Gary Wills wrote a book called "Why I Am Catholic" and it was really interesting. He give a brief (jaded) history of the Papacy and got a little into doctrine but more then anything, he was a Catholic because of the Creeds. Lutherans are a lot like Catholics. We are a creedal church. Our three main creeds are the Niscene, The Athenasian and The Apostle's Creed:I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose 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 saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
This, this is good stuff and it is what we say we believe. These are what we lay out as essential truths. This is the PRIMARY and EVERYDAY creed of our church and likely in Christianity. There are non creedal and anti creedal Christians. Conservative Christians who stat that the only creed is the Bible and that the creeds are just man made and bound to distract from the truth of the Bible but, I disagree. We need creeds. We need essential truths. We need to profess our faith in a clear succinct way. But my faith waivers. There are eternal truths here and doctrinal truths here but what do I either believe, or believe it is important to believe. So my condensed creed would go something like this:
I believe in God the Father, the creator.
I believe in Jesus Christ
Who came and was sacrificed for sins
And then rose again and defeated sin, death and the power of the devil, and the power of evil men.
I believe that I cannot come to faith but that God through the Holy Spirit brought me to faith.
I believe that because of Christ's sacrifice I am forgiven for my sins.
I believe I will live in heaven with God forever.
Amen
***
These are the things I think I should believe. Lots of times I do but I think it is good to consider what you believe, and why but I think for me, at 48, this is it.
