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What Christians Believe
The Articles of Faith
Development
It was once believed and taught that the Apostles' Creed was written in the first century by the twelve apostles themselves. It was even said that each apostle contributed one of the creed's twelve distinct theological statements. However, there is virtually no evidence that this took place, or even that any apostles were directly involved in the writing of the creed. But if the apostles didn't write the creed, who did?
The question of who wrote the Apostles' Creed is an open one because we do not have an author signed up for it. Almost certainly though these questions are questions that were asked of baptismal candidates going back perhaps as far back as forty or fifty years after Christ. So, a person would be asked, do you believe in God the Father, maker of heaven and earth? And we know this because a number of people talking about their baptismal experience will refer to various of these questions. And by 200 A.D., Tertullius refers to what is called the Old Roman Creed which is almost identical to the Apostles' Creed and he refers to it in terms of those baptismal questions, "Do you believe?" "Do you believe?" The first reference to the Apostles' Creed, per se, is by a man named Rufinus in 390 A.D., and he relates the story that each of the twelve apostles, including Matthias who replaced Judas, gave one of the affirmations in the creed. There really is no proof for that theory, but the idea that in fact, these affirmations go all the way back to the apostles certainly has good basis. [Dr. John Oswalt] In the writings of early Christians, there are many lists of essential doctrines that resemble the Apostles' Creed. On the one hand, there are rules of faith that catalog and explain fundamental beliefs in some detail. The writings of the early church fathers indicate that written rules of faith summarized the beliefs and practices of the churches that produced them. For example, Origen included a rule of faith in the beginning of his work, On First Principles, and Irenaeus included one in book 1, chapter 10 of his famous work Against Heresies. Rules of faith like these were intended to preserve the teachings of the church, and were used to train its people — especially its leaders. Often, these rules varied from congregation to congregation. Generally speaking, they included affirmations of important doctrines, as well as moral teachings and traditions.
On the other hand, some ancient doctrinal lists are in the form of creeds. These were short lists that summarized the doctrinal portions of the church's rule of faith, especially its most critical beliefs. These were often recited in liturgical settings, such as baptisms. In the first and second centuries, it may have been the case that each local congregation had its own creed, or way of summarizing essential biblical truth. But by the third or fourth century, some creeds were rising to greater prominence and being used in multiple churches.
One ancient creed that rose to prominence in this manner was the creed from the church in Rome, often called the Roman Creed. This creed is so similar to the Apostles' Creed that many scholars believe the Apostles' Creed to be simply a later version of the Roman Creed.
But regardless of its precise origins, what is beyond question is that the Apostles' Creed eventually came into widespread use, especially in Western churches. In the early centuries, its precise wording varied somewhat from church to church. But in the eighth century the wording was generally standardized into the form that we recognize and use today.
With this understanding of the historical development of the creed in mind, we should look at the purpose behind the creation and use of the Apostles' Creed.