CREEDS

A creed is a confession of faith for public use or a form of words setting forth with authority certain articles of belief. Creeds do not precede faith, but follow it, expressing the convictions of the believer towards Christ and His Word. A Creed outlines and preserves, in balanced proportion, Christianity's fundamental beliefs; it witnesses to the perpetuity, unity, and universality of the Christian faith; it binds Christians to one another and to the faithful of all centuries. Creeds or Symbols were used as summaries of doctrine, bonds of union, safeguards against error, and means of instruction. Creed incorporate the basic principles of their confessors, they are the major verbal expressions of the Christian faith. Many platforms and statements are formulated in modern times, though none has attained the same paramount importance as the Ecumenical Creeds. The Ecumenical Creeds; The Apostles, The Nicene, and The Athanasian Creeds have remained standard creeds for the majority of Christians since early years of the Church. The creed puts in verbal form what is held as the Church's central convictions and the use of the creed in the worship service enables the congregation to view and review the whole horizon of the Church's belief.

APOSTLES CREED

The tradition that the Apostles' Creed was composed on the Day of Pentecost (or shortly thereafter) by the twelve Apostles, each contributing an article, beginning with Peter, was proven false by later religious scholars. Also, this creed was not formulated by Councils of theologians, but rather grew spontaneously out of the needs of a living church. The confession of Peter (Matthew 16:16) and the baptismal formula of Christ (Matthew 29:19) undoubtedly influenced the development of the Apostles Creed. The creed seems to be an elaboration of a primitive baptismal formula, the one given in Matthew, "Baptizing in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost". The creed grew from these beginnings in New Testament times. Early traces of its articles are found in Ignartius and Justin Martyr's teachings. The creed was usually memorized, but not written, and it was explained to the cathecumens in the last stages of their preparation for baptism. The Apostles Creed probably had its inception in Rome. A briefer form of the Apostles Creed was know as the Roman Symbol, and was in use in the Church in Rome in the fourth century. The Roman Symbol "creed" was an elaboration of the earlier primitive baptismal formula, modified in such a fashion as to make it clear that the candidate for baptism did not adhere to the beliefs of Marcion who had a strong following in Rome. Marcion taught that world is the creation of Demiurge not God the Father, and that Christ was a phantom. The term "symbol" comes from a word which is one of its usages meant as a watchword, or a password in a military camp. As applied to a creed, it was a sign or test of membership in the Church. Assent to the symbol or creed was required of those who were being baptized. Although the development of the Apostles Creed was in part due to the conflict with the Marcionites and although several generations were still to elapse before all phrases were added which makes it as its stands today, it must not be forgotten that the Apostles Creed had as its nucleus words going back to the first century and the first words explicitly stated in the post-resurrection command of Jesus to the Apostles. It was meant to be simply a further interpretation to meet particular challenges as they arose. Thus it clearly is an expression of what was taught by the apostles, and thus the designation "Apostles Creed". In theory by the 800's all Christians were to know the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles Creed. The Apostles Creed did not assume its precise form of today until about 750 AD.

NICENE CREED

The original Nicene Creed in 325 grew out of the immediate necessity of safeguarding the apostolic teachings concerning the deity of Christ against the Arian heresy. Emperor Constantine called for the First Ecumenical Council to meet in Nicaea in Asia Minor in 325 to deal with these concerns. The calling of a Council was an accepted method for seeking accord on major divisive issues and other urgent problems which concerned the whole Church. The Arians presented a statement on their positions, but their positions aroused violent opposition. Eusebius of Caesarea took a middle position and suggested as a statement to which all might agree, the creed which was in use in his own episcopate see and which he said had come down from his predecessors in the Caesarean episcopate and was taught cathecumens and to which assent was required at baptism. This seemed to win general assent, including the endorsement of the Emperor. It became, therefore, the basis of what has since been known as the Nicene Creed. Christians of that day were working their way through statements for a clarification of what was presented to the world by the tremendous historical fact of the Christ. At Nicaea it was more and more becoming apparent to them that God must also be the Redeemer and yet, by a seeming paradox, the Redeemer must also be man. The distinguishing affirmation of Christianity was that Jesus Christ was "true God and from true God', or put in more familiar language of the day ,"very God of very God", who "was made man". A century later in 451 the Council of Chalcedon accepted changes made by an earlier Constantinopolitan Creed, ascribed to by 150 bishops brought together by Theodosius at Constantinople in 381. The Council of Chalcedon made minor changes to the Nicene Creed of 325 and made an extension of the 3rd article by asserting the true divinity of the Holy Spirit. The 3rd form of the Nicene creed differs by the inclusion of the word filioque emphasizing the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son (filioque), not just proceeding from the Father. When the Roman church added the word filioque to the Nicene Creed in the 11th century, the permanent schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church occurred. The Nicene Creed which is use today is thus a further development from the one which was adopted at Nicaea in 325

ATHANASIAN CREED

The precise date, author, and place of origin of the Athanasian Creed have not been indisputably determined, but it appears to have originated in the West, perhaps in Gaul or North Africa, and possibly as early as the fifth century or the beginning of the sixth century. The creed serves as a commentary on the first four Ecumenical Councils. It also seeks to state the doctrine of the Trinity in Augustianian paradoxes. The Athanasian Creed was popular among the monks of the Middle Ages who considered it well adopted to meditation and memorizing. In the days of Charlemagne it came to be used as a canticle (hymn) of worship service called Prime. The Athanasian Creed details in full the divinity of Christ to combat those that thought of Him only as a total man. The Catholic Latin clergy in order to state their position as against the Arians supposedly framed a creed (originally a hymn) which was commonly given the name Athanasian, because the Arians called the Catholics "athanasians". It seems to have been used first at Toledo in Spain in 589 or 653. While at St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome the Popes did not use it in full till the 11th century. The creed had gradually spread through the West and in 809 under Charlemagne a Synod at Aachen had given its approval. In keeping with ancient Church usage, probably since the 5th century, the Athanasian Creed is used in worship services on Trinity Sunday.