World Religions

Introduction to World Religions Study Guide

7. You shall not commit adultery 8. You shall not steal 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor 10. You shall not covet

©2018 Achieve Page 62 of 96 7.2 Creeds The word “creed” comes from the Latin “credo”, meaning “I believe”. A creed is a doctrinal statement (or confession) that espouses the religious beliefs. They were originally used as baptismal procedures and were later incorporated during the 4 th and 5 th centuries to become statements of faith. Evangelical Protestants reject creeds as the definitive statement of faith. This is true even when they agree with some or all of the substance of a particular creed. The Baptists are non-creedal. Those also rejecting creeds are those with roots in the Restoration movement, such as the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada, the Church of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). One of the most popular statements of the creedal Christian faith is the Apostles’ Creed . The Apostles’ Creed is used by Western Christian traditional churches that are liturgical. The Apostles’ Creed is used by the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheranism, Anglicanism, and Western Orthodoxy. Also using the Apostles’ Creed are Presbyterians, Methodists, and Congregationalists. This creed was developed during the 2 nd and 9 th centuries, and was used for baptismal candidates in Roman churches. This creed also notes the Trinity and God the Creator. The main points are: • A belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit • The death, descent into Hell, resurrection, and the ascension of Christ • The holiness of the Church and the communion of saints • Christ’s second coming, the Day of Judgment, and salvation of the faithful The Nicene Creed was created during the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 AD. It was ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the First Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. The Chalcedonian Creed (451 AD) The Chalcedonian Creed was adopted at the Fourth Ecumenical Council that was held at Chalcedon, or present-day Turkey. It was written in response to certain heretical views concerning the nature of Christ. This creed establishes the orthodox view that Christ has two natures: one is the son of God and the other is the son of man, and those natures are unified in one person. Since Jesus exists consubstantially (co-essential) with the Father, he also exists consubstantially with us. He was born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.