Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms

When we confess, 'I believe in Jesus', which 'Jesus' do we mean? What do we believe about Jesus?
We live in an age of individualism where faith has become a matter of one's subjective, private, personal experience and Bible reading is based on personal opinion (or that of one's favourite celebrity leader).
The rich, ancient, biblical tradition of outward, formal, objective, public and corporate creeds and confessions of faith provide a link for us to the historical church, and anchor us in the orthodox beliefs held by the saints throughout the ages.
As concise summaries of scriptural doctrine, creeds and confessions help us as a guide instructing us in the content of the gospel message; as an encouragement by way of public affirmation of the faith and fellowship shared with the saints of all ages; and as a guardrail protecting us from error and strengthening our witness and defense of the truth that was once delivered to the saints.

Contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints.


  • Creeds

    Historic summaries of core articles of the faith

  • Confessions

    Historic statements of doctrinal belief

  • Catechisms

    Historic didactic manuals in the form of Q&A

Creeds

Apostles' Creed, circa 3rd-4th c. AD

One of the earliest and still most widely used creeds; helpful as a teaching outline and summary of core elementary Christian beliefs.

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Nicene Creed, AD 381

First adopted at the Council of Nicea in AD 325; revised and expanded upon at the Council of Constantinople in AD 381.

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Athanasian Creed, circa 4th-5th c. AD

Primarily focused on Trinitarian and Christological theology; possibly written as a refutation of heresies concerning the divinity and the humanity of Jesus Christ.

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Confessions

Westminster Confession, 1647

One of the great historic confessions of orthodox Christianity and a systematic exposition of Reformed biblical doctrine.

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Second London Confession, 1689

Historic statement of faith and summary of the great doctrines of Christian orthodoxy, written by Particular Baptists; consciously modeled upon the WCF. Still widely used by Reformed Baptists.

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Catechisms

A Puritan Catechism, 1855

Or Spurgeon's Catechism, compiled and edited by Charles Spurgeon from the Baptist Catechism by Benjamin Keach, which was a companion to the London Baptist Confession

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