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The Apostles' Creed
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, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hades; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sitteth at 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 Catholic* Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. [Schaff History of the Christian Church volume II page 535,536] |
*The word "catholic" refers to the universal church of the Lord Jesus Christ, not to the Roman Catholic Church.
Editor: It is commonly agreed that the Apostles did not pen this creed but it came into existence and grew over a period of several hundred years after the apostles. The Waldenses referred to the Apostles creed in their 1120 confession of faith as follows: [1. We believe and firmly maintain all that is contained in the twelve articles of the symbol, commonly called the apostles' creed, and we regard as heretical whatever is inconsistent with the said twelve articles.]. Notice they indicated there were twelve articles in the Apostles creed in which they subscribed to. Whether the above creed is in fact the one in which the Waldenses refers is not entirely clear.