Classical Christian Orthodoxy
Christ Redeemer Church holds to the historic ecumenical creeds of classical Christian orthodoxy: The Apostles’ Creed, The Nicene Creed (AD 381), and The Definition of Chalcedon (AD 451). You can see the full text of these creeds below.
The Apostles Creed
circa 5th century
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Maker 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, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell. 1 The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic2; church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
Amen.
1 i.e. suffered under the judgment of God for His people
2 i.e. “universal”
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, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell. 1 The third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy catholic2; church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
Amen.
1 i.e. suffered under the judgment of God for His people
2 i.e. “universal”
The Nicene Creed
AD 381
We believe in one GOD THE FATHER Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;
And in one LORD JESUS CHRIST, the only-begotten1 Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the HOLY SPIRIT, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one Holy Catholic2 and Apostolic3 Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
1 a technical term concerning the shared being of God the Father and God the Son
2 universal
3 based on the teaching of Jesus’s apostles
And in one LORD JESUS CHRIST, the only-begotten1 Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the HOLY SPIRIT, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one Holy Catholic2 and Apostolic3 Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
1 a technical term concerning the shared being of God the Father and God the Son
2 universal
3 based on the teaching of Jesus’s apostles
The Definition of Chalcedon
AD 451
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.
Denominational Distinctives
CRC has adopted the Converge Worldwide (BGC) Affirmation of Faith. The Affirmation, being an appropriate summary of biblical teaching, provides the basic doctrinal standard of Christ Redeemer Church. The specific tenets are included in the link below:
Converge Worldwide Distinctives
Converge Worldwide Distinctives
Other CRC Distinctives
In addition to the Converge Worldwide distinctives, CRC has adopted the 1646 Edition of The First London Confession of Faith. This historic confession represents an excellent creedal synthesis of the faith, not only for its strong definition of the church, but also for its roots in the Protestant Reformation and clear declaration of the sovereign grace of God in salvation. However, agreement with this historic creed is not required for membership, though it is an important grid for church officer selection. The full confession is included in the link below.
The First London Confession of Faith
The First London Confession of Faith