Affirmations of Faith: Creeds and Confessions for Corporate Worship

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his 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.

— Historic creed, public domain

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.

— Historic creed, public domain

Leader: Christ Jesus, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, People: but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. Leader: And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. People: Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; All: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

— Philippians 2:6–11 (WEB)

We believe what we also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared — to Cephas, then to the twelve, then to over five hundred brothers at once. And if Christ has not been raised, our faith is vain. But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

— 1 Corinthians 15:3–6, 17, 20 (WEB)

We believe in a God who does not stay distant. We believe in a promise kept slowly, in a light that came into the dark and was not put out, in a King who arrived as an infant in an occupied country, to unimportant people. We believe he will come again — and that the waiting is not wasted.

— Original

What is the difference between the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed?

The Apostles' Creed is shorter, older in its baptismal roots, and phrased "I believe." The Nicene Creed (325/381) is longer and more precise about the divinity of Christ, and is phrased "We believe." Most churches use the Apostles' Creed weekly and the Nicene on major feast days.

What does "holy catholic Church" mean in the Apostles' Creed?

"Catholic" here means universal — the whole church across all times and places — not the Roman Catholic Church. Many Protestant churches print "universal" in parentheses to prevent confusion.

Our church does not use creeds. What can we use instead?

Scriptural affirmations do the same work with no creedal commitment: Philippians 2:6–11, 1 Corinthians 15:3–6, Colossians 1:15–20, or 1 Timothy 3:16 all read naturally as corporate confessions.