The letter of George Fox to the Governor of Barbados in 1671. The apology of Robert Barclay, written in Latin in 1676 and translated into English in 1678. The Richmond Declaration of Faith , adopted at a major conference of the Society of Friends in Richmond, Indiana, in 1887. That God is the source of truth, that he discloses himself to humankind in creation, in the history of his dealings with his people, through sacred scripture and directly by inward and unmediated revelation, which is necessary for the building up of Christian faith but does not contradict the testimony of the scriptures. In the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the essential and reliable records of divine revelation.
Scripture is given by divine inspiration and is authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
The Holy Spirit who inspired the scriptures must ever be their true interpreter as he works through the disciplined and dedicated minds of those within his church. Under his guidance, scripture is to be interpreted in each of its parts according to its context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who reveals himself through them. That scripture teaches the truth about the human condition, that we are created in the image of God, capable of abundant life, creative works, fulfillment and happiness in fellowship with him, but that fellowship was broken through the disobedience of our first parents and so all persons are estranged from God, under the power of sin, and in need of redemption. God's grace is necessary as the remedy of sin and his prevenient grace has restored moral awareness and enables all persons to respond to his love and accept his saving grace, if they will. In the death of Christ our Lord, God's only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, buried, risen from the dead and ascended to heaven where he sits at the right hand of God Almighty as the necessary atonement for the sins of humanity.