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The significance of the apostles'creed
The significance of the apostles'creed
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Meaning of the Creed A Creed is a set of guidelines that all of a particular group follows. Creed coming from the word “credo” simply means I believe. Despite that creed and confessions of belief are not interchangeable. While a statement of faith, such as “I believe” only pertains to the person speaking; a creed specifically unites all persons. In a general sense a creed defines the way in which a person or group live out their life, including all of their actions and morals. In this way a creed allows for a sense of personal identity, ergo a way of personal and social morals to be constructed. However, morals never necessarily have a right or wrong where a creed provides specific conditions in which deviation from would be heresy. The creed acting as a guideline to life allows for a more structured and centered personal identity. In the Christian sense a creed is a "statement of belief to which the orthodox are to adhere to.” (Young 1) Meaning a creed is something all Christians consider as fact; no matter what denomination of Christian they personally relate to. Similarly, in this way Christians have morals or guidelines to which all …show more content…
The pastor would ask three questions representing the holy Trinity and each the professor would answer with " I believe." But what did the credo statement of "I believe" mean? "The creed functions not as a recitation of "beliefs" but as an affirmation of loyalty" (Jennings 12) This meant that to all Christians the creed would never become stagnant. The creed would never become just a recitation of words at the beginning of the church; it would reaffirm a loyalty, commitment and relationship with God and the person. Although there’s been several versions of the creed created throughout history. The two primary texts are the original the Old Roman Symbol which later influenced the Apostles Creed, and then the reformed widely accepted Nicene
...lvation is achieved differs significantly among the various Christian groups, for example, the Catholic Church believes that salvation is attained through good works such as acts of charity and almsgiving, while the Anglican Church as a deeper focus on personal faith and acceptance of Jesus as the Savior. The concept of salvation is a driving factor in the formation of ethics and morals in the Christian faith, as individual desire to receive eternal life in heaven underpins many actions and choices that they make, such as the choice to attend church or participate in aiding the poor and helpless.
As a former slave, bereft of any free will, written words were all but unavailable to Frederick Douglass. Slaves were unable to tell their stories, to expose the dehumanization that their enslavement caused on both sides of the racial rift; so it was necessary for Douglass to fight tooth and nail to obtain the right to learn, and ultimately to narrate his own life story. Amongst the narration, multiple rhetorical strategies are integrated into the text in order to uncover the dehumanizing effect their mistreatment had on slaves during this time. His primary purpose is to educate those who are ignorant of the horrible conditions that slaves lived in and the cruelty that they suffer. He does this through the use of rhetorical devices such as anecdotes, irony and by further connecting to his audience with pathos and ethos. By using his own personal experiences as the subject of his argument, Douglass is able to make a strong and compelling case against slavery; at a time when it was socially unacceptable to do so.
While studying the Kingdom of God from the perspectives of Derek Morphew in Breakthrough and Charles H. Kraft in Christianity with Power, it has opened my mind up to completely new and interesting discoveries when considering the power that has already been given to God’s children while here on earth. It is utterly mind blowing realizing that many Christians, including myself, have not tapped into their full potential of unleashing the expectations of the risen Savior. Christians have come to believe that they are helpless and powerless against any of Satan’s attacks; however, that belief is not the reality that Christ intended when He laid down His life on the cross. When Jesus came to live on earth and walk among His people, He came not only with a goal to unleash His Kingdom, but He also came with the supernatural ability to unleash His Kingdom and thereby impressing upon His children the victorious ability to daily live in supernatural abundance. He came for so that those who believe in Him would be set free and no longer held bondage. Kraft stated in Christianity with Power, “But Jesus acted as if healings and other uses of spiritual power to overcome natural, human, or spiritual conditions ought to be the normal occurrences” (Kraft, 1989, p. 102). Derek Morphew stated it this way in Breakthrough, “the mysterious nature of the kingdom consists of the fact that it is always here, almost here, delayed and future” (Morphew, 1991, p. 66).
We should live by this truth and meditate on it day and night. The Creed is based on Scripture. The One who the truth points to is the Almighty God. God is omnipotent and He does whatsoever He rightly and justly will. He created us in His image. Yet we fell into sin and corrupted our lives. The wages of sin is death. Because of this, God sent His Perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us as a way to pay all our debt. The Father and the Son both have divine nature. Both are God, and both are Holy. There is only one God, and He is a Triune God. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one God in one Divine Nature. God does not change, He does not grow or learn, He is almighty and never-changing. Jesus Christ became humble and low by becoming human. He came down to earth and exemplified servant hood. He suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried for sinners. Nevertheless, the eternal son of God has always existed, similar to the eternal Father. There was no beginning to God. Augustine explained that Jesus showed us in the cross what we have to endure, and He showed us in the resurrection what we have to hope. Job teaches us that God will give and take away. God is the ultimate leader of our lives and we, as humans, are sinful followers of Him. Sometimes God causes us to learn through suffering, trials and tribulations. We should be very thankful because Jesus died for us, which allows
It was founded in Palestine by the followers of Jesus, whom Christians believe to be the Son of God. The central teachings of traditional Christianity are that of the Trinity, which encompasses God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prediction of the Messiah, and that his life on earth, the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven are proof of God’s love for humanity and God’s forgiveness of human sins. Christians also believe that by faith in Jesus one may attain salvation and eternal life. These sacred beliefs originated from the Bible, specifically in the New Testament. In addition, Christians also accept the Old Testament as a scared Scripture. Christianity’s early missionaries spread its teachings in various places, such as: Asia Minor, Alexandria, Greece and Rome. In this present day Christianity missions have remained a major element. Christianity could be defined in several distinctive ways. There are numerous dissimilar forms of worship, many understandings of the role of the structured clergy, and many variations in polity and church organizations within
The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed is very important in the Presbyterian Church because they believe the creed defines Christianity. The theme in both the apostles and Nicene Creed is the ides that monotheism. God is the creator of all that exists, we are called to live out our faith in community ( `one holy catholic and apostolic church`) and lastly the holy spirit lies and remains with us, guiding the church and reminding us to live out the message of Jesus.
Liberation theology was considered both a radical and political movement in Roman Catholic Theology. It proposes the fight of poverty and goes in depth into the relationship of Christian theology and political activism. It interpreted Jesus’ teachings in relation to liberation through economic, political and social conditions. Liberation Theology spoke on how the Christian church should act in order to bring social change as well as support itself with the working group. It also explains how the church should be a movement for people who were denied their rights which resulted in poverty and being stripped of human beings. Liberation theology also caused up rise in which many important people involved in Christianity did not approve of it.
sects, and no creed for any follow. There is no worshipping or personal relationship with
Simply stated, “the word "gospel" means simply good news.” With that definition, then the good news would summarize all of the information found in the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul recaps the most basic components in the gospel message. These are found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, specifically listed in 15:3-4 (NRSV) “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,”. “These verses, which were an early Christian confession, give us the heart of the gospel” and show the importance of three incidents; that Christ died
Christian faith and Ethos is the class I am taking this term. The professor 's name is Reverend Leroy Leach Jr. The class is about God, the creation, and how to read the Holy Bible.
In every society, there is a social ladder, and at the bottom of every ladder or totem pole is the poor. As I interpret Liberation Theology, is a belief system constructed for and around the poor, including the poor who were suffering within the Roman Catholic religion. If we take a look at the word liberation, it literally means the act of gaining (or trying to gain) rights for the oppressed (or poor) and poverty stricken. So Liberation Theology refers to the poor and the relationship they share with trying to find religious freedoms, rights, and social justice from those who oppose of them.
In the early centuries of Christianity, it was a challenge for the church to spread its message effectively. Only the clergy knew and understood the scripture, so most aspects of the Biblical story were left to interpretation. This was the direct cause of the rise in strength of many different heresies that although were based on the correct knowledge, but preached some fundamentally incorrect things. Clarification was needed to combat most of these heresies, and so, it was decided that the easiest way to do so would be to alter a common statement of belief that all Christians would know, even if they did not read the Bible itself. The Council of Nicaea was put in charge of altering the creed to its final form, as we see it today.
The homily opens up with a quotation from the Apostolic creed, (the shortest of the three Christian creeds), which reads “I believe in the holy catholic church; the communion of saints.” (qtd. Reese 163) This excerpt from the Apostolic creed, outlines ultimately what Christians believe about their church. That it is one holy catholic (universal) church, and that it is bound together by everyone who has been apart of the Christian Church, both living and dead. To better understand the church itself, we must look to the very book that is universally recognized, the bible. In Ephesians 4:4-6, it outlines the very foundation of what the church is. “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation. There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.One God and Father of all, which is above all, and through all, and in you all.” This excerpt truly does capture the unity that is found in the church through the communion of saints. That ultimately, the Spirit is in each and every one of us. This unites all of the members of the Christian Church on a spiritual level, and as such expresses unity.
For instance, Voltaire said, “EVERY sect, in whatever sphere, is the rallying-point of doubt and error. Scotish, Thomist, realist, Nominalist, Papist, Calvinist, Molinist, Jasenist are only pseudonyms.” (23). As a people, it is acceptable to claim an organization, but it seems to be a way to hide behind the philosophy and teaching of man than to stand behind our faith. Kings used this to their advantage and followed the established a religion for their state, but religion was used to create uniformity. Kings needed the people to have the same experiences to keep diversity at a minim and limit curiosity in fear they would be challenged, or
Saul Bellow is known as one of the most influential and important writers in the post World War II era and has won numerous awards for his work including the Pulitzer Prize, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Prize for literature. One of Bellow's famous short stories, "A Father-to-Be" follows a single day in the life of a young scientist, Rogin, who is starting to feel pressure from his fiancee, Joan, and the stress of marriage and possibly fatherhood. "The Gonzaga Manuscripts" is another short story of Bellows that is examined by many critics. The story tracks the expedition of an American scholar, Charles Feiler, who is in search for the works of a Spanish poet, Gonzaga. To find the poems would be an act of deliverance in Feiler's mind and he believes bringing that little part of Gonzaga to the world would be an act of hope the world needs.A final example of Bellow's short stories is "Looking for Mr. Green". The tale outlines the first day on the job for a relief check delivery man, George Grebe and his struggle in finding his first receiver in a Chicago ghetto. In Saul Bellow's critically acclaimed novella, Seize the Day, which includes three short stories, Bellow explores the central theme of the protagonist's fight against the unpredictable conflicts of life and the search for transcendence and truth.