Creeds and Confessions

One of the most beautiful aspects of our faith and church is its rich history of literature and documentation. You can read such a wide array of texts that teach you, give you insight, and preserve important moments of Christian history. Reading is in many ways the form by which the church’s present is connected to its past. The treasures of old can become treasures for us today. Growing up in the church I was never drawn to reading but in my adult life reading has not only become a resource and practice, but also an escape. It transfers you to the minds and thoughts of some of the most gifted men and women the church has ever had. It is an amazing thing, to be able to be taught by those before us through their writing. This is a treasure that the church has and should learn to embrace. As a pastor I have learned to appreciate this aspect of our rich faith but I have also become an ambassador for these documents to modern audiences.

One category of church documentation that all Christians should learn to read and embrace are creeds and confessions. Many of us are familiar with "The Apostle's Creed" which is an ancient Christian confession of our faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is recited in many of our churches as a reminder and testimony of who our God is, what He has done, and what we believe of Him. Creeds and confessions become tools of witness to these truths. They are effective means for memorizing and understanding the doctrines of our Christian faith. They could seem archaic to some, due to the language, but when understood, these creeds and confessions quickly become sources of profound truth.

I would like to make a plea to all Christians and churches to engage themselves in creeds, confessions, and catechisms to equip our church members with the richness of these treasures. One of the most profound documents that I have come to love and share with my church is the Westminster Standards. The Confession of Faith is a powerful tool to teach the doctrines of the Christian faith in a simple yet precise manner. The Heidelberg Catechism is a simplified form of the Westminster Catechism that aims to teach young people what we believe as Christians in simple question and answer format. And of course there are more, such as the Belgic Confession which emphasizes the Protestant view on matters of life and faith. Do not let these treasures whither away in libraries or in the minds of our past, let them thrive in the gathering of our saints today.