THE CREED, from the Latin _Credo, I believe_, means that which we as
Christians believe. The Creed given in our Catechism is the Apostles'
Creed. It is so called, not because it was written by the apostles, but
because it contains, in a brief summary, the doctrines which the
apostles taught. It grew out of the words of the baptismal formula: "In
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." [Matt
28:19] It has come down to us from the early centuries of the Church's
history, and is _her confession of faith_. It should be our confession
also; we should say from the heart, "I believe in God, etc." There are

Two KINDS OF CREEDS or Confessions of Faith:--

I. _Oecumenical_ or Universal Creeds, which are accepted by the whole
Christian Church throughout the world. They are

1. The Apostles' Creed.

2. The Nicene Creed.

3. The Athanasian Creed.

II. _Particular_ Creeds or Confessions, which are accepted by the
various Churches and Denominations as their distinctive confessions.

Our Lutheran Confessions are:--

1. The Augsburg Confession.

2. The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession.