The Westminster Confession of Faith, The Westminster Larger Catechism, and The Westminster Shorter Catechism are together referred to as The Westminster Standards. Along with the EPC's The Essentials of Our Faith, The Westminster Standards are seen not as a substitute to Scripture, but rather as a distillation of what Scripture teaches. Upon their ordination, EPC Teaching Elders (i.e., Pastors), Ruling Elders, and Deacons take a vow to sincerely receive and adopt the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Scriptures, as well as vowing to affirm and adopt The Essentials of Our Faith without exception.