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Most Christians, whether Protestant or Catholic, have heard of creeds. Even today, some believers maintain the tradition of reciting the Apostles’ Creed verbatim.
While ancient creeds are less widely used today, their significance is important in Christian history. Church historians note that the three historic creeds are typically called the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed.
Known as the ecumenical creeds, the ancient church centered its statements on Christ and His deity. The creeds remained a commonality between Catholics and the Orthodox Church, which was known as the Western and Eastern churches. Eventually, the newly founded Protestants of the 16th century entered the mix, relying on the ancient statements.
A modern statement of faith is comparable to a creed. Historically, they emphasized Christ’s deity and the notion that salvation was only found in Christ. However, they also covered the Trinitarian teachings and the focus of the Christian faith.
Historically, the Apostles’ Creed summarized the faith but also countered the heresies of the day. It is the oldest of the three, dating back to the second century. This creed underlined the birth of Christ, His crucifixion and resurrection. But it was also Trinitarian, sharing the deity of God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Of significance is the wording of the “communion of saints” and belief in the holy catholic church. This statement identified all true Christians of all times and places.
Similarly, the Nicene Creed underlined Christ’s divinity, combating opposing teachings of the time. The petitions of the Nicene Creed focus on God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The petitions centered on Christ and the Holy Spirit are noteworthy, allowing the Nicene Creed to be viewed as a significant Trinitarian document. The Nicene Creed could be rightfully described as being built upon the Apostles’ Creed but goes further in articulating the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity, once again combating the heresies of the day (fourth century).
The Athanasian Creed, the longest of the three, underlines the significance of the Trinity and Christ’s dual nature, again shadowing that of the Nicene Creed. Thorough attention is paid to describing both Christ’s human and divine nature. The latter petition warns unbelievers of the coming judgment and emphasizes salvation only in Jesus Christ.
Creeds were of the utmost importance for the early church and the Reformers of the 16th century. It is no coincidence that Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches still recite the historic documents in church gatherings.
Notably, the creeds affirm the body of Christ or the Church. While denominational and theological differences exist and matter, recognizing the Church as the body of Christ allows believers to ponder the true meaning of faith and life in Christ.
Creeds were the original statements of faith outside of the Bible itself. Not every Christian owned a Bible or was literate. However, reciting a creed, word for word, affirmed faith and could combat spiritual darkness, relying on the Christian message of faith.
Creeds did not save and were never considered equal to Holy Scripture. But they did distinguish biblical, orthodox Christianity from false teachings. Simply put, if one departed from or denied the ancient creeds, they abandoned historic Christianity. The same principle remains today.
A critic of one of the three creeds would have to evaluate whether anything said in one of the three statements is contrary to the Scriptures—a test they have passed for each generation. Affirming the three creeds in question not only accurately presents the faith but also does so in a Christ-honoring manner.
Church history matters, and knowing the creeds helps modern believers define their faith and encourages the unification of the Church among all believers who humbly submit to such statements.