2 min read

Reinventing the (Christian) Wheel

Why does modern American Evangelical Christianity insist on reinventing Christianity? Case in point: umpteen gazillion statements of faith. So much of modern Christianity tries, poorly, to recapture what the ancient Church established over a millenium ago. So each individual and "spirit led" church decides that they need to figure it all out on their own, independent of the broad, deep, and longstanding historical tradition passed down through the centuries. Inevitably, they decide to write their own statement of faith, supposedly capturing the essence of what they believe.

Except that such a practice isn't christian. Christianity isn't many varieties of a single diestic core. Christianity is one Faith, one Truth, one Lord Jesus Christ our God. The Ancient Church recognized the importance of this, and very early on struggled, and through the grace of the Holy Spirit, prevailed against this heretical practice by recording once and for all a statement of faith, also known as the Creed. It took some time, as the Church had to deal with various heresies throughout its early life. Sadly, in this time of individualistic, Sola Scriptura practice, these same heresies return to haunt those who chose to eschew the right practice and holy Tradition preserved in the Church.

So, stop reinventing and defining your statement of faith. If you are Christian, then you already have your statement of faith, it's in the Creed, and quite frankly, it's not up for debate.

Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made:

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man;

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;

And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;

And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets;

And we believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins

We look for the Resurrection of the dead,

And the Life of the age to come. Amen.