I was born into a Baptist family but grew up Presbyterian, in Kumbo, Cameroon. Because my parents worked in different towns, my mother and I occasionally attended a local Baptist church. Growing up in a Presbyterian congregation meant that worship was more liturgical than my experience in the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). We regularly recited the Apostles’ Creed in the Presbyterian church. And I always started thinking about the Roman Catholic Church down the street when we got to affirming: “the holy catholic church.” I wondered why, as Presbyterians, we were stating our belief in a “catholic church.”
My experience in both Baptist and Presbyterian churches has convinced me of the value in reciting creeds.
At 18 I got baptised in the Baptist Church, because I agreed with Baptist distinctives more than those of Presbyterianism. This is still true today. Furthermore, I remain a committed Christian, endeavouring to know my Bible better (1 Peter 3:15). So this article isn’t about denominational preferences. Nor is it a Presbyterian take down of Baptists. However, my experience in both churches has convinced me of the value in reciting creeds, which is lacking in most Baptist churches. Below I attempt to explain why this is the case, and why it shouldn’t be so.
Baptists Tend to Be Non-Creedal
Some readers won’t know much about Baptists. And why shouldn’t they? We Baptists have a hard time defining what it means to be Baptist ourselves. But more often than not we tend towards being “non-creedal.” This means we reject any ancient creed that asks us to conform to it, holding tightly to our belief in “the priesthood of all believers” (based on verses such as 1 Peter 2:9-10; Hebrews 3:1). Based on these and other biblical passages, we affirm that each individual is free to worship according to how the Spirit leads.
We affirm the freedom to worship according to how the Spirit leads. However, we also don’t want a free-for-all.
However, we also don’t want a free-for-all. So, instead of affirming and subscribing to Christian creeds we come up with “statements of faith.” Confusingly, we sometimes call these “confessions.” Statements of faith summarise what an individual congregation or larger Baptist convention believes. The Cameroon Baptist Convention has a 19 point statement of faith, which is already more than double the length of the Apostles’ Creed!
There’s Nothing Wrong with a Statement of Faith
Don’t get me wrong, having a statement of faith is wonderful. But many Baptists don’t even know what theirs says. That’s because, in addition to being wordy, statements of faith aren’t readily accessible to congregants. Typically, only pastors and denominational leaders ever see them.
A statement of faith outlines what a local church or Baptist convention believes.
Furthermore, Baptists don’t recite them in worship services. Of course, this is unsurprising. Since the point of a statement of faith is not for it to be recited. Instead, a statement of faith outlines what a particular local church or broader Baptist convention believes. Creeds, on the other hand, are written for the purpose of being recited.
What do We Have Against Creeds?
Considering themselves to be firmly within the Reformed tradition, Baptists are uncomfortable with the word “catholic.” Thus many Baptists would choke on the words from the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in the holy catholic church.” Only, this is the word from antiquity meaning ‘universal.’ Nevertheless, this explains some of the suspicion Baptists feel towards creeds. Another example might be their reference to “communion,” when speaking about the Lord’s Supper.
Many Baptists deem creeds superfluous.
In addition to this suspicion, many Baptists deem creeds superfluous. They argue that there is no need to recite creeds, since they’re just another way of saying: “We believe that the Bible says…” D. Jeffrey Mooney and Adrian Martinez make this case in their essay. But this line of logic is problematic. Why? Well, it cuts against statements of faith as well. After all, I can only assume we understand them to similarly clarify what the Bible says.
What Makes Baptists Different within the Reformed Tradition?
Baptists have traditionally differed from other Protestants in their approach to worship.
Baptists have traditionally differed from other Protestants in their approach to worship. We’re called “Baptists” because of our insistence on how baptism ought to be done. We insist that baptism must be by immersion and not sprinkling, as is the case in some Christian circles. We are very thorough in our teaching that only people old enough to publicly make a confession of faith in Christ can be baptised after making this confession. Thus, Baptists don’t baptise infants. This also means that there is no need for confirmation. Children usually get baptised when they’re old enough to understand what they are doing, unlike other Christian groups who then have to “confirm” what was done at infancy without their understanding.
So back to the crux of the matter: why should Baptists recite the Apostles’ Creed?
Three Reasons Baptists Should Recite Creeds
Creeds go a long way in reinforcing a sense of oneness within the global body of Christ. They reaffirm our oneness by re-enforcing age old beliefs of the Christian faith, rooted in biblical truths. Despite differences in corporate worship and our respective views of baptism, the creeds are a reminder that we share fundamental and core tenets of the Christian faith. We agree on many matters, owing to our commitment to scripture.
Creeds define and defend orthodoxy, which is unceasingly under attack.
Furthermore, like most, the Apostles’ Creed was written in response to heretical teaching. It defines and defends orthodoxy, which is unceasingly under attack. Thus the creeds are relevant in guarding against false teaching.
Finally, at the Reformation Protestants retained the Apostles’ Creed along with the other historical creeds. In other words, the Reformers viewed them as indispensable to upholding the biblical faith. By returning to these creeds, Baptists can strengthen their ties with their often estranged Reformed brothers and sisters.
Why Not?
As another writer put it at TGC Africa, “When you recite a creed you are setting yourself apart from those who do not. However, across the broad spectrum of churches and denominations, the Apostles’ Creed has always united. While I have used the terms freely up until now, a creed is in fact distinct from a confession. A ‘confession’ dives deeper into the specific doctrines that divide groups while a ‘creed’ expresses precisely what all the associated groups have in common. When we say the Apostles’ Creed we are speaking with one voice across all Christian groups, throughout time, declaring the irrefutable truth of scripture. As believers we must, with confidence, be able to say it.”
In 1905, at the inaugural meeting of the Baptist World Alliance, attendees recited the Apostles’ Creed. It’s time for us to ask why we don’t.
