A creed is a formal statement of core Christian beliefs. There have been various attempts at creating creeds throughout the history of the Christian church; they often arose to correct a particular heretical teaching that had appeared. Historic creeds such as the Apostles’, Nicene, Chalcedonian and Athanasian creeds were attempts to clarify the core beliefs to counter teachings that were leading people away from the Gospel, as originally preached.
Creeds can be helpful in teaching the fundamental truths of Christianity in a way that is concise yet memorable. They are often recited at Christian worship services. They help set Christianity apart both from other religions and from teaching that claims to be ‘Christian’ but is not.
At the time of the Reformation no new ‘creeds’ were produced, but similar summaries of belief, called ‘Confessions’ and/or ‘Catechisms’, were produced by the different national churches and emerging denominations. Examples are: The Westminster Catechism (Presbyterian), the 39 Articles (Anglican), and the Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed).