A creed, also known as a confession of faith, a symbol, or a statement of faith, is a statement of the shared
beliefs of a community (often a religious community) in a form which is structured by subjects which summarize its core tenets.
The earliest known creed in
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
, "
Jesus is Lord", originated in the writings of
Paul the Apostle
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
.
One of the most widely used Christian creeds is the
Nicene Creed
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...
, first formulated in AD 325 at the
First Council of Nicaea. It was based on Christian understanding of the
canonical gospels
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
, the
letters of the
New Testament and, to a lesser extent, the
Old Testament
The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...
. Affirmation of this creed, which describes the
Trinity, is generally taken as a fundamental test of
orthodoxy
Orthodoxy (from Greek: ) is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion.
Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Antiquity, but different Churc ...
for most
Christian denominations
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, and was historically purposed against
Arianism
Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God ...
. A shorter version of the creed, called the
Apostles' Creed, is nowadays the most used version in Christian services.
Some Christian denominations
do not use any of those creeds.
Although some say
Judaism is non-creedal in nature, others say it recognizes a single creed, the ''
Shema Yisrael'', which begins: "Hear, O Israel: the our God, the is one."
In Islamic theology, the term most closely corresponding to "creed" is ''
ʿaqīdah'' ().
Terminology
The word ''creed'' is particularly used for a concise statement which is recited as part of
liturgy
Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...
. The term is anglicized from Latin ''credo'' "I believe", the
incipit
The incipit () of a text is the first few words of the text, employed as an identifying label. In a musical composition, an incipit is an initial sequence of notes, having the same purpose. The word ''incipit'' comes from Latin and means "it beg ...
of the Latin texts of the
Apostles' Creed and the
Nicene Creed
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...
. A creed is sometimes referred to as a ''symbol'' in a specialized meaning of that word (which was first introduced to
Late Middle English in this sense), after Latin ''symbolum'' "creed" (as in ''
Symbolum Apostolorum'' = the "
Apostles' Creed", a shorter version of the traditional Nicene Creed), after Greek ''symbolon'' "token, watchword".
Some longer statements of faith in the
Protestant tradition are instead called "confessions of faith", or simply "confession" (as in e.g.
Helvetic Confession). Within
Evangelical Protestantism
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "born again", in which an individual experi ...
, the terms "doctrinal statement" or "doctrinal basis" tend to be preferred. Doctrinal statements may include positions on
lectionary
A lectionary ( la, lectionarium) is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christianity, Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion. There are sub-types such as a "gospel lectionary" or evang ...
and
translations of the Bible, particularly in
fundamentalist churches of the
King James Only movement.
The term ''creed'' is sometimes extended to comparable concepts in non-Christian theologies; thus the Islamic concept of ''
ʿaqīdah'' (literally "bond, tie") is often rendered as "creed".
Jewish creed
Whether
Judaism is creedal in character or not is a question that has generated controversies.
Rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
Milton Steinberg wrote that "By its nature Judaism is averse to formal creeds which of necessity limit and restrain thought"
and asserted in his book ''Basic Judaism'' (1947) that "Judaism has never arrived at a creed."
The 1976 Centenary Platform of the
Central Conference of American Rabbis, an organization of
Reform rabbis, agrees that "Judaism emphasizes action rather than creed as the primary expression of a religious life."
Others, however, characterize the
Shema Yisrael as a creedal statement in strict
monotheism embodied in a single prayer: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One" ( he, שמע ישראל אדני אלהינו אדני אחד;
transliterated ''Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad'').
A notable statement of
Jewish principles of faith was drawn up by
Maimonides as his
13 Principles of Faith
There is no established formulation of principles of faith that are recognized by all Jewish religious movements, branches of Judaism. Central authority in Judaism is not vested in any one person or group - although the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jew ...
.
Christianity
The first confession of faith established within
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
was the
Nicene Creed
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...
by the
Early Church
Early Christianity (up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325) spread from the Levant, across the Roman Empire, and beyond. Originally, this progression was closely connected to already established Jewish centers in the Holy Land and the Jewish ...
in
325
__NOTOC__
Year 325 ( CCCXXV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Proculus and Paulinus (or, less frequently, year 1078 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 3 ...
. It was established to summarize the foundations of the Christian faith and to protect believers from false doctrines. Various
Christian denominations
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
from
Protestantism and
Evangelical Christianity have published confession of faith as a basis for fellowship among churches of the same denomination.
Many
Christian denominations
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
did not try to be too exhaustive in their confessions of faith and thus allow different opinions on some secondary topics.In addition, some churches are open to revising their confession of faith when necessary. Moreover,
Baptist
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christianity, Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe ...
"confessions of faith" have often had a clause such as this from the
First London Baptist Confession
The Confession of Faith, also called the First London Baptist Confession, is Particular Baptist confession of faith.
Origin
In 1644, seven Particular Baptist (Reformed Baptist or Calvinistic Baptist) churches met in London to write a confession ...
(Revised edition, 1646):
Excommunication
Excommunication is a practice of the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts o ...
to exclude members who do not respect the Church's confession of faith and do not want to repent. It is practiced by all
Christian denominations
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and is intended to protect against the consequences of
heretics' teachings and
apostasy.
Christians without creeds
Some Christian denominations do not profess a creed. This stance is often referred to as "non-creedalism". The
Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, consider that they have no need for creedal formulations of faith.
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
contrast "memorizing or repeating creeds" with acting to "do what Jesus said".
Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed.
Similar reservations about the use of creeds can be found in the
Restoration Movement and its descendants, the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the
Churches of Christ
The Churches of Christ is a loose association of autonomous Christian congregations based on the '' sola scriptura'' doctrine. Their practices are based on Bible texts and draw on the early Christian church as described in the New Testament.
...
, and the
Christian churches and churches of Christ. Restorationists profess "no creed but Christ".
Christian creeds
Several creeds originated in
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
.
*
1 Corinthians 15
1 Corinthians 15 is the fifteenth chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle and Sosthenes in Ephesus. The first eleven verses contain the earliest account o ...
:3–7 includes an early creed about Jesus' death and resurrection which was probably received by Paul. The antiquity of the creed has been located by most biblical scholars to no more than five years after Jesus' death, probably originating from the
Jerusalem apostolic community.
* The
Old Roman Creed is an earlier and shorter version of the
Apostles' Creed. It was based on the 2nd century Rules of Faith and the interrogatory declaration of faith for those receiving
baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
, which by the 4th century was everywhere tripartite in structure, following Matthew 28:19.
* The
Apostles' Creed is used in
Western Christianity for both
liturgical and
catechetical purposes.
* The
Nicene Creed
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...
reflects the concerns of the
First Council of Nicaea in 325 which had as their chief purpose to establish what Christians believed.
* The
Chalcedonian Creed was adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in Asia Minor. It defines that Christ is 'acknowledged in two natures', which 'come together into one person and hypostasis'.
* The
Athanasian Creed
The Athanasian Creed, also called the Pseudo-Athanasian Creed and sometimes known as ''Quicunque Vult'' (or ''Quicumque Vult''), which is both its Latin name and its opening words, meaning "Whosoever wishes", is a Christian statement of belief ...
(''Quicunque vult'') is a Christian statement of belief focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. It is the first creed in which the equality of the three persons of the Trinity is explicitly stated and differs from the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds in the inclusion of anathemas, or condemnations of those who disagree with the Creed.
* The
Tridentine Creed
The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trento, Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italian Peninsula, Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation ...
was initially contained in the
papal bull ''
Iniunctum Nobis'', issued by
Pope Pius IV
Pope Pius IV ( it, Pio IV; 31 March 1499 – 9 December 1565), born Giovanni Angelo Medici, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 December 1559 to his death in December 1565. Born in Milan, his family considered ...
on November 13, 1565. The creed was intended to summarize the teaching of the
Council of Trent (1545–1563).
* The
Maasai Creed is a creed composed in 1960 by the
Maasai people
The Maasai (; sw, Wamasai) are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best-known local populations internationally due to their residence near the many game parks of t ...
of East Africa in collaboration with missionaries from the
Congregation of the Holy Ghost. The creed attempts to express the essentials of the Christian faith within the Maasai culture.
* The
Credo of the People of God
''Solemni hac liturgia'' ("This solemn liturgy") is a ''motu proprio'' issued by Pope Paul VI on 30 June 1968. Its content substantially consists of a creed known as the Creed of the People of God.
Background
During the 1960s, the Catholic Ch ...
is a confession of faith that
Pope Paul VI published with the ''
motu proprio'' ''Solemni hac liturgia'' of 30 June 1968. Pope Paul VI spoke of it as "a creed which, without being strictly speaking a dogmatic definition, repeats in substance, with some developments called for by the spiritual condition of our time, the
creed of Nicea
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...
, the creed of the immortal tradition of the holy Church of God."
Christian confessions of faith
Protestant denominations are usually associated with confessions of faith, which are similar to creeds but usually longer.
* The ''Sixty-seven Articles'' of the Swiss reformers, drawn up by
Zwingli in 1523;
* The ''
Schleitheim Confession'' of the
Anabaptist
Anabaptism (from New Latin language, Neo-Latin , from the Greek language, Greek : 're-' and 'baptism', german: Täufer, earlier also )Since the middle of the 20th century, the German-speaking world no longer uses the term (translation: "Re- ...
Swiss Brethren
The Swiss Brethren are a branch of Anabaptism that started in Zürich, spread to nearby cities and towns, and then was exported to neighboring countries. Today's Swiss Mennonite Conference can be traced to the Swiss Brethren.
In 1525, Felix Manz, ...
in 1527;
* The ''
Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession, also known as the Augustan Confession or the Augustana from its Latin name, ''Confessio Augustana'', is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Protestant ...
'' of 1530, the work of
Martin Luther and
Philip Melanchthon
Philip Melanchthon. (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lu ...
, which marked the breach with
Rome;
* The ''
Tetrapolitan Confession'' of the
German Reformed Church, 1530;
* The ''
Smalcald Articles'' of Martin Luther, 1537
* The ''
Guanabara Confession of Faith
The Guanabara Confession of Faith was a Calvinist creed from 1558. The first Protestant writing in Brazil, and in all of the Americas, it was written by the French Huguenots Jean du Bourdel, Matthieu Verneuil, Pierre Bourdon and André la Fon, who ...
'', 1558;
* The ''
Gallic Confession'', 1559;
* The ''
Scots Confession'', drawn up by
John Knox
John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
Born in Giffordgat ...
in 1560;
* The ''
Belgic Confession
The ''Confession of Faith'', popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a doctrinal standard document to which many of the Reformed churches subscribe. The Confession forms part of the Three Forms of Unity of the Reformed Church, which are still ...
'' drawn up by
Guido de Bres in 1561;
* The ''
Thirty-nine Articles'' of the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
in 1562;
* The ''
Formula of Concord'' and its Epitome in 1577;
* The ''
Irish Articles'' in 1615;
* The ''
Remonstrant Confession The ''Remonstrant Confession'' or literally the ''Confession or Declaration of the Remonstrant Pastors'' refers to the Confession of Faith, confession of faith of the Remonstrant Brotherhood, Remonstrant brotherhood, published in 1621.
Historical ...
'' in 1621;
* The
Baptist Confession of Faith in 1644 (upheld by Reformed Baptists)
* The ''
Westminster Confession of Faith'' in 1647 was the work of the
Westminster Assembly of Divines and has commended itself to the
Presbyterian Church
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
es of all English-speaking peoples, and also in other languages.
* The ''
Savoy Declaration'' of 1658 which was a modification of the Westminster Confession to suit
Congregationalist polity
Congregationalist polity, or congregational polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of ecclesiastical polity in which every local church (congregation) is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous". Its first articul ...
;
*The ''Standard Confession'' in 1660 (upheld by
General Baptists);
*The ''Orthodox Creed'' in 1678 (upheld by General Baptists);
* The ''
Baptist Confession'' in 1689 (upheld by Reformed Baptists);
* The ''Confession of Faith of the
Calvinistic Methodists
Calvinistic Methodists were born out of the 18th-century Welsh Methodist revival and survive as a body of Christians now forming the Presbyterian Church of Wales. Calvinistic Methodism became a major denomination in Wales, growing rapidly in the 1 ...
(Presbyterians) of Wales'' of 1823;
* The ''
Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral'' of the
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and oth ...
in 1870;
* The
Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths in 1916; and
* The ''
Confession of Faith'' of the
United Methodist Church, adopted in 1968
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Within the
sects of the
Latter Day Saint movement, the ''Articles of Faith'' are contained in a list which was composed by
Joseph Smith as part of an 1842
letter which he sent to
"Long" John Wentworth, editor of the ''
Chicago Democrat''. It is canonized along with the
King James Version of the
Bible
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts o ...
, the ''
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude ...
'', the ''
Doctrine & Covenants'' and the ''
Pearl of Great Price'', as a part of the
standard works of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Controversies
In the
Swiss Reformed Church
The Protestant Church in Switzerland (PCS), (EKS); french: Église évangélique réformée de Suisse (EERS); it, Chiesa evangelica riformata in Svizzera (CERiS); rm, Baselgia evangelica refurmada da la Svizra (BRRS) formerly named Federation o ...
es, there was a quarrel about the Apostles' Creed in the mid-19th century. As a result, most cantonal reformed churches stopped prescribing any particular creed.
In 2005, Bishop
John Shelby Spong, retired
Episcopal
Episcopal may refer to:
*Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church
*Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese
*Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name
** Episcopal Church (United State ...
Bishop of Newark, has written that dogmas and creeds were merely "a stage in our development" and "part of our religious childhood." In his book, ''Sins of the Scripture'', Spong wrote that "Jesus seemed to understand that no one can finally fit the holy God into his or her creeds or doctrines. That is idolatry."
Islamic creed
In Islamic theology, the term most closely corresponding to "creed" is ''
ʿaqīdah'' (). The first such creed was written as "a short answer to the pressing heresies of the time" is known as ''Al-Fiqh Al-Akbar'' and ascribed to
Abū Ḥanīfa
Nuʿmān ibn Thābit ibn Zūṭā ibn Marzubān ( ar, نعمان بن ثابت بن زوطا بن مرزبان; –767), commonly known by his '' kunya'' Abū Ḥanīfa ( ar, أبو حنيفة), or reverently as Imam Abū Ḥanīfa by Sunni Musl ...
.
[Glasse, Cyril (2001). New Encyclopedia of Islam (Revised ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 105.] Two well known creeds were the ''Fiqh Akbar II'' "representative" of the
al-Ash'ari, and ''Fiqh Akbar III'', "representative" of the
Ash-Shafi'i.
[
''Iman'' ( ar, ) in Islamic theology denotes a believer's religious faith.][Frederick M. Denny, ''An Introduction to Islam, 3rd ed., p. 405''] Its most simple definition is the belief in the six articles of faith, known as ''arkān al-īmān''.
# Belief in God
# Belief in the Angels
# Belief in Divine Books
# Belief in the Prophets
# Belief in the Day of Judgment
# Belief in God's predestination
See also
* Credo
* Mission statement
A mission statement is a short statement of why an organization exists, what its overall goal is, the goal of its operations: what kind of product or service it provides, its primary customers or market, and its geographical region of operation ...
* The American's Creed – a 1917 statement about Americans' belief in democracy
* The Five Ks
* Pesher
References
Further reading
* ''Christian Confessions: a Historical Introduction'', yTed A. Campbell. First ed. xxi, 336 p. Louisville, Ky.: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1996.
*
Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition
'. Edited by Jaroslav Pelikan and Valerie Hotchkiss. Yale University Press 2003.
* ''Creeds in the Making: a Short Introduction to the History of Christian Doctrine'', y Alan Richardson. Reissued. London: S.C.M. Press, 1979, cop. 1935. 128 p.
* ''Ecumenical Creeds and Reformed Confessions''. Grand Rapids, Mich.: C.R.C. 'i.e''. Christian Reformed ChurchPublications, 1987. 148 p.
* ''The Three Forms of Unity (Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, nd theCanons of Dordrecht), and the Ecumenical Creeds (the Apostles' Creed, the Athanasian Creed, nd theCreed of Chalcedon)''. Reprinted d. Mission Committee of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America, 1991. 58 p. Without ISBN
External links
The Creeds of Christendom
– A website linking to many formal Christian declarations of faith.
– A Guide to Early Church Documents from Internet Christian Library
ICP Website International Creed for Peace
{{Authority control
Christian genres
Religious terminology