According to Calvin University’s Confessional Commitment and Academic Freedom (CCAF) document, “…the Confessions are as important to Calvin…as the Constitution or Bill of Rights is for jurisprudence in the United States.” To understand the United States, one must be familiar with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Therefore, according to CCAF, it is necessary to become acquainted with the confessions and creeds in order to understand Calvin better.

According to Calvin’s Covenant for Faculty Members, there are three creeds that every faculty member must “understand and affirm:” the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. There are also three confessions, which, according to the Covenant for Faculty Members, “…define the way we understand Scripture, direct the way we live in response to the gospel, and locate us within the larger body of Christ:” The Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort. 

To learn more about the creeds and confessions, Chimes spoke with University Pastor Mary Hulst.

Creeds

“One of the most important things to remember with the creeds and confessions is that they come out of a particular historical context. There was a reason why someone said, ‘okay, this is what we need now.’ They’re trying to answer fundamental questions about Jesus and the Trinity,” Hulst explained. 

The three creeds that Calvin adheres to are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed.

Apostles’ Creed, according to the CRC

The Apostles’ Creed begins by acknowledging belief in God, the creator. It then affirms belief in Jesus — God’s only son — and gives a brief history of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It recognizes that Jesus is currently sitting at the right hand of God, and it points to the future, when Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Finally, the Apostles’ Creed acknowledges the belief in the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity, and other core beliefs of Christianity. 

Nicene Creed, according to the CRC

The Nicene Creed was crafted to refute heresy — specifically heresy denying Jesus’ divinity. It is very similar to the Apostles’ Creed in terms of organization and structure, as an early form of the Apostles’ Creed was used as a template for it at the Council of Nicaea. It concludes with affirming some other foundational aspects of Christianity, such as the church and communion of saints. 

Athanasian Creed, according to the CRC

The Athanasian Creed, like the Nicene Creed, also strongly refutes the heresy that Jesus is not fully divine. It focuses on characteristics of the Trinity, and is very helpful in understanding more about it. Uniquely, the Athanasian Creed begins and ends by noting that without keeping the faith, we will all perish eternally, hence the need for Jesus.

In context of these creeds, Hulst explains that “the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed and Athanasian Creed were all mainly trying to figure out the Trinity, and articulate the founding principles of Christianity.” According to Hulst, “if you read the creeds and agree with them, you’re a Christian. If you read the creeds and don’t agree with them, you’re not Christian.” She continued, emphasizing, “We can disagree about tons of stuff, but the core of what Christianity is about is found in the creeds, and central to all that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Confessions

Moving to the confessions, Hulst said, “The creeds are the foundational point from which all Christian churches spring, whether they know it or not. Now, the confessions are more particular.” She articulated an important distinction about the confessions: they generally come out of some sort of conflict such as “…civil wars or rebellions against the church.” Hulst noted that, “the confessions can be a little spicier, a little more intense. If you read the Canons of Dort, you’ll notice — they’re intense.”

Belgic Confession, according to the CRC

The Belgic Confession was written in 1561 and sent to the Catholic King Philip II of Spain, who was persecuting Protestants during that time. The Belgic Confession was approved by the Synod of Dort. It includes concepts like Scripture’s absolute authority, God’s providence, double predestination, justification/sanctification and judgment. Specific passages of Scripture were cited throughout. The author, Guido de Brès, was executed by the Spanish Inquisition a few years after writing it.

Heidelberg Catechism, according to the CRC

Written two years after the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism is an expression of faith in a question-and-answer format, making it an easier resource for people with questions about Christianity. It answers questions about topics such as God’s law, the fall, the necessity of a fully divine and fully human savior, Jesus, the Trinity, the Sacraments and more. Today, the Heidelberg Catechism is well known and loved across the world.

The Canons of Dort, according to the CRC

The Canons of Dort were drafted in direct response to heresy, specifically that of Jacob Arminius, and were also affirmed by the Synod of Dort. The Canons of Dort are distinct among the others listed since they address five specific points of doctrine that were at issue with Arminius: double predestination, Christ’s crucifixion and power, total depravity, conversion and the perseverance of the Saints. The Canons of Dort have “articles” that explain each point. They conclude with a prayer that Jesus would lead people to truth, silence those who speak against the church and equip ministers with wisdom and discretion.

These confessions are widely known to be a teaching tool. Hulst claimed, “That’s the whole point — to inform people of what we believe and why. The Heidelberg Catechism has three sections, which some people call ‘sin, salvation and service.’ Others call it ‘guilt, grace and gratitude.’ We understand that we’ve been redeemed through Jesus, and we live our lives differently because of it.”

Hulst pointed out that the Belgic Confession is much more of a theological document at its core, teaching us what we believe and why we believe it. “It is deeply rooted in Scripture,” noted Hulst. She took care to make one distinction between the creeds and confessions — “The creeds are ecumenical. Every Christian must agree with them. The confessions are Reformed.” 

According to Hulst, “Everybody at Calvin is teaching or counseling from this perspective. In order to understand the water in which we all swim here, students should at least familiarize themselves with these… they can help you look at things in a whole new light.”