Creeds and Confessions
Martin Luther before the Emperor
Creeds and Confessions is a new feature on New Creation Person. In it we will explore the historic creeds and confessions of the Reformed faith. In an age that is light on doctrine, we must herald a return to a confessional faith. While the Bible is generally considered to be the absolute rule of faith and practice for Christians, many Christians are ignorant of what the Bible actually teaches. This is a sad commentary in an age in which the Bible is so readily available to so many people.
The ecumenical creeds of the faith (e.g., Apostle’s Creed, Nicene Creed, etc.) are, in a sense, tests for orthodoxy. They are ecumenical in the sense that they boil down the essential beliefs of the Christian faith. Despite one’s denominational background, we should all be able to say ‘Amen’ to the articles set forth in the creeds.
The confessions of faith (e.g., Belgic, Westminster, etc.) serve as summaries of Biblical doctrine. As such, they can be specific to a particular tradition, but still serve to encapsulate the scope of Biblical doctrine. The confessions are not on the level of Scripture, but where they agree with Scripture, they reliably summarize the Bible’s teaching on a given topic.
Let’s begin with the Belgic Confession.
What you're saying