The Essentials of the Catholic Faith, Part One: The Apostles’ Creed, The Basic Profession of Faith

TheRealPresence.org ^ | 2002 | Pocket Catholic Catechism

[Salvation]

Part One:  The Apostles’ Creed

The Basic Profession of Faith

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Table of Contents    

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The Apostles’ Creed was originally a profession of faith required of converts to Christianity before they were baptized. As a formula of belief it goes back in substance, if not in words, to the twelve apostles.

Following Christ’s declaration that “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16), the Apostles’ Creed was the precondition for baptism. Only believers could be baptized. Even when children were baptized in the early Church, someone had to profess the faith for them.

Since the Apostles’ Creed was first formulated, there have been many other creeds approved and used by the Church. But this creed still remains the most common profession of the Christian faith in the world.

There is no other place to start talking about Christianity than with the Christian faith. “Our faith,” we are told, “can guarantee the blessings that we hope for and prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

What the Apostles’ Creed tells us is what everyone who calls himself a Christian must accept on the word of God, that is, on faith.

We accept three fundamental truths in the Apostles' Creed.

• We believe that the world did not always exist, but was created by God who existed from all eternity.
  
  
• We believe that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, that He was born of the Virgin Mary, died on the cross and rose from the dead, and that He will return on the last day to judge the living and the dead.
  
  
• We believe that Christ sent His Holy Spirit, who is the soul of the Church which Christ founded, and that through the Church we receive all the graces we need to reach the eternal life for which we were made.
  
  

What needs to be emphasized is that belief in these revealed truths is the foundation of Christianity. We can hope only in what we know to be true; faith provides us with the guarantee that our hope is not in vain. We can love only what we know to be good; faith provides us with the vision that God is so good we should love Him with our whole heart and soul.

Copyright © 2002 Inter Mirifica
Pocket Catholic Catechism

[Salvation]

Part One: The Apostles' Creed

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Catholic Discussion Ping!

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[Salvation]

What’s the Point of Creeds?
Who Needs a Creed? (part 1 of 12)

Creed 7: Ascended Into Heaven
Beginning Catholic: Creeds: Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Basic Tenets of Catholicism [Ecumenical]
The Catholic Nicene Creed
We Believe in One God...: The Nicene Creed at Mass [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
I Believe [Apostle's Creed]

Why the Creed Doesn't Mention the Eucharist
The Apostles' Creed in Public and Private Worship
More Than Our Father [The Creed]
The Nicene Creed in Greek and Latin
The Creed - latest revisions proposed by ICEL

[Salvation]

THE CREDO

The Apostles Creed	The Nicene Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.	We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.	We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven:
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.	by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.	For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered died and was buried.
On the third day he rose again.	On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead	he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.	We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

[Salvation]

As I understand it, in the new liturgical translations for the Mass we will once again being saying “CREDO” “I believe”

Hooray!

[clockwise]

The new Nicene Creed per the USCCB website:

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake
he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated
at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,
the giver of life, who proceeds
from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
And one, holy, catholic
and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection
of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The new Apostles’ Creed:

believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator 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 hell;
on the third day he rose again
from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand
of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge
the living 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.

[narses]

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Obama Says A Baby Is A Punishment

Obama: “If they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

[Judith Anne]

I have a dumb question (yes, it’s dumb):

Do any of my fellow Catholics bow at the words “by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.”

I do, and I noticed that some others began doing that after seeing me do it (in my new parish) but I was under the impression that the bow ended after “On the third day He rose again” yet I see very few others who remain bowed until that phrase.

I remember seeing it in a misselette some years ago, and since I am a convert for the past 30 years, all these things have great emotional and spiritual meaning to me. Nevertheless, if I am doing something wrong, I need to know.

[lightman]

Catechetical Hymn based on the Creed

“We All Believe in One True God”
by Martin Luther, 1525

1. We all believe in one true God,
Who created earth and heaven,
The Father, who to us in love
Hath the right of children given.
He both soul and body feedeth,
All we need He doth provide us;
He through snares and perils leadeth,
Watching that no harm betide us.
He careth for us day and night,
All things are governed by His might.

2. We all believe in Jesus Christ,
His own Son, our Lord, possessing
An equal Godhead, throne, and might,
Source of every grace and blessing.
Born of Mary, virgin mother,
By the power of the Spirit,
Made true man, our elder Brother,
That the lost might life inherit;
Was crucified for sinful men
And raised by God to life again.

3. We all confess the Holy Ghost,
Who sweet grace and comfort giveth
And with the Father and the Son
In eternal glory liveth;
Who the Church, His own creation,
Keeps in unity of spirit.
Here forgiveness and salvation
Daily come through Jesus’ merit.
All flesh shall rise, and we shall be
In bliss with God eternally. Amen.

Hymn #251
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: The Nicene Creed
Author: Martin Luther, 1525
Titled: “Wir glauben all’ einen Gott”
Tune: “Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott”

[Salvation]

Lots of changes in the Nicene Creed, but I didn’t detect any in the Apostles’ Creed. It’s the old way — the way I have always said it.

LOL! I’ll have to read the Nicene Creed from the book until I get it all memorized.

Thanks for that reference.

[Salvation]

**Do any of my fellow Catholics bow at the words “by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.”**

Yes, if you look at the missallette, it says to bow. Our priest does all the time.

Like you, I started doing a very low bow. It’s amazing how many people are bowing their heads now. I think part of our task (if you want to call it that) as practicing Catholics is to observe and participate in Mass correctly. Another example is receivng Holy Communion on the tongue.

It used to just be the Hispanics doing it. I started after several other people had started, and now it is amazing how many people are receiving the host on their tongue.

Blessings to you — and no, it wasn’t a dumb question!

[Judith Anne]

Thanks! After the consecration of the host and the wine, I also whisper, “My Lord, my God” three times, as the bells are rung for each. When I was a n00b Catholic, my sponsor did that, and it impressed on me the central sacrifice of the mass, in a very powerful way.

Do you know if this is a tradition? My granddaughters (who were raised Catholic) noticed me doing that, and now do it themselves, very softly; no one has ever corrected any of us, so I don’t worry about it, just that I don’t observe that in others.

[AnalogReigns]

Having been raised a Presbyterian—where holy Communion is only celebrated typically monthly (or even quarterly)...mainly for the purpose of people taking it seriously, and not for granted, we said the Apostles Creed every week—and I have it thoroughly memorized.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead, and buried. He descended into Hell. On the third day He was arouse again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on 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 Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of the Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

I attend an Anglican Church now, where, we take Communion every week. As according to tradition, when the Eucharist is offered, the more detailed Nicene Creed is said—as is said at every Roman Catholic mass.

I don’t quite have the Nicene memorized...partly because it is so similar to the Apostles Creed.

Although I don’t buy the authority of the Bishop of Rome.... I will certainly call brother, anyone who is baptized and sincerely agrees to both these creeds.

[Cicero]

Yes, that is correct. Not all the missalettes give the full rubrics, but one should bow at that point.

As for “I” or “we,” the Vatican has approved the new translation of the creed, after having earlier criticized the ICEL translation.

The official creeds are still in Latin and then translated into various languages. Both begin with “Credo,” which clearly should be translated “I believe.”

The creeds are not just statements of fact concerning what we believe, but professions of faith. No one can profess the faith for another, however; only “I believe” can amount to a profession and not just a factual statement.

“We believe” is a statement of fact, but “I believe” is a statement of fact AND a profession of faith.

I’m pretty sure that the guys on the ICEL who mistranslated the Latin were aware of that, and that it was one reason why they preferred to mistranslate it.

I don’t know why there has been such a long delay in implementing the new English translations approved by the Vatican. I would guess it is because Donald Trautman, one of those chiefly responsible for mucking up the liturgy earlier, is still chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy, and doesn’t want to admit that he was WRONG.

[kaline]

Hi Judith
yes, I bow my head in that part of the creed. It says to do so in our missle at church. I don’t think it’s a dumb question. There are so many people who don’t read that and don’t know what to do..even tho it’s pretty clear to most. I beleive most people at mass don’t even know what’s going on.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks, FRiends.

[Salvation]

As the priest genuflects after the consecrations, first of the bread, and then of the wine, I gaze at the elevated and now transubstantiated bread and wine, and with his genuflection, bow my head, strike my breast and say the words, “My Lord and My God” to myself. I have always done it since I was a cradle Catholic.

[Salvation]

PS. I forgot to say that I say it three times with each eleevation and genuflection.

[Judith Anne]

Again, thank you. I have only been at my new parish a few months, but those actions seem to have an impact on those around me. I sit in the back row, but evidently I’m not invisible...

One of the things I love the best about the parish is the strong pro-life inclination, and the way our priest gives homilies on basic Catholic beliefs almost every Sunday. There is a beautiful bronze statue of Christ in front of the Church, holding a very tiny baby in His Hand, with a tear on His face. Also—a number of parishioners have NoBama bumper stickers...

Also, every Wednesday, we cook and serve lunch to anyone who comes in; most are very poor, and obviously deeply grateful (and hungry). I love being part of that, working with the kitchen crew. Good women.

[Salvation]

**Also, every Wednesday, we cook and serve lunch to anyone who comes in; most are very poor, and obviously deeply grateful (and hungry). I love being part of that, working with the kitchen crew. Good women.**

We used to have a soup kitchen every week too, but it has fallen by the wayside.