THE Apostle’s Creed is the faithful summary of the apostles’ faith. We use the creed as a symbol or seal to express the core beliefs of Christianity and to identify ourselves as Christians. It is also the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome. We can trace the origins of the creed back to the early Church, where the Church Fathers reference it in several of their writings.
We should also remember that at some point, someone has questioned, either internally or externally, to the Church, every article listed in the creed. Especially those articles about the Trinity and our understanding of God. This questioning required a further explanation of our knowledge of God: God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and their relationship with each other. As a result, different creeds have arisen throughout history, which expand the Apostles Creed. An example being the Nicene Creed, which the Catholic Church regularly uses in its liturgy and prayers.
When we use the Apostle’s Creed in prayer, we should remember that we are doing it with a double purpose:
- To remind ourselves of our faith and its core beliefs.
- To identify ourselves to others as Christians and pronounce our faith.
The above purposes make the recitation of the creed something exceptional, almost like putting on a uniform or badge that identifies who we are and what we stand for. To quote Saint Ambrose in regards to the Apostle’s Creed:
‘This Creed is the spiritual seal, our heart’s meditation, and an ever-present guardian; it is, unquestionably, the treasure of our soul.’
Saint Ambrose
Below is the creed as taught by the Catholic Church:
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator 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, died and was buried;
He descended into Hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;
from there, 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 life everlasting.
Amen
