For nearly two thousand years, Christians throughout the world have confessed the Apostles’ Creed. It has been prayed in churches, whispered in hospital rooms, spoken beside graves, recited at baptisms, and proclaimed in times of both joy and suffering. It is one of the oldest and most treasured summaries of the Christian faith.
Yet the Creed is far more than a list of theological statements to memorize. It is a story. It tells the story of God’s love for humanity—from creation to redemption, from the birth of Christ to his resurrection, from the gift of the Holy Spirit to the hope of the world to come. Each phrase opens the door to a deeper mystery, inviting us not only to understand the Christian faith but to live it.
This series is not intended to be an academic commentary or a defense of Christian doctrine. Many excellent books have already done that work. Instead, these reflections are written as invitations to contemplation. Together we will slow down, linger over each phrase of the Creed, and ask what these ancient words continue to reveal about God, about ourselves, and about the life to which Christ calls us. The goal is not simply to learn the Creed, but to pray it—to allow its truths to shape our hearts, deepen our faith, and draw us more fully into the life of God.
Whether you have prayed the Creed every Sunday for decades or are reading it for the very first time, I invite you to walk through it slowly. Read each article prayerfully. Sit with the reflection questions. Return to passages that speak to you. Above all, remember that the Creed is not merely about believing certain ideas. It is about entering into a relationship with the living God who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ and who continues to dwell with his people through the Holy Spirit.
Below is the Apostles’ Creed. Each article in this series explores one phrase in greater depth. Click on any title to begin your journey.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the 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.
May these ancient words become more than a confession upon our lips. May they become a pattern for our lives, drawing us ever more deeply into the mystery of the God who created us, redeemed us, sanctifies us, and calls us into his everlasting kingdom.