The significance and importance of our Statement of Faith is undoubted. Our community is largely bound together by the Biblical Principles that are to be found in the Bible, of which the BASF is regarded as a true account. It is not necessarily the only true account: many ecclesias have adopted their own “Statement of Faith”, but all acknowledge the validity of the BASF. In areas of dispute, we tend to strongly emphasize a few phrases or sections. Many of these phrases are to be found in these doctrines to be rejected, for example:

• That the dead rise in an immortal state
• That we are at liberty to serve in the army, or as police constables
• That marriage with an unbeliever is lawful

These and many more were added to clarify the position of the community in times of dispute. And in fact, many of these additional doctrines help clarify the doctrines held by our community in several areas that are still to this day the subject of internal controversy, although often overlooked, ignored, or explained away.