WHY STUDY THE THREE
The importance of the Creeds, Confessions, & Catechisms is almost as important as reading the Bible itself as each one is meant to safeguard the members of the body from heresies that frequently twist or distort the persons & notions within Christianity.
Indeed, these were made often as a response to heretical movements that were becoming rampant deceiving many in the process. Creeds, especially the Confessions & Catechisms in the words of Ryan Reeves, gives us the language to properly articulate what is taught in scripture
CREEDS
Creeds are the most basic beliefs of Christianity. Creeds include the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, Chalcedon, & the Athanasian Creed. They are often very short in reading as they were meant to be a declaration of faith in what we believe.
Two of the Creeds all three center on the members of the Trinity in their roles & deeds. Then the universal nature of the church, the return of Christ, & with Him, the kingdom of God. The last Creed focuses exclusively on the Trinity in how it should properly be understood as, and what it isn’t.
CONFESSIONS
Unlike the Creeds which are the declarations of faith, Confessions are a long list of subjects that are defined, elaborated, & evidenced with the uses of scripture.
These includes the Heidelberg Catechism, Synod of Dort, Westminster Confession of Faith, 1698 London Baptist Confession of faith, the Chicago Statement of Biblical inerrancy, etc.,
They include not just all that is contained in the creeds, but within the scriptures itself such as what is the Bible, Justification, Baptism, Communion, the Church, Eldership, civil magistrate, etc.
CATECHISMS
Catechisms are actually Confessions in a Q & A form. It allows for a more active engagement with teacher, student, & peers.
SOURCE:
Ryan Reeves. Protestant Creeds and Confessions. Ligonier Ministries, 03-25-2021. https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/protestant-creeds-and-confessions
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