Catholic Faith: What is a Creed?

            Whenever we celebrate the Holy Mass on Sundays, the priest, after his homily, invites us to stand and “to profess our faith.”  We then all recite the “Apostles’ Creed” or the longer form, the “Nicene Creed.”  This profession of faith is our response to the Word of God that was just read from the Bible and explained by the priest in his homily in the first part of the Holy Mass, the Liturgy of the Word.  Having heard God’s Word and hopefully having understood it, we stand and say, “Yes, I believe” with the words of the Creed.  Reciting the Creed also implies that we commit ourselves to live according to God’s Word, “Yes, I will live my faith.”    

            What’s a Creed, in the first place?  The word Creed comes from the Latin “Credo” which means “I believe.”  A Creed then is a statement of what one believes.  In the Bible, we read a couple of Creeds.  For example, in the Old Testament, we read a statement of what the Israelites believed: “The Lord is God and there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:35).  In the New Testament, the Creeds of the first Christians centered on the Risen Christ: “The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree.  He whom God has exalted at His right hand as ruler and savior is to bring repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:30-31).   

            The “Apostles’ Creed” and the “Nicene Creed” that Catholics, and even Protestants, are familiar with evolved as Christians felt the need to express faithfully a summary of what the apostles have taught.  Although there were the New Testament writings upheld by all Christians; yet, not everyone interpreted them correctly.  False teachings arose, called heresies.  Some, for example, like Arius, a well-known theologian at that time, denied the divinity of Christ.  These Creeds then were not based on human opinions but were gathered from the Bible, as interpreted and taught by the early Church.   

            The “Apostles’ Creed” originated from the Church in Rome towards the end of the second century.  It was used to instruct candidates for Baptism.  It was called “Apostles’ Creed” because it expressed what the Apostles themselves taught; in fact, early Christians had the custom of dividing the Creed into twelve articles (as there are twelve Apostles).  The “Nicene Creed” originated from the first two ecumenical Councils in the years 325 and 381.  These were gatherings of all bishops from the East and West to clarify and to articulate the authentic faith of Christianity.

            We will be studying in our future lessons the “Apostles’ Creed,” taking the twelve articles one at a time.  We will refer the “Nicene Creed” to elaborate further each article.  In the meantime, pay close attention to what you’re reciting during the Holy Mass when we are called upon “to profess our faith.”  Read closely now the twelve articles of the “Apostles’ Creed”:

1.          I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth

2.          And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. 

3.          He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the Virgin Mary.

4.          He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.

5.          He descended to the dead.  On the third day He rose again.

6.          He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father;

7.          From thence He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

8.          I believe in the Holy Spirit.

9.          I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.

10.        I believe in the forgiveness of sins.

11.        I believe in the resurrection of the body.

12.        I believe in life everlasting.  Amen.