“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’” — Romans 8:15 (BSB)
“And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” — Galatians 4:6 (BSB)
“But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.” — John 1:12–13 (BSB)
“Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God—and that is what we are!” — 1 John 3:1 (BSB)
In Scripture, God is called the Father in several senses: He is the eternal Father of the Son (John 17:5). He is the Creator and Father of all people in a general sense (Malachi 2:10). Most gloriously, He is the adoptive Father of those who are united to Christ by faith (Romans 8:15).
Through Christ, we are reconciled to the Father and receive the Spirit of adoption. This Trinitarian work brings us into the very family of God. As Ephesians 1:5 teaches, “He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will.”
Anglicans treasure this truth deeply. In the Thirty-Nine Articles, Article XVII affirms God’s gracious adoption of His elect “to everlasting salvation by Christ,” rooted in His eternal love. The Book of Common Prayer also addresses God as Father throughout its liturgy, especially in the Collects and the Lord’s Prayer.
J.C. Ryle wrote: “To be able to say, ‘God is my Father,’ is more than knowledge—it is assurance, peace, and hope in one. The man who can say this is rich indeed.”
Contemporary Anglican theologian Dr. Michael Jensen explains: “Calling God ‘Father’ is not a generic religious phrase—it is a radical confession that I have been adopted by grace and that I live each day under the care of a God who loves me as His child.”
Calling God “Father” means we are no longer orphans (John 14:18). We have a home, a name, and a place in the eternal family. This identity shapes our prayers, obedience, and hope. We live not as slaves, but as sons and daughters—heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
Cyprian emphasized the communal and covenantal nature of calling God Father.
St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD): “What is more gracious than for God to be our Father? And what greater hope than to be sons of such a Father, co-heirs with His only-begotten Son?” — Sermon 56
Augustine celebrated the Fatherhood of God as the heart of Christian identity.
St. Athanasius (c. 296–373 AD): “It is the Son who reveals the Father, and by the Spirit we are made sons, so that we may cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” — Letters to Serapion
Athanasius taught that the Father’s name becomes ours through union with the Son and the indwelling Spirit.
St. Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395 AD): “To say ‘Father’ is to declare a relationship born not of nature but of grace. He has chosen to be our Father, and that is the wonder of salvation.” — On the Lord’s Prayer
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
St. Thomas Church
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St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement in ancient tradition.
