The Apostles' Creed is an early statement of Christian belief, probably from the first or second century. It appears to have been written as a response to Gnosticism. The Apostles' Creed is widely used by a number of Protestant denominations for both services and theological education, most visibly by the Lutheran, Anglican, and Episcopalian churches. Generally, the creed is stated today as follows, with alternate words in parentheses:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth:

And (or I believe) in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the (or by the power of the) Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit), born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He arose (rose again) from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth (at) (on) (or is seated at) the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living (or quick) and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit); the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and life everlasting. Amen.

The Latin version is

Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae.

Et in Iesum Christum, Filium eius unicum, Dominum nostrum: qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus, descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis, ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis, inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos.

Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen.

It does not address some of the Christological issues associated with the later Nicene Creed and other Christian Creeds. In particular, it was acceptable to many Arians and Unitarians.

It is likely that the earliest creed of Christianity that deserves the title in full is the Apostles' Creed. Christian mythology attributes this creed to all twelve Apostles as a joint composition, and assigns one phrase of the creed to each Apostle. This attribution is unlikely, but the creed itself is quite old; it seems to have developed from a catechism used in the baptism of adults, and in that form can be traced as far back as the second century. The Apostles' Creed seems to have been formulated to resist Docetism and similar ideas associated with Gnosticism; it emphasizes the birth, physical death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Nicene Creed clearly derives from the Apostles' Creed, and equally obviously represents an elaboration of its basic themes. The most salient additions to this creed are much more elaborate statements concerning Christology and the Trinity. These reflect the concerns of the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A. D., and have their chief purpose the rejection of Arianism, which the church adjudged a heresy. In the Roman Catholic liturgy the Nicene Creed is repeated during each Mass.

Christians today probably use the Nicene Creed most widely, followed by the Apostles Creed.

Other creeds

Other notable creeds include the:

• Athanasian Creed
• Chalcedonian Creed
• Masai Creed

Islamic creeds

The most basic attempt to put the religion of Islam in a brief statement of doctrine is the shahada, the proclamation that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet.

More detailed credal declarations of Islamic dogma constitute aqidah.

See also

• Articles of Faith
• Thirty-Nine Articles, Westminster Confession of Faith

Further reading

• Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition (http://yalepress.yale.edu/YupBooks/viewbook.asp?isbn=0300093896). Edited by Jaroslav Pelikan and Valerie Hotchkiss. Published by Yale University Press in 2003.