The Episcopal Church is both Catholic, and Reformed. As such, we affirm tradition as a living foundation to ground our spiritual life in both gratitude and mystery.
Our Baptismal Covenant therefore begins with one of the oldest statements of an individual belief in God, known as the Apostles’ Creed. The candidate for baptism is asked three questions, and answers from this creed.
Question: Do you believe in God the Father?
Response: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Question: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
Response: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Question: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
Response: I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
This creed, which probably originated in the 4th or 5th century, is a very basic statement of belief in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Unlike the much more detailed Nicene Creed, its three basic sections begin with “I” rather than “we.” This is one of the reasons why it is well-suited to begin affirming the relationship each of us as individuals seeks to have with God.
After affirming the mysteries of the Creed, we continue, in the Baptismal Covenant, from beliefs to how our relationship with God calls us to growth, behavior, and action—to living a life of integrity with the principles we receive from God through scripture and ongoing revelation.
Notice that the Creed doesn’t say anything about what we DO based on these beliefs. The next five questions of the Baptismal Covenant addresses what a life of faith entails, and how we live out our beliefs in practice.
The questions now shift from asking about belief to willingness to continue to grow and to live in relationship. The questions shift from “Do you believe?” to “Will you…?”
The verbs used in this section of five questions are very significant:“Will you continue…?”
“Will you persevere…?”
“Will you proclaim…?”
“Will you seek and serve…?”
“Will you strive…?”
It might seem daunting. But not to worry. In all things, we also affirm that we are helped by God in our life of faith. These next five questions and the commitments they represent help us focus on how to build our relationship with God and each other.
Going Deeper:
The Creed addresses the mystery of God as one God, and as Holy Trinity. Each of the three questions addresses one of these three persons:
God the Creator, traditionally called God the Father, who gives life and sustains life to all things. Notice that the statement about God the Father is the shortest of all the statements. This can invite us into a broad understanding that God is greater than our imagining, and yet whose presence is revealed in a myriad of ways.
Jesus, the Son of God, who although born among us as a human person was also the Eternal Son of God and Our Savior. He came to show us how to live a God-directed life as a human person. After his execution at the hands of Imperial Rome, we believe that Jesus was resurrected and returned to existence with God, but still remaining a source and guide for our lives now. Jesus modelled God’s dream for human flourishing through reconciliation, healing, teaching, and challenging us to see God’s presence in our lives in new ways.
The Holy Spirit, who inspires us and continues to reveal God’s truth to us. It is through the Holy Spirit that the Church was born at Pentecost, that the eternal fellowship of the saints of God is sustained, that sins are forgiven, that our human flesh and souls share in God’s eternity.
We believe that these three persons are nonetheless one God. God in Trinity means a God whose very essence is a community bound in mutual love and sharing.
The great mystery of faith expressed in the Creed is meant to expand our imaginations and challenge our assumptions. This mystery reminds us that what we know of God is nonetheless a small part of who God is. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Now we see through a mirror dimly, then (when we are with God) we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).