The word “Creed” is derived from the Latin word “credo”, which means “I believe” or “credimus”, for “we believe”. The Christian creed emerged from the faithful articulation of the church’s encounter with Christ, interpreting the broad biblical narrative for careful definition of scriptural truths and defence against heterodoxy. Creeds matter today because the origin of the Christian creed is embedded within the scriptures, rather than representing a later theological innovation.
One of the earliest creedal statements found in scripture is the Shema found in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one”. This creedal statement marked their identity as a nation distinct from the polytheistic culture of that time, as well as expressed their communal and personal commitment to Yahweh. Similarly, in the early church, Christians distinguished themselves from other Jews by confessing Jesus as the Christ, Lord, and Son of God.
By the second and third centuries, creed developed within the church as a rule of faith. They guarded against doctrinal errors and guided Christian practises. In doing so, they established right belief with the aim of resulting in right practises. Creed translates faith into “confession or profession” and to be a “living witness” to the scriptures.
The Restoration movement of the 18th century sought to reinforce the authority of the Holy Scripture through the slogan “No creed but the bible” popularised by Alexander Campbell. Contrary to the concerns of this movement, Creeds are not a replacement for scripture. Rather, Creed serves Scripture by faithfully confessing and safeguarding the truth that Scripture itself affirms. Creed translates faith into “confession or profession” and being a “living witness” to the scriptures through the thoughts, actions, and life of the believers.
Creeds are more than mere lines of repetitive recitation. They shape the theological understanding and moral orientation of the church. In this way, the Apostle Creed teaches that God is the Father, Creator, Sovereign, Almighty, and Jesus as the only Son of God. It reshapes the individual and communal worldview of its believers to reflect on the fatherhood of God and the redemptive work of Christ. It also calls them to respond in faith, humility, and obedience.
Likewise, the Nicene Creed affirms the full divinity of Christ and emphasises the doctrine of the Trinity. This creed fosters unity within the church to stand against false teachings such as Arianism, as well as guiding community worship by living in mutual love with one another, reflecting the eternal love and oneness that exists within the Godhead.
From its inception, the Creeds aimed for an interpretative understanding of the scriptures. The formulation of the Christian Creed underscores the truth that all our doctrinal and practical expressions of faith must always be subject to the authority of Holy Scripture. Hence, today the church ought not to impose views on the believers. Rather it should train and teach believers by handling the word of God correctly, enabling them to reflect upon the biblical truths through faithful interpretation, and worship God in the light of this renewed and inspired understanding of the Scripture. For a church to be a faithful witness and to impact the world, it must not merely confess scripture verbally. It must embody it in its communal life, which is possible only when minds are trained to think doctrinally, scripturally, and to live faithfully in the light of the inspired word of God.
