Worship Forms: Historic Creeds
You’ve probably heard “trust the process.” Coaches, politicians, and the C-suite have all employed this phrase to reassure people that an outcome that may seem out of reach can be achieved if they would just submit themselves to a time-tested, proven plan. At City Church we riff on that and say “trust the liturgy.”
Within Christianity there are few topics more misunderstood than worship. It’s understandably overwhelming when you step back and consider what’s happening: finite man communing with the God of the universe. Thankfully we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Throughout Scripture and the history of the church there have been passed down forms of worship that have proven pleasing to God and beneficial to man. These make up the different elements of our worship service’s liturgy.
This month we’re going to explore these different forms of worship to better understand what they are and how they form us as the body of Christ. Our hope is that through this you will grow to “trust the liturgy”—to let it guide you when your heart is so full that you can’t put it into words and when it is so downcast that words fail.
During the pandemic, I—like many of you—have had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall in the routines and habits of my children’s classrooms. I eavesdrop as they say the pledge of allegiance, sing the days of the week song, and even say prayers together. These are little habits that are teaching them truths, both big and small. Whether we are young children or adults, concise statements of big ideas help us to learn and to remember what is true. Since the beginning of the Bible, believers have used short statements of faith to encapsulate deep doctrinal truths, often called creeds.
The word creed comes from the Latin word credo which means “I believe.” The creeds often focus on the truth of God and the way of salvation. Many of the most well known and universally used creeds were established during the first centuries of the church, but statements of faith have been central to God’s people even from the beginning of Biblical History. In Deuteronomy, Israel was instructed to speak the “Shema” proclaiming the oneness of God amidst pagan, polytheistic neighbors: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God—the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Throughout the New Testament, we find many passages that give the basis for Biblical creeds. We hear this in the often repeated message of the apostles throughout the book of Acts, as well as statements like this from Paul: “For what I received I passed on to you, that Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
As the church grew and developed, creeds and confessions were written to counter heresies afoot in the early church. Misunderstandings and false teaching about the nature of Christ or the Trinity were addressed by creeds written and approved by councils. No one person wrote or approved the creeds that we have today; they were created by committee to help teach and protect the truth of the church. These creeds are rich in Biblical truth but were never meant to usurp the authority of Scripture—instead, they crystalize theological doctrines found there. These creeds, confessions, and catechisms were not simply words on a page, but they were shared, spoken, and taught in churches and faith communities throughout the world—and like the Christians before us, we still speak those words in our worship services.
So, why do we still use hundreds-year-old creeds in our worship services today? Creeds ground us, guard us, and guide us.
GROUND US
The creeds, confessions, and catechism ground us in Biblical truth and point us back to the Bible and the story of God’s character and his saving love. But these doctrines also ground us in our experience of the church universal—we are connected with the church that is outside of time and space. The margin note in our bulletin gives this hint: Since its earliest days, the Church has used different creeds to teach and proclaim basic truths about Christianity. When we say the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds together, we are reminding each other of the truth of our faith with words spoken by Christians from the 4th century and beyond.
GUARD US
Just as these documents were written to protect the church from heresies and misinformation, the creeds likewise guard us from untruth. The creeds keep the main things the main things and so protect us when we drift from the essentials of God and his work.
GUIDE US
As we grow in our faith, the creeds, confessions, and catechism can guide us to deeper love for the truth and for God’s word. Catechisms can be especially helpful tools for children and adults as we grow in our understanding of God, ourselves, and his grace towards us in Christ.
So the next time we recite the words of the Apostles’ Creed or respond to the question “What is your only comfort in life and death?” remember we are joining in the songs and lessons with centuries of believers. Speak those words with the same wonder and delight as children learning new truths. Let’s listen to each other’s voices as we remind ourselves of the richness of God’s grace for us.
For more on Creeds…
Read this essay by Carl Trueman: The Value and Role of Creeds and Confessions
Watch this video from Justin Holcomb on the Apostles’ Creed: Know the Creeds and Councils Video Study, Session 1: Apostles' Creed
Read Tim Keller’s introduction to the New City Catechism: The New City Catechism: Introduction
Meditate on these passages from Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Philippians 2: 1-11, Hebrews 10:23
Introduction written by Harrison Ford. Text written by Meg Haden