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Originally Posted by Timmy
What are the "Fundamentals of Faith" of the UPCI, anyway? I can't find them online, not even on the UPCI's web site.
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In 1945 when the UPC was formed, two different organizations came together and merged. One organization was the PCI (Pentecostal Church Inc) and the other was the PAJC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ). At one time I read the numbers of ministers that were in each organization at the time but I don't remember where I read that or what the numbers were. The general belief among the PAJC ministers was that a person is not saved or born again until after being baptized in water in Jesus name and being baptized in the Holy Spirit. The general belief among PCI ministers was that a person was saved or born again prior to water baptism in Jesus name and the baptism in the Spirit. Some from both groups did not think they could actually come together. Bro. Witherspoon, who was Chairman of the PAJC, typed up a statement, later known as The Fundamental Doctrine Statement, which was ambiguous enough that ministers from both groups could agree with it and the merger happened. This is the fundamental doctrine statement as adopted by the UPC at its formation in 1945:
"The basic fundamental doctrine of this organization shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
"We shall endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit until we all come into the unity of the faith, at the same time admonishing all the brethren that they shall not contend for their different views to the disunity of the body."
Later, in 1973 at the General Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, the statement was modified to add the words "for the remission of sins" after "immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." The motion to add these words was made by Bro. S.G. Norris who believed that water baptism washed away sin. The motion was seconded by Bro. W.M. Greer who believed that "for the remission of sins" meant "because your sins have been forgiven." He was approached by Nathan Urshan to second the motion because the proposal "would almost certainly receive unanimous approval" if he did it. Bro. Greer asked if he could continue to believe as he had always done and Bro. Urshan agreed.