What about this Creed is offensive to other Christians?

Question

The Apostles Creed,
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,Creator of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ His only son, our Savior who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirity, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilot, was crucified, died and was burried. He descended into hell and on the third day arose again in fufillment of the Scriptures. 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 Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen
{Now other than the belief in the Catholic Church how does this make Catholics not Christians? This is basically all of our beliefs. It is our Apostles Creed.}

Where in the Bible are we told that Jesus descended into hell?

Response: The passage you are asking about is found in 1 Peter 3:18-19.

. . . in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison . . . (NKJV)

Do you say the "Pledge of Allegiance" or do you "Pledge your allegiance to the Christian flag or Bible?" I have heard of Churches that pledge allegiance to the "Christian Flag" of the Bible.

Dear Sir I have studied Catholicism and I have long since embraced it. I consider myself a more of a Christian than I was as a Baptist.

JAMMco I take it you are a Jehova's Witness?

Wrong gentleman right question. Sorry.

Answer 1

First off, I don't know if you're Catholic. But (we) Catholics use the Nicene Creed rather than the Apostles Creed (except for the rosary).

Nothing in the later was offensive its just that the Nicene Creed (drafted at the council of Nicea) brought all the churches together to agree on what they believed in terms of the divinity/humanity of Christ, the nature of GOD, etc.

By the way, Catholic merely means "universal" so even THAT line shouldn't be offensive. Frankly I've lived all my life with people dividing "Catholic" and "Christian". I always just explain that both are Christian its just the "Protest -ents" broke off from the original Church.

Answer 2

Aside from endorsing the Catholic Church and misspelling Pilate's name, the question's 'mission statement' wrongly asserts that Jesus was crucified.

Jesus almost certainly died while impaled on a simple stake, rather than a cross of two intersecting beams. Of course the Romans had the ability to create such devices, and probably did. But ask yourself: why they would have bothered when a simple stake would have worked just as well or better?

It is also enlightening to examine other relevant Scriptures.

You may be interested to see how your own copy of the bible translates Acts 5:30, Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:22, 23, and Acts 10:39. The King James, Revised Standard, Dyaglott, and Jerusalem Bible translate the instrument of Christ's death simply as "stake" or "tree" because the original wording simply does not support the idea that this was more than a piece of upright wood.

It is also eye-opening to examine how the first-century Christians felt about idols of any kind, much less one that glorified an instrument of death.

Learn more:
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2005/5/8a/article_01.htm

Answer 3

I think the word "catholic" refers to all the Christian churches/beliefs. http://www.newnorth.net/~stmark/Catholic.htm

I think reference to the catholic church is reference to all Christian churches in general.

Yes, that is what we refer to as the Apostles Creed. I don't have a problem with it.

I do wonder what you [and others] perceive is meant by "He descended into hell and on the third day arose again in fufillment of the Scriptures."

1 Peter 3:18-20 (Thank you, Debra M, for posting the verse):
18Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.[a]
19So he went and preached to the spirits in prison-- 20those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.[b]

(I first learned about this from a Mormon, actually. Fascinating stuff. Answers the question about the believers BEFORE Christ.)

Pssst. Unless you are talking about the spelling of the word 'buried' in the quotation above.

Answer 4

Can you imagine Jesus opening the evening meal with a creed?

"OK guys it's time for our creed..." It wasn't a club, a lodge, it was a way of life. Why is there a need to add more "rules" or "creeds" than are already given to us?

The Scribes and Pharisees did that, and how did Jesus view them? He called them hypocrites and denounced them.

The parts I don't agree with: Crucifixion, The Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints.

He didn't die on a cross, the Catholic Church is not his earthly organization, and communion is not a scriptural teaching rather it is a ritual of tradition.

Jesus did go to hell, but not as is taught by most churches since "hell" is the common grave, not a place of eternal torment. Jesus did die and was in the grave for 3 days.

Answer 5

The Apostles' Creed is also recited in the Lutheran church. I am a Baptist who attends the Lutheran church with friends sometimes, and I always recite the Creed. I find nothing offensive about it. Also, it's Pontius PILATE, not Pilot. It basically just states that you believe in God and Jesus and the Scripture.

Answer 6

The reason it is offensive to Protestant Christians is because it reminds them once again that they do not truly understand their faith and have all their beliefs clearly defined like the Catholic Church does.

And for those of you who are freaking out about it not being in the bible, does it say you should go to the mall in the Bible? Drive a car in the Bible? Why no it doesn't so I hope you've avoided doing these things you sinners.

Answer 7

I fail to see how, or WHY, it should be offensive to anyone. Christians, atheists, pagans, whatever, because it is not their church.
When I saw Bible thumpers, Holy Rollers writhing on the floor, people stomping their feet jabbering in tongues, it was distasteful , but it did not offend me. Their practices are not mine and that was that.

The fanatics and who get into inter-faith preaching on this site sometimes rankle me, but it's against the guide lines for me to tell them where to stuff it.!

There are a few religions that I take offense with, and it has nothing to do with their rituals. It is those who come to my door and and try to peddle their beliefs. They are not welcome and sometimes I am put in the position of losing my composure and they are not worth it.

Answer 8

It may be considered offensive because it is not a part of the recognized Bible as accepted by the Christian Church.

Answer 9

No such creed is necessary.
The apostles never followed or made up any "creed".
All we need to do is believe God's word, and continually seek a deeper relationship with Him, and try to witness to others, so they can be saved. That is our purpose on this Earth.

Answer 10

Well the apostles creed that I read did not say anything about Catholics or Baptists or Lutherans or any religion.
Other than that I'm fine wiht it.