The Creed Path · Stop 1
What is a creed, and why do we use them?
Long before anyone wrote a creed, God's people had a sentence they said every day: “Hear, O Israel.” Centuries later, in the city of Nicaea, church leaders argued for weeks and then wrote down what the whole church believes. Today you'll see why believing is something we say together.
Start this stopRead it in your Bible
- Deuteronomy 6:6–7. Moses tells God's people to keep God's words close to their hearts, and to talk about them with their children everywhere: at home, on the road, at bedtime, and in the morning.
- Mark 12:29–31. Someone asks Jesus which commandment matters most. Jesus answers with the prayer God's people say every day, that the Lord our God is one, and names two commandments: love God with everything you are, and love your neighbor as yourself.
The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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.
Words to know
- Creed. A short statement of what a community believes, said together. It comes from the Latin credo, “I believe.” Saying it together reminds us we never believe alone.
- Shema. The prayer “Hear, O Israel” from Deuteronomy 6, which Jesus called the greatest commandment. Jewish families still pray it every day. Jesus prayed it too.
- Trinity. One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word isn't in the Bible, but the church found the truth there. Most creeds have three parts because of it.
- Monotheism. Believing in only one God. It's the first thing the Shema says: the Lord is one.
- Nicaea. The city where church leaders met in AD 325 and wrote the first form of the Nicene Creed. They argued for weeks about who Jesus is. Their answer is still said in churches around the world.
- Catholic. A word in the creeds that means universal: the whole church everywhere. Small c. It includes Lutherans, and every Christian in every time and place.