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It’s no secret we love morning basket time in our homeschool. The New City Catechism has been a part of this habit for years now. As we’ve slowly worked our way through the questions, we have finally come to the section where we will be memorizing the Apostle’s Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed is a powerful statement of faith that has been passed down through the generations.
It’s a great tool for teaching children about Christianity’s basics and memorizing it has many benefits.
First and foremost, memorizing the Apostles’ Creed helps children to develop a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. By committing the words to memory, they can internalize the beliefs and principles that the creed expresses. This can lead to a stronger sense of personal faith and a better understanding of what it means to be a Christian. It can also help to build a foundation for future Bible study.
Many of the concepts and teachings that are expressed in the creed are referenced throughout the Bible. Having a solid understanding of the creed can make it easier for children to understand and engage with the Bible as they grow older.
The creed is divided into three sections. The first section affirms the belief in God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth. The second section affirms belief in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, and his life, death, and resurrection. The third section affirms belief in the Holy Spirit, the Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Here is the full Apostle’s Creed:
We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and 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, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
There are two things to note about the Apostle’s creed (as worded in the New City Catechism) that may cause concern for some. First, the creed states that “he [Jesus] descended into hell” after his crucifixion. This is most likely based on 1 Peter 3: 18-19 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,” Many theologians argue that proclaiming “to the spirits in prison” doesn’t mean he went down to hell. This may be something you’d like to research further as a family.
Secondly, it’s important to note the statement that we believe in “the holy catholic church”. The lowercase “catholic” refers to the Christian Church’s universal nature, which is open to all people and not limited to a specific sect or denomination. So the creed is not specific to the Roman Catholic church but refers to Christianity as a whole.
To help make memorizing the creed more fun for children it’s always a good idea to add a hands-on activity!
My new Apostles’ Creed activity set is perfect for Sunday school lessons, Bible study, and kids’ theology lessons. There are multiple ways to learn using this set!
Use the matching page to match an image to a breakdown of the creed. I laminated the page and used Velcro dots to make it reusable. The images are a great way to jog the memory and especially helpful for beginner readers. A matching display chart of the creed is also included. Use it to check the matching activity or simply display it so you can reference it frequently while you work on memorization.
Also included is a line-by-line breakdown of the Apostles’ Creed with Bible references. These are just a sampling of verses that support the creed and are helpful as a jumping-off point. I encourage you to find more verses and expand on your lesson!
Finally, there is also a full tracing page for the entire creed. Copy-work and tracing are strong tools for memorization and add some bonus penmanship practice too! Again, laminating this page will help it last and make it dry-erase.
Memorizing the Apostles’ Creed is a valuable practice for children. It can help them to develop a deeper understanding of the Christian faith and lay a foundation for future Bible study. With a little creativity and fun, it can be an enjoyable and beneficial experience for children of all ages.
Get your Apostles’ Creed Activity Set here!
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