Apostles creed new and old

The Apostles' Creed is a Christian creed that has been used for centuries to summarize the basic beliefs of Christianity. There are two main forms of the creed: the Old Apostles' Creed and the New Apostles' Creed.

Old Apostles' Creed (circa 2nd century)

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 Ghost, 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 sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, The holy catholic Church, The communion of saints, The forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting.

New Apostles' Creed (circa 11th century)

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator 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, died, and buried, He descended into hell, The third day he rose again from the dead, He ascended into heaven, And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, The holy Christian Church, The communion of saints, The forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting.

Key differences between the two creeds:

  1. The Old Apostles' Creed uses the phrase "Maker of heaven and earth" to describe God, while the New Apostles' Creed uses "Creator of heaven and earth".
  2. The Old Apostles' Creed mentions "the holy catholic Church", while the New Apostles' Creed uses "the holy Christian Church".
  3. The Old Apostles' Creed does not explicitly mention the Holy Spirit, while the New Apostles' Creed includes a separate article on the Holy Spirit.

Why the changes?

The Old Apostles' Creed was likely written in the 2nd century, while the New Apostles' Creed emerged in the 11th century. During this time, the Christian Church underwent significant changes, including the rise of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the development of the doctrine of the Trinity.

The changes in the creed reflect these developments. The use of "Creator of heaven and earth" instead of "Maker of heaven and earth" may have been influenced by the Eastern Orthodox Church's emphasis on the divine nature of God. The addition of a separate article on the Holy Spirit may have been a response to the growing importance of the Holy Spirit in Christian theology.

Despite these changes, both creeds share the same basic structure and content, and are still used today in many Christian denominations.