conception.
- Marriage as one man and one womanweakPC(USA) 2015; ELCA 2009; TEC 2015; UMC 2024. Same-sex marriage authorized in polity.
- Perpetual Virginity of MaryweakNatural reading of Matthew 13:55–56 (brothers of Jesus); typical modern Baptist / evangelical position.
- TransubstantiationstandardOrthodox reject the Aristotelian metaphysics; Lutherans use 'sacramental union'; 39 Articles Art. XXVIII rejects explicitly; Reformed/Baptist reject substance-change.
Wrestles with
- Apostolic SuccessionweakLutheran and Methodist bodies retain 'succession of doctrine' language without the tactile chain.
- Believer's BaptismweakPaedobaptist bodies practice adult baptism on credible profession where infant baptism was omitted, but do not consider it normative.
- Pacifism vs. just-warweakDefault just-war framework — usually unwritten. Inheriting at weak confidence.
- Real PresenceweakCalvin's spiritual presence (genuinely present but not physically) is neither strong affirm nor deny; Anglican/Methodist typically hold a receptionist view.
- TheotokosweakConfessionally valid title (Ephesus is a received council) but not used devotionally; retained in liturgy where liturgy is retained.
In their own words
Statements
statement_of_faith
<!doctype html> What We Believe - SouthPark Church Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give What We Believe Take a deeper look into what we believe A UNITED METHODIST CHURCH We are a United Methodist congregation. Methodist characteristics include: Connecting withSource ↗
mission
Vision - SouthPark Church Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Vision Vision We help people live life to the full. Core Values We have three core values: Relationships Relationships are the most important part of life. We love God and we love our neighbors as ourselves. Transformation God meets us where we are and helSource ↗
about_us
<!doctype html> Who We are - SouthPark Church Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Who We Are Take a deeper look into what makes us unique. Vision We help people live life to the full. Core Values We have three core values: Relationships RelationshipsSource ↗
mission
What We Believe - SouthPark Church Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give What We Believe Take a deeper look into what we believe A UNITED METHODIST CHURCH We are a United Methodist congregation. Methodist characteristics include: Connecting with God through our hearts and minds, God’s unmerited favor, social responsibiSource ↗
about
Who We are - SouthPark Church Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Home Who We are Vision Our Team What We Believe What to Expect Get Connected Groups Children Youth Outreach Worship Arts Prayer Watch Past Sermons Events Give Who We Are Take a deeper look into what makes us unique. Vision We help people live life to the full. Core Values We have three core values: Relationships Relationships are the most important part of life. We love God and we love our neighbors as ourseSource ↗
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