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Foundation of Faith What We Believe Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed, though not written by the apostles, is the oldest creed of the Christian church and is the basis for others that followed. Its most used form is:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker 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, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose 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 Spirit; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.
In its oldest form, the Apostles’ Creed goes back to at least 140 A.D. Many of the early church leaders summed up their beliefs as they had an opportunity to stand for their faith—see, for example, 1 Timothy 6:12. These statements developed into a more standard form to express one’s confession of faith at the time of baptism. It is not Scripture, but it is a simple list of the great doctrines of the faith.
The word “catholic” means “relating to the church universal” and was the word used in the original version of the Creed. It does not mean the Roman Catholic Church, but the church, the body of Christ, as a universal fellowship.
The phrase, “He descended into hell,” was not part of the creed in its earliest form.
The "communion of saints" in the Apostles' Creed refers to the spiritual union and shared fellowship among all believers in Jesus Christ, both living and dead, past and present. It signifies that Christians are united in one body, sharing in the same salvation, spiritual blessings, and ultimate hope of resurrection.
Key Aspects of the Communion of Saints:
A Universal Community: It includes all believers on earth (church militant) and those who have passed into the presence of Christ (church triumphant).
Shared Salvation: Believers share a common life, faith, and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Beyond Space and Time: This fellowship transcends time, connecting believers today with those who came before them and those who will follow.
The "Holy Ones": "Saints" here does not refer solely to canonized saints, but to all people of God sanctified in Christ.