What We Believe

The Apostles' Creed:

I 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.

On the third day He rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

And sits at the right hand of the Father;

From there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit;

The holy christian church;

The forgiveness of sins;

The resurrection of the body,

And the life everlasting.

Amen.

The above is my version of the Apostles' Creed.  It derives from the more ancient Roman Creed and Rule of Faith dating from the 2nd Century.

I have used the word "Creator," instead of "Maker" as found in some versions.  My belief is that God created the universe out of nothingness.  To my mind, the word "make" implies that something is fabricated from existing material.  A slight but important semantic difference.

I use the term "Holy Spirit," instead of "Holy Ghost."  In modern usage the word "ghost" has metaphysical connotations that might distract from the intended meaning.

I use the word "living" instead of "quick," simply because it is more understandable to modern Christians.

I have eliminated the reference to Jesus going to hell during the three days between His crucifixion and His resurrection.  From the cross, Jesus told the Good Thief that he would be with Him that day in paradise.  I prefer to believe that Jesus kept His word and was in paradise during those three days, rather than in hell.

I have used the term "christian church" instead of "catholic church."  Technically, "catholic" means "universal."  But the word is not often used that way these days, and there is too much danger of it being confused with the name of the Roman Catholic Church.

I have eliminated the reference to the "communion of saints."  That was not added to the Creed until the 6th Century.  Some say that "saints" refers to all true Christian believers, and that "communion" refers to the commonality of salvation.  If so, then belief in the holy Christian church covers it.  We believers have a bit of Jesus within us, which makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are in communion with one another.  That's what makes us the holy Christian church.