We Believe :: New Sermon Series

Confessional Banner of the Presbyterian Church for the Apostles' Creed

Starting Sunday, September 12, Mr. Hunter will preach a series of sermons on the Apostles' Creed. His first sermon will cover the clause, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth."

The confessional banner pictured here (and which you sometimes see hanging in our sanctuary) was created by Richard K. Avery, pastor, and Donald S. Marsh, choir director, of the Port Jarvis, New York, Presbyterian Church when the Book of Confessions was adopted by the church as part of our Constitution.

One of our most ancient creeds, the Apostles' Creed (ca. AD 180-750) was developed as a baptismal creed for new Christians, and it is the most popular creed used in worship by Western Christians. Although it was not written by the Apostles, it represents the theological underpinnings of the first century church.

According to The Book of Confessions (PDF) , the Apostles' Creed developed over several centuries in response to challenges the early church faced. After its initial formulation around 180 AD,

The Apostles’ Creed underwent further development. In response to the question of readmitting those who had denied the faith during the persecutions of the second and third centuries, the church added, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” In the fourth and fifth centuries, North African Christians debated the question of whether the church was an exclusive sect composed of the heroic few or an inclusive church of all who confessed Jesus Christ, leading to the addition of “holy” (belonging to God) and “catholic” (universal). In Gaul, in the fifth century, the phrase “he descended into hell” came into the creed. By the eighth century, the creed had attained its present form.

For a nice discussion of why the Presbyterian Church uses creeds, see "Why Do We 'Confess' Our Faith?" , a 1996 article written by Perky Daniel from Presbyterians Today Online.