Should the Creeds Have Any Authority?

If the Apostles' Creed (2nd-7th c.), Nicene Creed (AD 325-589), and Athanasian Creed (5th-6th c.) were not "God-breathed," as are the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16), should they have any authority in our churches? In this episode, Pastors Zac and Brandon discuss the authority of these creeds. While the Bible is our highest authority, which makes it the "norming norm," creeds, confessions, and catechisms function as subordinate authorities, which makes them the "normed norm." Developing creedal summaries of the faith is a practice that goes all the way back to the early church, as they sought to "hold fast to the pattern of sound words" (2 Tim. 1:13). In fact, the Bible includes many early credal statements that existed prior to the writing of some of the New Testament books (e.g., Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 8:6; 15:3ff; Phil. 2:5-10; 1 Tim. 1:15; 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:9-10; 1 Pet. 3:18-21). Not only are creeds biblical, but everyone has one. [A]ll Christians engage in confessional synthesis," wrote Carl Trueman, "the difference is simply whether one adheres to a public confession, subject to public scrutiny, or to a private confession that is, by its very nature, immune to such examination."

For more information, see: 

Forms and Prayers by URCNA 

The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman 

Thinking God's Thoughts (ch. 16) by J. Brandon Burks 

Know the Creeds and Councils by Justin Holcomb