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A CASE FOR CREEDAL EMPLOYMENT IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP GATHERINGS
In
discourse of regulative and normative principles of worship, an element that
subsists as a crucial source of contention is that of creedal employment in
Christian worship gatherings. Certainly, there is no explicit command to employ
such confessions. Nonetheless, the value of creedal texts has been observed for
centuries, since the early church, and even prior. This paper will contend for
an unapologetic use of creeds in worship on a threefold basis.
1)
The
historic creeds, derived from Scripture, present a survey of the gospel,
2)
creeds
point to a deeper biblical reality and serve as springboards into the mysteries
of the faith, and
3)
creeds
are historically tested and tried, leaving little room for error.
A Survey of the
Gospel
A foundational reason it is good to employ creeds in Lord’s
Day worship is creedal use is in the Bible. “The [historic] creeds[1] may have been formulated
centuries after the last books of the Bible were written, but there are
numerous models for creedal formulations within Scripture.”[2] “The Shema (Deut 6:4–5) was a
simple, concise profession of Israel’s faith: “Listen, Israel: The Lord our
God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your strength.”[3] Moreover, the New Testament contains
“early hymns to Christ that served an important liturgical function in the
early church (Phil 2:6–11, Col 1:15–20, 1 Tim 3:16).”[4] Creeds themselves hold no
independent authority on their own but are “normative”[5] as they represent a broad
view of biblical teaching, Therefore, the creeds are derived from the text of
Scripture and, without the necessity of canonization, offer a summary of
universal and essential ecclesiastical beliefs.
While some traditions claim not to have a confession[6] or statement of beliefs, without
much effort, it is discovered that the opposite is true. For example, one such
tradition where such a case is common is that of Southern Baptists.
Anecdotally, a common assertion is that Baptist churches do not hold to a
confession of the faith because the Bible is the confession of the faith. Such
a [relatively new] thought, however, contradicts the trajectory of church
history, especially Baptist history. Among Baptists, over three hundred years
ago, a group of Particular Baptists met in London to codify a concise statement
of beliefs. The result was two different confessions: the 1644 London Baptist
Confession (LBC) and the 1689 LBC, although the latter was published in 1677.[7]
Moreover, specific Southern Baptist confessions have been exercised as a
summary of beliefs within the denomination. The contention here is not solely
to point to the incompatibility with a claim that is refuted by church history
but rather to highlight the usefulness or creeds, especially in weekly worship
gatherings.
The underpinning concept to creeds is that, while not
canonized (as creeds should not be), creedal texts not only embody essential
biblical teachings, but they are also derived from Scripture. As such, creeds
are valuable to corporate worship. Christian worship gatherings are perhaps one
of the most suitable settings for teaching and spiritual growth. As such,
creeds should be realized as summaries of the gospel.
Truth to Truth:
Creeds Point to a Deeper Biblical Reality
A second substantial reason to employ creedal texts as a
liturgical device is that the historic creeds point to a deeper biblical
reality. As a gospel summary, creeds hint at the deeper truths of Scripture in
a way that is comprehensive and understandable no matter where one is in their
faith. A popular adage states that the gospel is deep enough in which the most
inquisitive of minds may swim and shallow enough in which a child may wade.
Creeds offer a method for believers to concisely state what is essential to
believe. In two ways, creedal texts are advantageous to Lord’s Day worship.
1)
Creeds express, in a succinct manner, the mystery of the
gospel, and
2)
creeds serve as a springboard into the mysteries of the
faith.
Each Lord’s Day the church removes the dust from historic
practices, some of which of centuries old. “The tension between holding
the traditional expressions
of a
particular worshiping context alongside emerging contemporary practices is felt
among many faith communities in the North American context.”[8]
In this way, the church holds a stalwart connection with the saints of the past
through their confessions of faith.[9]
As concise overviews of the gospel, the deeper truths of Scripture must not be
lost. The Apostle Paul contends that it is necessary to confess with the mouth
and believe in the heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and is risen from the dead
(Rom 10:9-10). A creed is an intentional and ecumenical method of such a
confession. While the confession that Jesus is Lord is foundational to the
Christian faith, the issue is deeper than a mere statement of beliefs, for such
a confession reflects what is in one’s heart. The mystery of the gospel is
expressed in the confession that Jesus is Lord, as believers confess their
abandonment of all earthly desires to a greater purpose of dying to self and
living to Christ: a mystery in itself.
Creeds
also serve as springboards into the mysteries of the faith. While elements of
the Christian faith may be difficult to explain, believers trust the scriptures
and the Holy Spirit’s offering of understanding. The Athanasian Creed, for
example, has perhaps the clearest explanation of the Trinity among the three
historic creeds. While the concept of a triune God could be difficult to
explain and understand, as believers recite the text of the Athanasian Creed,
they internalize and believe it to the extent that they trust it because it is
true. Therefore, trinitarian work is assimilated into the life of believers and
the church.[10]
Creedal confessions are valuable in teaching the
church the foundational truths of the faith. “While Scripture is the supreme
source of divine revelation and the only norm for our faith, it still must be
interpreted (Neh 8:8, Acts 8:30–35).”[11] When God’s people recite truth with the mouth,
they are justified, as they believe what they say (Rom 10:10). In that way
then, creeds are a vital part of the worship gathering, as they offer a way to
teach, train, and sanctify God’s people.
Creeds Are
Historically Tested and Tried
A final reason creeds are useful in corporate worship is that
creedal texts are tested and tried throughout church history. The historic
creeds are derived from Scripture (i.e. creeds are not the invention of
humankind). For centuries, creeds have been utilized in worship and have
survived the test of time. Scrutinized by centuries of theologians and church
leaders, creeds have presented a valuable and intentional tool to teach the
people of God. “Unfortunately, they have been largely ignored in the worship
of contemporary churches in free church traditions, largely out of suspicion
that those in ‘bells and smells’ churches mindlessly repeat these creeds
without any attention to their meaning.”[12]
The creeds connect us with the saints of God throughout
history (the saints mentioned by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 11, the Patriarchs
of the Old Testament, and even the New Testament Apostles that changed the
world for the cause of Christ). The creeds attest to God’s work throughout
history, the explicit truth and authority of Scripture, and a mystery of faith
that may only be trusted rather than seen. Tested and tried, creeds are an
invaluable resource to which the church may resort in the worship gathering and
has proven faithful for centuries.
[1] What is referenced for the purview of this
paper is the utilization of historic creeds (e.g. and Apostles Creed, the
Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed) for liturgical purposes.
[2] Rhyne
R. Putman, “The Christian Creeds: An Introduction,” Credo Magazine, vol.
11, issue 2 (2021), https://credomag.com/article/the-christian-creeds/.
[3] Putman, “The Christian Creeds.”
[4] Putman, “The Christian Creeds.”
[5] Putman, “The Christian Creeds.”
[6] The terms, “confession” and “creed,” are
often used interchangeably. Though the two hold slightly similar meanings and
implications, there are nuanced differences care must be taken to distinguish
the two. Where a confession is often tailored to an individual, a creed
represents a formal pledge of allegiance to a set of formalized and integral
beliefs (F.M. Hasel, “Creeds and Confessions, ed. J.D. Barry et al., The
Lexham Bible Dictionary).
[7] Robert
R. Oliver, “Baptist Confession Making 1644 and 1689” (A paper read to the
Strict Baptist Historical Society 17th March, 1989 – Revised), 2.
[8] Justin
J. Lind-Ayres, “Invigorating Our Confessions of Faith (Creeds) with the
Assistance of Romans.” Word and Word 39, no. 3 (Summer 2019), 246.
[9] Certainly, creedal employment needs to often
be revitalized with a greater realization of relevance in the modern context.
[10] Pedreto
Antonio Graham-Brown, “The Trinity…Biblical Mandates for Preaching, Teaching,
Worshipping, and Evangelism in the Local Church” DMin diss., Liberty
University, Lynchburg, VA, 2017), ii.
[11]
Putman, “The Christian Creeds.”
[12] Putman, “The Christian Creeds.”
