16 good reasons to say the creed - 22 August 2011 |
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Sixteen good reasons to say the Creed, taken from Steve Hayhow’s first session on the Apostles’ Creed at yesterday’s Forum.
1. Creeds are fences. They define boundaries between truth and error.
2. Creeds keep us focused on the main thing. They articulate major doctrines, not minor ones.
3. Creeds are communal. Both in their composition and their articulation, they display the corporate character of the body of Christ
4. Creeds are public. Both in their composition and their articulation, they tell the world what Christians believe.
5. Creeds are rituals. They thus form habits which are (or at least can be) good for us.
6. Creeds are historical. They unite us with the church in previous ages, and prevent us drifting off into fads and novelties.
7. Creeds are theological. They align us with what God says is true.
8. Creeds offer an opportunity to reaffirm our faith. Together with make other features of the Christian life, they keep our faith alive.
9. Creeds connect theology and life. They connect “faith” (the subjective stance of the believe) with “the faith” (the things believed by the believer), and thereby prevent a drift towards contentless subjectivity.
10. Creeds are short and memorable.
11. Creeds are comprehensive. They allow us to see the whole at a glance.
12. Creeds are joyful. They offer an opportunity for proclamation and declaration of what we believe.
13. Creeds change the world. They affect the future of our lives and the lives of others. Just ask a Chinese church Pastor who refuses to renouce his faith in prison.
14. Creeds are doxological. They proclaim God’s mighty acts and praise him for his deeds.
15. Creeds are encouraging. You’re not the only one saying those words, either here or elsewhere all over the world.
16. Creeds manifest submission. Someone else wrote those words, and we believe what has been handed down to us.
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Minister's Blog