When I was growing up in Hollywood, CA, I attended a small church with my family on Sundays (yes, that is actually a picture of the inside of the church. It's still there today - imagine that!). Each week, during the time spent in the sanctuary to hear the message from the pastor, the congregation would end up reciting the Apostle's Creed (yep, I still can). At the time, I didn't understand how important this would become to my faith. Getting the important Scriptural doctrines of the Christian faith deep down into your soul is so important, I thought I would include some of the finest examples of the creeds and confessions which have been written over the last two thousand years.

These major doctrines of the Christian faith were assembled together so that the church could learn and understand, well as defend and protect, correct beliefs. These were many times written to combat wrong teachings (heresies) which had started to creep into mainline thought.

While some are from a denominational viewpoint, I have chosen them here because they represent doctrines which are basic to any understanding of the Christian faith, not simply a denominational position. They state simply and, with an elegance often lost in more modern writings, the most basic tenants of our faith. Knowing them has enriched my understanding of my faith and allowed me to communicate it more effectively throughout my life.

I hope you might take some time and read through these (even a little at a time) and from them grow an appreciation for those who have come before us, defending the faith for our sakes.

I have left the original Old English language style intact as I think it is almost poetic in nature and lends a certain reverence to the text (OK, call me old fashioned -- and, no, for study I prefer the NIV).