We believe that human beings have something of the divine within and so they are the spiritual temples of God. Our name derives from these concepts:
We try to follow the teachings of Jesus and his central message about the kingdom of God as recorded in the New Testament and as summed up by the twin commandments: "love God with all your being and love your neighbour as you love yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39).
In this central message of Jesus, the founders of the Temple Society saw a clear definition of humanity's task in the world. They believed, as we do today, that this task can be carried out more effectively in communities of people with the same focus.
The aim of the Temple Society and of its individual members is the fulfilment of what Jesus envisaged as God's kingdom on earth by putting his message of love into practice in daily life. Templers are people who accept the responsibility of conscientiously working towards the achievement of this aim.
Our guiding principle is:
"Set your mind on God's kingdom and his justice before everything else, and all the rest will come to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).
We are not affiliated with any other Christian church or denomination. We are non-dogmatic and have no fixed creed, liturgy or sacraments. But we strive to establish and nurture Christian fellowship and recognise a bond with all those who work for the good of humanity.
God
We see God as the source of life and centre of all being; a transcending spiritual reality, acting within and beyond this world. We are conscious that the true nature of God is beyond human comprehension, and we acknowledge the limitations of statements about God.
Jesus
To us, Jesus is a human being, divinely inspired. He taught us and showed us by his example the essential guidelines we should use for our lives: striving for the kingdom of God by trusting in Him and by loving your neighbour as yourself.
Kingdom of God
The kingdom of God is the core of Jesus' message. It involves a continuing perfecting of humanity and a closer relationship of people to God and to each other. This is an essential commitment in which we are expected to participate, even if its full realisation is beyond our understanding.
Mankind
Through God's creative powers we are given a free will, albeit limited. We are called to work on ourselves and the world of which we are part and for which we share responsibility.
Bible
We recognise and respect biblical writings and regard them as a rich source that records human experiences with God. We believe that the books of the Bible were not literally dictated by God, and should therefore not be followed blindly.
Community
Templers regard the formation and cultivation of communities as essential, because Christianity can best be practiced in a community of like-minded people working cooperatively.
Autonomy
The Temple Society supports each individual to experience and develop a deeper relationship with their understanding of God or the divine. This freedom of religious thought allows the development of individuality and diversity amongst members. The values of: trust, acceptance, respect are reflected in this freedom.