One of the things we regularly do in our services is stand and recite the Apostle’s Creed. While many older church members hold the Creed to be an important and enjoyable part of the service, many of the younger generations see reciting the Creed in a monotone voice as nothing more than a meaningless religious tradition. Yet this view fails to take into account several important factors:
- The Creeds were created to combat heresies, by outlining correct doctrine. When reciting the creeds, we declare that we reject all such heresies.
- The Creeds summarise the apostles’ teaching, as found in the NT. Reciting them shows that like the early church, we too are devoted to the apostles’ teachings (Acts 2:42).
- Reciting the Creeds together is a sign of solidarity; hence why we stand. This flies in the face of postmodern society, who are shocked by a group of people all declaring with joy that they believe the exact same thing.
- Finally, reciting the Creeds helps us enjoy an affinity not just with Christians around the world, but with Christians down through the ages. People were declaring the exact same things in 4th century Europe, 8th century Africa, and 12th century Asia.
So next time you’re asked to stand and say the Creed, don’t look upon it as a meaningless religious practice; stand in solidarity with your Christian brothers and sisters throughout history, and declare ‘we believe …’
Brendan McLaughlin
