The
Apostles' Creed (
LatinEcclesiastical Latin is the Latin used by the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in all periods for ecclesiastical purposes...
:
Symbolum Apostolorum or
Symbolum Apostolicum), sometimes titled
Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
belief, a
creedA creed is a statement of belief—usually religious belief—or faith often recited as part of a religious service. The word derives from the for I believe...
or "symbol". It is widely used by a number of
Christian denominations for both
liturgicalA liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Catholic Mass, or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish services...
and catechetical purposes, most visibly by liturgical Churches of Western tradition, including the
Latin RiteThe Latin Church or Rite is the majority Rite or particular church within the Catholic Church, comprising roughly 80% of its membership. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church...
of the
Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
,
LutheranismLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the 16th century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
, the
Anglican CommunionThe Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches. There is no single "Anglican Church" with universal juridical authority as each national or regional church has full autonomy...
, and Western Orthodoxy. It is also used by
PresbyteriansPresbyterianism is the religion of a number of different Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, and organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity...
,
MethodistsMethodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to Reverend John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement in the Anglican Church. His younger brother...
, and
CongregationalistsCongregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
.
The theological specifics of this creed appear to have been originally formulated as a refutation of
GnosticismGnosticism refers to diverse, syncretistic religious movements in antiquity consisting of various belief systems generally united in the teaching that humans are divine souls trapped in a material world created by an imperfect god, the demiurge; this being is frequently identified with the...
, an early
heresyHeresy is the rejection of one or more established beliefs of a religious body, or adherence to "other beliefs." Christian heresy refers to unorthodox practices and beliefs that were deemed to be heretical by one or more of the Christian churches. The term "heresy" most commonly refers to those...
. This can be seen in almost every phrase. For example, the creed states that Christ, Jesus, was born, suffered, and died on the cross. This seems to be a statement directly against the heretical teaching that Christ only appeared to become man and that he did not truly suffer and die but only appeared to do so. The Apostles' Creed, as well as other baptismal creeds, is esteemed as an example of the apostles' teachings and a defense of the Gospel of Christ.
The name of the Creed comes from the probably fifth-century legend that, under the inspiration of the
Holy SpiritIn Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. In mainstream Christian beliefs he is the third person of the Trinity. As part of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and with God the Son....
after
PentecostPentecost is one of the prominent feasts in the Christian liturgical year. The feast is also called Whitsun, Whitsunday, Whit Sunday, and Whitsuntide, especially in the United Kingdom. Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks after Easter Sunday, hence its name...
, each of the
Twelve ApostlesIn Christianity, apostles were missionaries among the leaders in the Early Church and, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Jesus Christ himself. The term was also used, especially by the Gospel of Luke, for "the Twelve," Jesus' inner circle of disciples...
dictated part of it. It is traditionally divided into twelve articles.
Because of its early origin, it does not address some
ChristologicalChristology is a field of study within Christian theology which is concerned with the nature of Jesus the Christ, particularly with how the divine and human are related in his person. Christology is generally less concerned with the details of Jesus' life than with how the human and divine...
issues defined in the later
NiceneThe Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325...
and other Christian Creeds. It thus says nothing explicitly about the divinity of either Jesus or of the Holy Spirit. This makes it acceptable to many
AriansArianism is the theological teaching of Arius , a Christian priest, who was first ruled a heretic at the First Council of Nicea of 325, later exonerated in 335 at the First Synod of Tyre, and then pronounced a heretic again after his death at the First Council of Constantinople of 381...
and
UnitariansUnitarianism as a theology is the belief in the single personality of God, in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity ....
. Nor does it address many other theological questions that became objects of dispute centuries later.
Origin of the Apostles' Creed
The title,
Symbolum Apostolicum (Symbol or Creed of the Apostles), appears for the first time in a letter from a Council in Milan (probably written by
AmbroseSaint Ambrose was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church.-Political career:...
himself) to
Pope SiriciusPope Saint Siricius, Bishop of Rome from December 384 until his death on 26 November 399, was successor to Damasus I and was himself succeeded by Anastasius I....
in about 390: "Let them give credit to the Creed of the Apostles, which the Roman Church has always kept and preserved undefiled". But what existed at that time was not what is now known as the Apostles' Creed but a shorter statement of belief that, for instance, did not include the phrase "maker of heaven and earth", a phrase that may have been inserted only in the seventh century.
The legend that this creed, the forerunner and principal source of the Apostles' Creed, had been jointly created by the Apostles under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with each of the twelve contributing one of the articles, was already current at that time.
The earlier text evolved from simpler texts based on . and it has been argued that it was already in written form by the late second century (circa 180 AD).
While the individual statements of belief that are included in the Apostles' Creed – even those not found in the
Old Roman SymbolThe Old Roman Symbol, or Old Roman Creed, is an earlier and shorter version of the Apostles' Creed. It was based on the second-century Rules of Faith and the interrogatory declaration of faith for those receiving Baptism , which by the fourth century was everywhere tripartite in structure,...
– are found in various writings by
IrenaeusSaint Irenaeus , was a Christian Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
,
TertullianQuintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian, was a prolific and controversial early Christian Berber author, and the first to write Christian Latin literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and a polemicist against heresy...
, Novatian,
MarcellusMarcellus of Ancyra was one of the bishops present at the Councils of Ancyra and of Nicaea. He was a strong opponent of Arianism, but was accused of adopting the opposite extreme of modified Sabellianism...
,
RufinusTyrannius Rufinus or Rufinus of Aquileia was a monk, historian, and theologian...
,
AmbroseSaint Ambrose was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church.-Political career:...
,
AugustineAugustine of Hippo , Bishop of Hippo Regius, also known as St. Augustine or St. Austin, was an Algerian Berber philosopher and theologian....
, Nicetus, and Eusebius Gallus, the earliest appearance of what we know as the Apostles' Creed was in the
De singulis libris canonicis scarapsus ("
Excerpt from Individual Canonical Books") of
St. PriminiusSaint Pirmin , also named Pirminius, was a monk, strongly influenced by Celtic Christianity and Saint Amand. He originated from the surroundings of Narbonne, possible of Visigothic origin....
(
MigneJacques Paul Migne was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood.He was born at Saint-Flour, Cantal and studied...
,
Patrologia LatinaThe Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865....
89, 1029 ff.), written between 710 and 714. This longer Creed seems to have arisen in what is now France and Spain.
CharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 to his death. He expanded the Frankish kingdoms into a Frankish Empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe...
imposed it throughout his dominions, and it was finally accepted in Rome, where the Old Roman Creed or similar formulas had survived for centuries. It has been argued nonetheless that it dates from the second half of the fifth century, though no earlier.
Some have suggested that the Apostles' Creed was spliced together with phrases from the New Testament. For instance, the phrase "descendit ad inferos" ("he descended into hell") echoes , "κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς" ("he descended into the lower, earthly regions").
This phrase and that on the
communion of saintsThe Communion of Saints is the spiritual union of all Christians living and the dead, those on earth, in heaven and, in Catholic belief, in purgatory...
are articles found in the Apostles' Creed, but not in the Old Roman Symbol nor in the Nicene Creed.
Text of the Creed in Latin
- Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae,
- et in Iesum Christum, Filium Eius unicum, Dominum nostrum,
- qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine,
- passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus,
- descendit ad ínferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis,
- ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Patris omnipotentis,
- inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.
- Credo in Spiritum Sanctum,
- sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem,
- remissionem peccatorum,
- carnis resurrectionem,
- vitam aeternam.
- Amen.
The Roman Catholic Church
The
Catechism of the Catholic ChurchThe Catechism of the Catholic Church is an official exposition of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
gives the following English translation of the Apostles' Creed. In its discussion of the Creed, the Catechism maintains the traditional division into twelve articles, the numbering of which is here added to the text.
- 1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
- 2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
- 3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
- 4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
- 5. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again.
- 6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
- 7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
- 8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
- 9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
- 10. the forgiveness of sins,
- 11. the resurrection of the body,
- 12. and the life everlasting.
- Amen.
The Church of England
In the
Church of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches...
there are currently two authorized forms of the creed: that of the
Book of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
(1662) and that of
Common WorshipCommon Worship is the name given to the series of services authorised by the General Synod of the Church of England and launched on the first Sunday of Advent in 2000. It represents the most recent stage of development of the Liturgical Movement within the Church and is the successor to the...
(2000).
Book of Common Prayer
- I believe in God the Father Almighty,
- Maker of heaven and earth:
- And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
- Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
- Born of the Virgin Mary,
- Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
- Was crucified, dead, and buried:
- He descended into hell;
- The third day he rose again from the dead;
- He ascended into heaven,
- And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
- From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
- I believe in the Holy Ghost;
- The holy Catholick Church;
- The Communion of Saints;
- The Forgiveness of sins;
- The Resurrection of the body,
- And the Life everlasting.
- Amen.
Common Worship
- I believe in God, the Father almighty,
- creator of heaven and earth.
- I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
- born of the Virgin Mary,
- suffered under Pontius Pilate,
- was crucified, died, and was buried;
- he descended into hell.
- On the third day he rose again;
- he ascended into heaven,
- he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
- and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
- I believe in the Holy Spirit,
- the holy catholic Church,
- the communion of saints,
- the forgiveness of sins,
- the resurrection of the body,
- and the life everlasting.
- Amen.
The Presbyterian Church
The Presbyterian Church uses the same text as is in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, but with the modernized spelling "catholic" and some changes from upper to lowercase letters.
The Lutheran Church
- I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
- maker of heaven and earth.
- And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
- and born of the virgin Mary,
- suffered under Pontius Pilate,
- who was crucified, died and was buried.
- He descended into hell.
- and on the third day He rose again from the dead.
- He ascended into heaven
- and sits at the right hand of the Father.
- From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
- I believe in the Holy Spirit,
- the holy catholic Church,
- the communion of saints,
- the forgiveness of sins,
- the resurrection of the body,
- and the life everlasting. Amen.
The
Evangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches and currently has about 4,633,887 baptized members...
, the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, uses the ELLC ecumenical version. The phrase "he descended to the dead" is footnoted to indicate the alternate reading: "or 'he descended into hell,' another translation of this text in widespread use". It does not alter the phrase "the holy catholic church". The ELLC version is also used in the
Evangelical Lutheran WorshipEvangelical Lutheran Worship or ELW is the current, primary liturgical/worship resource and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, replacing its three predecessors, the Lutheran Book of Worship , the Hymnal Supplimental , and the...
, which is the primary worship resource for the ELCA and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in CanadaThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination, with 182,077 baptized members in 624 congregations...
.
The Danish National Church still uses the phrase "I renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways" as the beginning of this creed, before the line "I believe in God etc.". This is mostly due to the influence of Grundtvig. See (da).
The Unity of the Brethren
In the version recited by Unity churches, the only variation from the Lutheran Creed is "I believe in the holy Christian Church," instead of the "Catholic Church."
The United Methodist Church
The
United MethodistsThe United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which traces its roots back to the evangelical, holiness, revival movement of John and Charles Wesley within the Anglican Church. As such, the church's theological orientation is decidedly Wesleyan. It contains both liturgical and...
commonly incorporate the Apostles' Creed into their worship services. The version which is most often used is located at #881 in the
United Methodist HymnalUnited Methodist Hymnal is the hymnal used by the United Methodist Church. It was first published in 1989 as the first hymnal for the United Methodist Church after its merger with the Evangelical United Brethren denomination...
, one of their most popular hymnals and one with a heritage to
John WesleyJohn Wesley was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, with founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
, founder of
MethodismMethodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to Reverend John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement in the Anglican Church. His younger brother...
http://catalystresources.org/issues/272yee.htmlhttp://catalystresources.org/issues/312knight.html. It is notable for omitting the line "he descended into hell", but is otherwise very similar to the Book of Common Prayer version. The 1989 Hymnal has both the traditional version and the 1988 ecumenical version (see below), which includes "he descended to the dead."
- I believe in God the Father Almighty,
- maker of heaven and earth;
- And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
- born of the Virgin Mary,
- suffered under Pontius Pilate,
- was crucified, dead, and buried;
- the third day he rose from the dead;
- he ascended into heaven,
- and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
- from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
- I believe in the Holy Spirit,
- the holy catholic church,
- the communion of saints,
- the forgiveness of sins,
- the resurrection of the body,
- and the life everlasting. Amen.
The
United Methodist Hymnal also contains (at #882) what it terms the "Ecumenical Version" of this creed -- a version which is identical to that found in the Episcopal Church's current
Book of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
. This form of the Apostles' Creed can be found incorporated into the Eucharistic and Baptismal Liturgies in the Hymnal and in
The United Methodist Book of Worship, and hence it is growing in popularity and use.
Ecumenical version of the English Language Liturgical Consultation
The
English Language Liturgical ConsultationThe English Language Liturgical Consultation is a group of national associations of ecumenical liturgists in the English-speaking world. Their work has been concerned with developing and promoting common liturgical texts in English and sharing a common lectionary wherever possible...
(ELLC) is an international ecumenical group whose primary purpose is to provide ecumenically accepted texts for those who use English in their liturgy. In 1988 it produced a translation of the Apostles' Creed, distinguished among other things by its avoidance of the word "his" in relation to God. The text is as follows:
http://www.renewingworship.org/resources/ELLC/texts/apostles_creed.html
- I believe in God, the Father almighty,
- creator of heaven and earth.
- I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
- who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
- born of the Virgin Mary,
- suffered under Pontius Pilate,
- was crucified, died, and was buried;
- he descended into hell.
- On the third day he rose again;
- he ascended into heaven,
- he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
- and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
- I believe in the Holy Spirit,
- the holy catholic Church,
- the communion of saints
The Communion of Saints is the spiritual union of all Christians living and the dead, those on earth, in heaven and, in Catholic belief, in purgatory...
,
- the forgiveness of sins,
- the resurrection of the body,
- and the life everlasting. Amen.
Liturgical use in Western Christianity
The liturgical communities in western Christianity that derive their rituals from the
Roman MissalThe Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-History:...
, including those particular communities which use the Roman Missal itself (Roman Catholics), the
Book of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
(
AnglicansAnglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures...
/ Episcopalians), the
Lutheran Book of Worship (ELCA
LutheransLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the 16th century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
),
Lutheran Service Book (
Missouri-Synod LutheransThe Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod , founded in 1847 in Chicago, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States, and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It is a traditional, Confessional Lutheran denomination with German...
), use the Apostles' Creed and interrogative forms of it in their rites of
BaptismIn Christianity, baptism is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which one is admitted to membership of the Christian Church and, in the view of some, as a member of the particular Church in which the baptism is administered.The usual form of baptism among the earliest Christians was for the...
, which they consider to be the first
sacramentA sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is what Roman Catholics believe to be "a rite in which God is uniquely active." Augustine of Hippo defined a Christian sacrament as "a visible sign of an invisible reality." The Anglican Book of Common Prayer speaks of them as "an...
of initiation into the Church.
Roman Catholic Rite of Baptism
An interrogative form of the Apostles' Creed is used in the Rite of Baptism (for both children and adults). The minister of baptism asks the following questions (
ICELThe International Commission on English in the Liturgy was established on 17th October 1963 as a result of the Second Vatican Council's decision to allow the public celebration of the Catholic Mass in the vernacular....
, 1974):
- Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
- Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
- Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
To each question, the catechumen, or, in the case of an infant, the parents and sponsor(s) (godparent(s)) in his or her place, answers "I do." Then the celebrant says:
- This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And all respond: Amen.
Roman Catholic Profession of Faith at Mass
The
Niceno-Constantinopolitan CreedThe Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325...
is given first place in the text of the
Roman MissalThe Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-History:...
; but "the baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome, called the Apostles' Creed" may be used in its place, "especially in Lent and Eastertide" (
Ordinary of the Mass, 19). The latter Creed is generally preferred also at Masses for children.
Today, the Apostle's Creed is the official profession of Faith in the Philippines as decreed by the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the PhilippinesThe Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines is the official organization of the Catholic episcopacy in the Philippines. Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, D.D. is the current president. The CBCP has 99 active and 32 honorary members.-History:...
.
Church of England
The Apostles' Creed is used in the non-Eucharistic services of
MatinsMatins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
and
Evening PrayerEvening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
(
EvensongEvening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
). It is invoked after the recitation or singing of the Canticles, and it is the only part of the services in which the congregation is required to turn and face the High Altar, if they are seated transversely in the quire.
Episcopal Church (USA)
The Episcopal Church uses the Apostles' Creed as a Baptismal Covenant for those who are to receive the Rite of Baptism. Regardless of age, candidates are to be sponsored by parents and/or godparents. Youths able to understand the significance of the Rite may go through the ritual speaking for themselves. Younger children and infants rely on their sponsors to act upon their behalf.
1. The celebrant calls for the candidates for Baptism to be presented.
2. The catechumen or sponsors state their request for Baptism.
3a. If the catechumen is of age, the celebrant will ask him or her if he or she desires Baptism, to which the catechumen will respond: "I do."
3b. If the candidate relies on sponsors, the celebrant asks them if they will raise the child in "the Christian faith and life" (ECUSA BCP), and will raise the child through "prayers and witness to grow into the full stature of Christ" to which the parents will state to each, "I will, with God's help."
4. A series of questions is then asked, to which the reply is always "I renounce them":
- Do you renounce Satan
Satan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God?
- Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?
- Do you renounce all sin
Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
ful desires that draw you from the love of God?
5. The second half of the query is asked, to which the reply is always "I do":
- Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior
In religion, salvation is the concept that God or other Higher Power, as part of Divine Providence, "saves" humanity from spiritual death or eternal damnation by providing for them an eternal life...
?
- Do you put your whole trust in his grace
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power, or its attributes or manifestations in the world...
and loveLove is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection and attachment. The word love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from generic pleasure to intense interpersonal attraction...
?
- Do you promise to follow and obey him as your Lord?
6. The Apostle's Creed is then recited by candidates, sponsors and congregation, each section of the Creed being an answer to the celebrant's question, 'Do you believe in God the Father (God the Son, God the Holy Spirit)?'
Chinese language Protestant churches
The vast majority of the Chinese language Protestant churches under
China Christian CouncilThe China Christian Council or CCC was founded in 1980 as an umbrella organization for all Protestant churches in the People's Republic of China with Bishop K. H. Ting as its president. It works to provide theological education and the publication of Bibles , hymnals , and other religious...
or underground in
ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
, or overseas in various denominations, use the
Chinese Union VersionThe Chinese Union Version is the predominant Chinese language translation of the Bible used by Chinese Protestants. It is considered by many to be the Chinese Protestant’s Bible....
of the Bible translated in the 1910s, the
Lord's PrayerThe Lord's Prayer, also known as the Our Father or Pater noster, is perhaps the best-known prayer in Christianity. On Easter Sunday 2007 it was estimated that 2 billion Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christians read, recited, or sang the short prayer in hundreds of languages...
as it is written in the
Chinese Union VersionThe Chinese Union Version is the predominant Chinese language translation of the Bible used by Chinese Protestants. It is considered by many to be the Chinese Protestant’s Bible....
and the
Apostles' Creed in the weekly services. The
Nicene CreedThe Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325...
is rarely used, if at all.
In the
PhilippinesThe Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, most of the Anglican Chinese use the Apostles' Creed as published by the Church of the Province of Souteast Asia. Most of the times, the Apostles' Creed is used to affirm one's faith, as in baptism, while the Nicene Creed is used during regular services.
See also
- Related creeds:
- Athanasian Creed
The Athanasian Creed is a Christian statement of belief, focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicumque vult, is taken from the opening words "Whosoever wishes." The Athanasian Creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century of the common...
- Chalcedonian Creed
The Confession of Chalcedon , also known as the "Doctrine of the Hypostatic Union" or the "Two-Nature Doctrine", was adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in Asia Minor. That Council of Chalcedon is one of the seven ecumenical councils accepted by Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and many...
- Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325...
- Old Roman Symbol
The Old Roman Symbol, or Old Roman Creed, is an earlier and shorter version of the Apostles' Creed. It was based on the second-century Rules of Faith and the interrogatory declaration of faith for those receiving Baptism , which by the fourth century was everywhere tripartite in structure,...
- Prayer books:
- Roman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-History:...
- Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
- Lutheran Book of Worship
Lutheran Book of Worship is a hymnal and prayer book used by several Lutheran denominations in North America. It is often referred to by its initials as the LBW, and in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America the LBW is sometimes called the "green book" as opposed to With One Voice, a...
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Evangelical Lutheran Worship or ELW is the current, primary liturgical/worship resource and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, replacing its three predecessors, the Lutheran Book of Worship , the Hymnal Supplimental , and the...
- Doctrines:
- Communion of Saints
The Communion of Saints is the spiritual union of all Christians living and the dead, those on earth, in heaven and, in Catholic belief, in purgatory...
- One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church
- Other:
- Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and it was completed in April 1914...
External links
English translations