On Creeds and Reciting Them

Reciting the Apostles’ Creed in worship this (Sunday) morning energized my memory and my “writing juices.” Growing up Baptist, creeds and their recitation was not part of my experience. We knew that Catholics did that sort of thing, and that was enough. When I began moving in circles where reciting creeds was more common, I was a bit uneasy, and probably a little suspicious, but I came to appreciate them as capsule statements of the Gospel I believed. I also came to value corporate, verbal confession as part of worship. (Even though my circles have widened, I will always be grateful for my Baptist upbringing.) It did puzzle me how some people could flawlessly recite a creed, yet they could not quote much if any Scripture--something that was emphasized in my early years. 

 As a pastor I came to using a creed, usually The Apostles’ and sometimes The Nicene Creed, for services of Holy Communion and other special times. I discovered that there are several historic Creeds of the Christian Church, and I studied them somewhat. One thing I easily discovered was that little or nothing was included in them about the life of Jesus Christ.

The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,  contain far more about the life of Jesus than they do about his death and and resurrection. Yet when capsule statements of the Gospel were written, as the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds and others, hardly any reference was made to Jesus’ life. Does Jesus' life matter? Yes, it does; it too is redemptive and should confessed. (Much more needs to be said about this.) 

Another issue, but related: I figured out a long time ago that theologically conservative Christians preach and write far more about the crucifixion and the resurrection than they do about the life of Jesus. It is also true that theologically liberal Christians preach and write more about the life of Christ than about the his crucifixion and resurrection. It should not be either/or, but both/and. 

Is there a solution for this divet particularly in the Apostles’ Creed? There was for this pastor-- yes, amend the Creed. “What?” “That's audacious and presumptuous, to say the least, and how about sacreligious?” you say? Why? The Apostles’ Creed is not holy writ; it’s not like adding to the Bible. And of course, you footnote  the amendment so that you are not doing reverse plagiarism. Try it and see how it fits.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker 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, lived a perfect, exemplary and redemptive life,* suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into Hades; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

*This phrase did not appear in the historic Apostles’ Creed. If it makes you uncomfortable to participate in amending the Creed, simply do not read that phrase aloud.  

What's the point? Did Jesus live a perfect, exemplary and redemptive life? Should we make something of that? Could that be part of the abundant life -- the zoe that Jesus said he came to bring? Could that be what Jesus was praying his followers would have with/in himself and the Father and the Spirit? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes 

My cup runneth over.