"Traditionalist believe most if not all of the Apostles creed, while modernists, would believe little, if any."
Don't you understand how this statement vitiates Neo's original aplication of the creed to determine whether or not a person WAS a Christian? If "Modernists" believe little, "if any" of the apostolic creed, then either they are not Christians, OR the apostolic creed is not a reliable indication of Christian belief. This is patently plain, and should not be causing you undue discomfort.
The creed is indeed a Roman Creed, and any use by others is mere syncretism for purposes of attempting to unite a church which was galloping off in all directions at once.
The Christian church continues to fragment, of course, and thr Apostle's creed has been the subject of numerous debates over the centuries particularly as objected to by numerous Prostestant denominations. One need only return to Martin Luther to understand the fundamental differences in opinion. Here is an excerpt from his Smalcald Articles of Christian doctrine:
frii.com
"Of the Invocation of Saints.
The invocation of saints is also one of the abuses of Antichrist conflicting with the chief article, and destroys the knowledge of Christ. Neither is it commanded nor counseled, nor has it any example [or testimony] in Scripture, and even though it were a precious thing, as it is not [while, on the contrary, it is a most harmful thing], in Christ we have everything a thousandfold better [and surer, so that we are not in need of calling upon the saints] .
And although the angels in heaven pray for us (as Christ Himself also does), as also do the saints on earth, and perhaps also in heaven, yet it does not follow thence that we should invoke and adore the angels and saints, and fast, hold festivals, celebrate Mass in their honor, make offerings, and establish churches, altars, divine worship, and in still other ways serve them, and regard them as helpers in need [as patrons and intercessors], and divide among them all kinds of help, and ascribe to each one a particular form of assistance, as the Papists teach and do. For this is idolatry, and such honor belongs alone to God. For as a Christian and saint upon earth you can pray for me, not only in one, but in many necessities. But for this reason I am not obliged to adore and invoke you, and celebrate festivals, fast, make oblations, hold masses for your honor [and worship], and put my faith in you for my salvation. I can in other ways indeed honor, love, and thank you in Christ. If now such idolatrous honor were withdrawn from angels and departed saints, the remaining honor would be without harm and would quickly be forgotten. For when advantage and assistance, both bodily and spiritual, are no more to be expected, the saints will not be troubled [the worship of the saints will soon vanish], neither in their graves nor in heaven. For without a reward or out of pure love no one will much remember, or esteem, or honor them [bestow on them divine honor].
In short, the Mass itself and anything that proceeds from it, and anything that is attached to it, we cannot tolerate, but must condemn, in order that we may retain the holy Sacrament pure and certain, according to the institution of Christ, employed and received through faith."
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The belief in communion of Saints and purgatory--these do not come close to defining a universal idea of Christianity. For instance, the Church of Christ has over 15000 churches and accepts no creed of any kind.
Here is a better way of defining who a Christian is on the basis of undisputed beliefs. Nothing mentioned about believing in the catholic church or the communion of Saints!
people.enternet.com.au
"1. Who is a Christian?
A Christian is a person who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
There are many people in the world who seek to know God and to do the will of God in the way they live. While Christians do believe in God and seek to live a good life in the service God and our fellow human beings, that is not what makes a person a Christian. What matters in becoming a Christian is what a person believes about Jesus. It is how a person relates to Jesus Christ that is the distinctive and essential character of a Christian.
2. Who is Jesus Christ?
Jesus was a teacher who lived at Nazareth and taught in Galilee and Jerusalem in the time of the Roman Empire. We believe he is the Son of God, who lived and died for others and was raised from the dead.
Jesus of Nazareth announced the coming of the kingdom of God. He lived our human life, healing the sick and teaching his disciples and the crowds who came to him, until he was killed by crucifixion at Jerusalem under the rule of Pontius Pilate, and then God raised him to life again. Jesus himself, in his life and sacrificial death, made the response of humility, obedience and trust which God had long sought in vain. God confirmed and completed the witness which Jesus bore to God, and made in Jesus a representative beginning of a new order of righteousness and love. To God in Christ all people are called to respond in faith.
3. Why is Jesus called Christ?
Jesus is called Christ because we believe he is the Messiah, the anointed one, who came from God to establish the Kingdom of God in which people are restored to a new relationship with God.
When Jesus was called Christ by the apostles it meant that they accepted him as the Messiah whom God had promised to send to lead his people. The expected Messiah was a king who would establish the rule of God and lead people to victory over the enemies of God. Jesus showed them that his victory would not be like that of earthly kings, for he would humble himself and become their servant, even to the point of dying for them. In this way he overcame sin and death, the enemies of God and of humanity, which divide people from God and from each other; so he reconciled us to God and to one another and was given great honour as the King of kings and Lord of lords. After his victory Christ was raised up to a special place with God and honoured as he had been from the beginning in which he shared with God in the creation of the world.
4. Why is Jesus called Lord?
Jesus is called Lord because we believe he is God and because he rose from the dead.
Jesus is both truly God and truly human. How that can be is learned from scripture, which incorporates the witness of those who knew him well, especially the apostles, and it is confirmed in Christian experience. We believe that Jesus is human and divine; as well as being a humble servant and wise teacher, his is our Saviour and Lord. We believe this because of the way he lived and died, according to the scriptures, and because of the difference faith in him makes to our lives.
5. Why is Jesus called Saviour?
Jesus is called Saviour because through the sacrifice of his life and his conquest of sin and death he saved us from the consequences of sin.
Because of the rebellion of humankind against God and our desire to put ourselves in the place of God, we are alienated from God, and from our fellow human beings. This state of separation, pride and willfulness is sinful, a state from which we cannot rescue ourselves. Only by the grace of God can we be restored to communion with our Creator and fulfil our potential to become children of God and brothers and sisters of one another. In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God reached out to us, broke the power of sin, healed and reconciled us, saving us from death and offering us eternal life.
These are the central Christian beliefs, which are the basis for a life of discipleship. |
