Followers of Jesus have always used statements of faith. Going all the way back to Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and the Shema: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." To the New Testament declaration: Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:11). What we believe is a vital part of who we are and what we do. We are first and foremost people of the Bible. What we believe comes from Scripture. But since the Bible is such a big book and because it consists of history, letters, poetry, prophecy, proverbs, and various other genres it has been helpful for believers to summarize the essentials of the faith.
Presbyterians are in unity with Christians all over the world and throughout the centuries in upholding the two most widely used Creeds from Church history - the Apostles' Creed (see below) and the Nicene Creed.
There are other Creeds and Catechisms that help guide us and give us our distinct Presbyterian theology - historical summaries of the faith like the Heidelberg Catechism and the Westminster Catechism give a more comprehensive description of our faith. New confessions like the Theological Declaration of Barmen (from the Confessing Church in Germany during WWII) and the Confession of 1967 are also part of our Book of Confessions.
The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick (living) and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy *catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
*catholic means universal
