As I was raised in the Roman Catholic church, I remember fondly reciting this as children. Now, as I am becoming a non-denominational theologian, I see a depth and chance of unity in these words for the body of Christ, that I would love to see happen:
The Apostles Creed! (Lutheran version)
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 Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living 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. Amen
Very similar are the same words in the doctrine of the Anglican Church of England:
Church of England:
Common Worship[33]
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
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.
Amen.
I see in these simple, profound words written by our earthly church fathers, a place where the true ‘Catholic’ church can come forth. By this, I do not mean the Roman Catholic Church dominating other Christian denominations, for this is not what I believe Jesus would have when He prayed that we all become one, as He and the Father are one. There who some who disagree, in that this prayer does not reveal God’s love for Israel adequately by showing Jesus to be Jewish, nor does it reveal his humanity well enough. https://chab123.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/where-the-apostles-creed-falls-short-2/
Yet, rather that split hairs, I still believe we can
No, in strict definition, the word Catholic means one true faith, and it is my understanding that we are to come into unity or faith in Jesus, not perhaps in practice of worship or denomination, for truly the gifts of callings of God distributed throughout the whole kingdom of God are too wonderful for any to fully understand or behold.
It is a unity of faith, that is belief in Jesus that we labor for, and in this particular creed I see words that perhaps all Christians might actually agree upon, in the essentials of the gospel.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
While we labor in our own particular vocations, callings, and growth in Him, it is my prayer that we might be:
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Here is an article and prayer that I wrote in a clear cry I feel for unity in the Kingdom of God, being walked out here in the earth.
Please read it: https://www.chrisaomministries.com/2015/02/01/unity-produces-the-power-of-god/
Here’s another: https://www.chrisaomministries.com/2013/11/a-prayer-for-unity-gods-commanded-blessing
