The Bridge in Plain Text
Issue To Be Used Any Time After
April 1, 2007
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The Bridge
A monthly publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Connecting the congregational, synodical, and churchwide expressions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Creeds
From “The Three Historic Ecumenical Creeds of the Christian Church”
www.elca.org/communication/creeds/creeds.html
Members of the Lutheran Church
express their faith in corporate worship by use of the historic creeds, or
belief statements, common to most Christians. This common profession of
faith is a way to proclaim our unity with Christians around the world and
throughout time back to the ancient church. The creeds are also useful for
private devotions, especially the Apostles' Creed.
The Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed as we now have it dates from the eighth century.
However, it is a revision of the so-called Old Roman Creed, which was used
in the West by the third century. Behind the Old Roman Creed, in turn, were
variations which had roots in the New Testament itself. While this creed
does not come from the apostles, its roots are apostolic. It serves as a
Baptismal symbol -- that is, it describes the faith into which we are
baptized and is used in the rites of Baptism and Affirmation of Baptism.
The Nicene Creed
A greater variety of creeds appeared in the East than in the West. When the
Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) rejected the teaching of Arius, it expressed
its position by adopting one of the current Eastern symbols and inserting
into it some anti-Arian phrases, resulting in this creed. At the Council of
Constantinople (381) some minor changes were made, and it was reaffirmed at
the Council of Chalcedon (451). It is an essential part of the doctrine and
liturgy of the Lutheran churches. Historically it has been used especially
at Holy Communion on Sundays and major feasts (except when the Apostles'
Creed is used as the Baptismal Creed).
The Athanasian Creed
This creed is of uncertain origin. It was supposedly prepared in the time of
Athanasius, the great theologian of the fourth century, although it seems
more likely that it dates from the fifth or sixth centuries and is Western
in character. It assists the Church in combating two errors that undermined
Bible teaching: the denial that God's Son and the Holy Spirit are of one
being with the Father; the other a denial that Jesus Christ is true God and
true man in one person. It declares that whoever rejects the doctrine of the
Trinity and the doctrine of Christ is without the saving faith.
Traditionally it is considered the "Trinitarian Creed" and read aloud in
corporate worship on Trinity Sunday.
Featured Resources
Monthly Bible Verse
This Bible verse was selected by Harold Usgaard, bishop of the
Southeastern Minnesota Synod, for everyone in the synod to study.
“Every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians
2:11
About Our Synod
The Southeastern Minnesota Synod is a faith community of 130,000 baptized
people in 184 congregations as well as related institutions of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its geographic area includes
15 counties in the southeastern corner of Minnesota.
The Bridge is a monthly
publication of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA. For more information,
contact the synod office:
Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
ELCA
1001 14th St. NW, Suite 300
Rochester, MN 55901-2551
(507) 280-9457
www.semnsynod.org
This issue is designed to be
used any time after April 1, 2007.
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