Read complete books and articles on: Apostles' Creed

Creed - [Lat. credo=I believe], summary of basic doctrines of faith. The following are historically important Christian creeds.

1 The Nicene Creed, beginning, "I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, and in one Lord Jesus Christ…." It is usually described as a revision by the First Council of Constantinople (381) of the creed adopted at Nicaea in 325. In the Western Church since the 9th cent. it has differed from the original by the addition of the Filioque clause: "And in the Holy Ghost…Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son…." ("qui ex Patre Filioque procedit…."). Over this addition there has been a long controversy between the Orthodox Eastern and Roman Catholic churches. The Nicene Creed is a traditionally authoritative creed of Orthodox Eastern, Roman Catholic, and some Protestant churches.

2 The Athanasian Creed was probably composed, not by Athanasius himself, but by an unknown author(s) in the fifth cent. It is a partial statement of doctrine dealing especially with the Trinity and the Incarnation.

3 The Apostles' Creed, beginning, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ…." It does not appear in its present form before 650, but its predecessors probably arose in Rome in the 2d or 3d cent. It has two material differences from the Nicene Creed: the phrase, "He descended into hell," is omitted in the Nicene, and the words "resurrection of the body" are changed to "resurrection of the dead" in the Nicene. It is used by Roman Catholics at various daily services and at baptism; it is also much used by Protestants.

4 The Augsburg Confession (1530), the official statement of the Lutheran churches. It was mainly the work of Philip Melanchthon and was endorsed by Martin Luther for the Diet of Augsburg.

5 The Thirty-nine Articles, which are official in the Church of England. They date in their present form from Elizabeth I's reign, when they were written by a group of bishops. They are Calvinistic in theological emphasis and enounce clearly the royal supremacy in the Church of England. They are included, with occasional modifications, in the prayer books of other churches of the Anglican Communion, including that of the Episcopal Church of the United States.

6 The Westminster Confession (1645–47), the most celebrated pronouncement of English-speaking Calvinism. It is official in the Church of Scotland, with occasional changes in most of its daughter churches (usually Presbyterian) and among Congregationalists.

See J. H. Leith, Creeds of the Churches (1963, repr. 1973); J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Creeds (1981); W. H. C. Frend, ed., Creeds, Councils and Controversies (1989).

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6 of the Best Books and Articles on: Apostles' Creed

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1.

The Apostles' Creed » Read Now
by William Barclay. 324 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library

"If there is one statement of the Christian Church, it is contained in the Apostles' Creed", writes William Barclay. He reminds us, however, that the Creed should be seen not so much as a test and yardstick of orthodoxy, but rather as a symbolic, pictorial and poetic representation of a truth -- a...
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"If there is one statement of the Christian Church, it is contained in the Apostles' Creed", writes William Barclay. He reminds us, however, that the Creed should be seen not so much as a test and yardstick of orthodoxy, but rather as a symbolic, pictorial and poetic representation of a truth -- a truth that Christians should constantly rethink and restate for themselves.
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2.

The Christian's ABC: Catechisms and Catechizing in England c.1530-1740 (Chap. 7 "The Apostles' Creed") » Read Now
by Ian Green. 767 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library

This new work represents the first major study of the catechisms and techniques of catechizing used in early modern England, from the Reformation through to the Evangelical Revival. Catechetical teaching, especially on the Ten Commandments, covered all aspects of contemporary life and the book ends...
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This new work represents the first major study of the catechisms and techniques of catechizing used in early modern England, from the Reformation through to the Evangelical Revival. Catechetical teaching, especially on the Ten Commandments, covered all aspects of contemporary life and the book ends with an annotated list of catechisms which enables those with an interest in educational, literary, or linguistic history, or in political and social as well as religious history, to track down quickly works that could be of particular value to them.
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3.

Creeds of the Churches: A Reader in Christian Doctrine from the Bible to the Present ("The Roman Symbol and the Apostles' Creed" begins on p. 22) » Read Now
by John H. Leith. 740 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library

"An excellent compendium of Christian creeds. Especially valuable are the informative notes and comments by the editor which introduce both creedal sections and individual creeds".----Presbyterian Journal
4.

The Early Christian World, Vol. 1 ("Apostles' Creeds?" begins on p. 639) » Read Now
by Philip F. Esler. 694 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, History, Entire Library

The Early Christian World presents an exhaustive, erudite, and lavishly-illustrated treatment of how a small movement formed around Jesus in Galilee became the pre-eminent religion of the ancient world.Situating early Christianity within its Mediterranean social, political and religious...
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The Early Christian World presents an exhaustive, erudite, and lavishly-illustrated treatment of how a small movement formed around Jesus in Galilee became the pre-eminent religion of the ancient world.Situating early Christianity within its Mediterranean social, political and religious contexts,the book charts the history of the first Christian centuries. The creation and perpetuation of Christian communities through means including mission and monasticism is then explored, as is the everyday experience of early Christians, through discussion of gender and sexuality, religious practice, communication and social structures. The intellectual (particularly theological) and artistic heritage of the period is fully considered, and a vivid picture provided of the internal and external challenges faced by early Christianity.With profiles of the most notable figures of the age, up-to-date coverage of the most important topics in the study of early Christianity and an invaluable collection of visual material., The Early Christian World is a comprehensive,a ccessible and indispensable resource for everyone studying this period.
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5.

American Methodist Worship ("The Apostles' Creed and Other Affirmations of Faith" begins on p. 39) » Read Now
by Karen B. Westerfield Tucker. 345 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library

This book offers a comprehensive examination of Methodist practice, tracing its evolution from the earliest days up to the present. Using liturgical texts as well as written accounts in popular and private sources, Karen Westerfield Tucker investigates the various rites and seasons of worship in...
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This book offers a comprehensive examination of Methodist practice, tracing its evolution from the earliest days up to the present. Using liturgical texts as well as written accounts in popular and private sources, Karen Westerfield Tucker investigates the various rites and seasons of worship in Methodism and examines them in relation to American society.
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6.

Science and Religion: An Interpretation of Two Communities (Discussion of the Apostles' Creed begins on p. 113) » Read Now
by Harold K. Schilling. 276 pgs.

Collections: Religious Studies, Entire Library