Edward Rhodes, my friend and teaching colleague on The Internship, has kindly provided a series of guest posts reflecting on the Apostle’s Creed. This coincides with our current series at Emmanuel entitled Creed: Why I Believe
This series of blog posts is an attempt to summarise some key points of what I believe as a Christian using the framework of the Apostles’ Creed. It is not primarily intended as a defence (apologia) of the faith, although it may include some apologetic elements.
But first, before we start, it might be a good idea to take a brief look at the Apostles’ Creed itself. What is it and where does it come from?
The Apostles’ Creed is a brief summary of the main tenets of Christian belief, usually read aloud as part of the worship service of churches in the West. A modern translation of this text, used by the Church of England, runs as follows
“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 to the dead. 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.”
So where does this come from?
Looking into this issue, I have found three sources for this summary of Christian belief, namely –
(a) the Scriptures,
(b) the “Rule of Faith,” and
(c) the baptismal questions used by the Roman church.
Let us look at each of these in turn.
(a) Scripture
While all the main points of the Creed are taught in, or can be reasonably deduced from, the Scriptures, this is not what I am talking about when I say that the roots of the Creed can be found in Scripture. Rather, I am arguing that the New Testament itself contains brief summaries of Christian belief, from which longer definitions could (and did) flow. One of the clearest examples of this can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, which reads:
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (RSV)
(b) The “Rule of Faith”
The 2nd century Christian apologist, Irenaeus of Lyons, also produced a summary of the main teachings of the faith, in his dispute with the Gnostics. This follows a similar format to the Apostles’ Creed, but, interesting gives a much greater focus to the role played by the Holy Spirit.
“The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith:
[She believes] in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them.
And in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation.
And in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord.
And [the Holy Spirit proclaimed] His [future] manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father “to gather all things in one,” and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, “every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess” to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all.
[So] that He may send “spiritual wickednesses,” and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course], and others from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory.” (Against Heresies, book 1, chapter 1, section 1)
(c) The baptismal questions of the Roman church
Finally, Hippolytus of Rome has helpfully recorded the questions asked of people being baptised in the Christian community in Rome around the beginning of the 3rd century, which also bears a striking resemblance to the creed as we have it today. His description of a baptism reads as follows (note that baptism was by three-fold immersion, in the name of each Person of the Trinity) –
“When each of them to be baptized has gone down into the water, the one baptizing shall lay hands on each of them, asking, “Do you believe in God the Father Almighty?” And the one being baptized shall answer, “I believe.” He shall then baptize each of them once, laying his hand upon each of their heads. Then he shall ask, “Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, died, and rose on the third day living from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of the Father, the one coming to judge the living and the dead?” When each has answered, “I believe,” he shall baptize a second time. Then he shall ask, “Do you believe in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Church and the resurrection of the flesh?” Then each being baptized shall answer, “I believe.” And thus let him baptize the third time.” (Hippolytus, The Apostolic Tradition, chapter 21, verses 12-18)