Creed facts for kids
A creed is a short statement or declaration of what someone believes. It's usually about religious beliefs or faith. The word "creed" comes from the Latin word credo, which means "I believe". Sometimes, a creed is called a symbol. This means it's like a special sign that helps people who share the same beliefs recognize each other.
Christian Creeds
One of the earliest and most important Christian creeds is the Apostles' Creed. It was created to help people understand and defend their beliefs, especially against ideas like Gnosticism. This creed clearly states important facts about Jesus Christ, like his birth, his physical death, and his bodily Resurrection.
The Apostles' Creed says:
- I believe in God, the Father almighty,
- creator of heaven and earth.
- 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 into hell.
- 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.
- 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.
The Nicene Creed came after the Apostles' Creed. It builds on the same ideas but adds more details, especially about Christology (the study of Jesus Christ) and the Trinity (the belief in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Today, the Nicene Creed is probably the most widely used creed among Christians, followed by the Apostles' Creed.
Jewish Creed: The "Shema"
The Jewish faith has a main creed called the Shema or Shema Yisrael. This statement shows their belief in one God, which is called strict unitarian monotheism. This creed is part of a prayer said twice a day. It says: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One." Another way to say it is: "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is unique."
In Hebrew, it looks like this: שמע ישראל אדני אלהינו אדני אחד You say it like this: Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad.
Islamic Creeds
The most basic statement of belief in Islam is the shahada. It is a declaration that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet.
More detailed statements of Islamic beliefs are called aqidah. These are like the core principles of the faith.
The six main beliefs for Sunni Muslims are:
- Belief in God (Allah), who is the only one worthy of worship (tawhid).
- Belief in all the Prophets (nabi) and Messengers (rusul) sent by God.
- Belief in the Books (kutub) sent by God, which includes the Qur'an.
- Belief in the Angels (mala'ika).
- Belief in the Day of Judgement (qiyama) and in the Resurrection (life after death).
- Belief in Predestination (qadar), meaning God has a plan for everything.
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Confesión de fe para niños
