Editorial
November/December, 1991
Volume 26, Number 6
“We have no creed but the New Testament” is a statement which is frequently heard in Brethren circles. That concept was a big factor in some of the decision-making at the 1991 Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon. Annual Conference delegates approved a seven-point creed on ecology (pages 204-205, 1991 Annual Conference Booklet), but rejected the idea of approving a study intended to define who the Brethren are and what we distinctively believe. The argument for rejection was that “Brethren are non-creedal.” But as Craig Alan Myers aptly asks in the article featured in the current issue of BRF WITNESS, “How is it that as a church we are able to make all kinds of pronouncements–as if from Sinai–on current political and social issues, while at the same time we do not care to restate the eternal verities of God’s Word and orthodox Christianity?” The fact is that the Annual Conference statements (as noted above) reject a body of beliefs whether we want them to or not!
The “No creed but the New Testament” slogan has both benefits and dangers. Non-creedalism allows for new understandings which God may yet disclose to us,. it reduces incidents of mere lip-service to key ecclesiastical phrases; and it stresses God’s standard in the New Testament rather than human opinion. The dangers associated with not having a written creed include the following: Having “no creed but the New Testament” is often abbreviated to say “no creed” period. Noncreedalism tends toward allowing “each to do and believe what is right in his own eyes.” Sometimes noncreedalism is used to defend a move away from the practices of the New Testament, and is used to support unrestrained individualism. To have no simple statement of faith allows for too many possibilities of interpretation.
The statement “No creed but the New Testament” is today often used to champion tolerance and openness. The early Brethren who used the noncreedal phrase had no such thought in mind. As the writer in the Brethren Encyclopedia says: “Despite assertions to the contrary by Brethren in the 20th century, early Brethren were not open to ‘progressive revelation’ in regard to basic Christian doctrine” (page 942). And while the Brethren through the years have been noncreedal, stating frequently that the New Testament is the only rule of faith and practice, earlier Brethren were willing to summarize in concise form what they believed about God and the Bible and sin and salvation. One such statement of faith has become known as The Brethren’s Card, and has for many years become a helpful tool for summarizing the beliefs and practices of the Church of the Brethren.
E. B. Hoff, one of the founders of Bethany Seminary, helped to formulate The Brethren’s Card and recommended its use in our churches (Minutes of the 1923 Annual Conference). The CARD was printed in full in the 1946 Brethren Minister’s Manual and pastors were instructed to see that applicants for church membership “make a definite commitment on these great principles” at the time of their baptism and reception into the church.
The Brethren’s Card is not a creed, nor was it ever intended to be so. It does not exhaust the whole message of the Bible. That is why Brethren have always said that “The entire New Testament is our creed.” The CARD is not intended to set a limit beyond which faith cannot go. On the other hand, the BRF believes that insofar as the statements on the CARD extend, they are a true presentation of the sound doctrine taught in the Scriptures, and the teachings are therefore binding upon us as Christian disciples. Read the thought-provoking article which follows for more information on creeds and statements of faith.
The New Testament: Our Only Creed
By Craig Alan Myers
The word, “creed,” comes from the Latin word, “credo,” which simply means, “I believe.” Webster defines a creed as “a brief formula of belief,” or “a set of fundamental beliefs.” At its heart, then, a creed is an expression of faith or confession of what one believes. Early creeds like the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed were intended to serve as statements of belief in contrast to the errors and heresies which were cropping up from time to time. They were not necessarily used as a means to judge heretics, but were expressions of the orthodox faith which most Christians believed.
THE MISUSE OF CREEDAL STATEMENTS
Brethren came into existence among a great many creedal statements, such as the Augsburg Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Decrees of the Council of Trent. Even the Mennonites had formulated the Dortrecht Confession of Faith in 1632. Some of these statements had the force of law, and persons not conforming to these creeds were subject to arrest, imprisonment, and even death.
Brethren were concerned that people were giving mere lip-service to these creeds and not reflecting their “belief” in the manner of their living. Therefore, Brethren have tended to avoid manmade creeds and have relied on what was said to be “our only creed”–the New Testament. They also felt that belief in Christ should be voluntary–not forced by a governmental authority. As a result, the early Brethren felt that the only standard by which Christians should be judged was the New Testament. The New Testament, being the fullest revelation of God and His plan of salvation through Christ, was the only means able to discern what real faith was all about. Creedal statements could never be completely without error and authoritative for they are written by mere humans. The New Testament, whose author is God, is the complete standard to guide Christians in their faith and life.
Edward Frantz, editor of the Gospel Messenger from 1915 to 1942, wrote, “[Creed] came to stand for a formal statement of doctrinal beliefs, supposedly the most important, often with details of opinion which could have no bearing on character making or on fellowship with God or on one’s relations with his fellow men. Reaction against this tendency to excess in creedal statement went so far that some people take pride in saying they have no creed” (Basic Belief, p. 95).
More recently, the “tendency to excess” has been in the other direction, for some Brethren avoid any kind of statement of faith or even reject the concept that our only creed is the New Testament. Indeed, it is often stated that Brethren have no creed. There seems to be an unwillingness to be candid and forthright about the substance of our faith. Instead, one hears that Brethren are “open to new revelation”–and this from “evangelical” leaders!
Annual Conferences over the years have passed many statements–study papers, position papers, and resolutions–many of which go to great lengths to put forward the views of the denomination. One paper passed at the 1991 Conference in Portland, Oregon, includes “A Christian Confession of Faith.” It even begins, “We believe that:” and then goes on to list seven statements about God and His creation. This fits the definition of a creed!
And yet, at the same Conference, many in the delegate body were nervous about calling for a committee to study “the essential nature of the Church of the Brethren,” for fear that it would lead to adopting a creed of some sort. Some also objected to the adoption of a statement which said, “Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, and the Head of the Church, according to the Scriptures.”
Is there any consistency here? Why is one statement acceptable when others–with more biblically oriented language–are not? How is it that as a church we are able to make all kinds of pronouncements-as if from Sinai–on current political and social issues, while at the same time we do not care to restate the eternal verities of God’s Word and orthodox Christianity? Why are we afraid to let our corporate views be known even on a central issue as the Headship of Jesus Christ?
THE NEED FOR GUIDELINES OF FAITH
Our Brethren forebears were not afraid to proclaim–and debate with non-Brethren-the substance of their faith and their trust in the New Testament as their only creed. “it should be reemphasized that the Brethren accepted the great body of evangelical truths held by the Reformation churches,” writes Dale R. Stoffer in Background and Development of Brethren Doctrines (p. 75).
Now, however, some Brethren are afraid to be firm in their belief in anything, except perhaps for the ephemeral notion of “peace.” There is little regard for the plain commands of the New Testament, but instead, a clamor for “relevance” is the present theological fad. Some may argue that there is no need to set forth official statements of what Brethren believe, for the New Testament contains all we need to know. It is true that no matter what Annual Conference or Bethany Seminary or Elgin or any other group states about an issue, the Word of God still stands. The deity, Saviourhood, and headship of Christ are not subject to the vote of Annual Conference, nor are matters of morals such as homosexuality and divorce and remarriage.
However, it would be different if our leaders and professors in our educational institutions would accept without question the words of the New Testament plainly interpreted. If it stood as the final rule of faith and practice, then we should have small difficulty in agreeing that there is little need for us to spell out what we believe. Yet higher criticism, speculative interpretations, and simple unbelief have undermined most–if not all-of the authority which the Bible once had in the Church of the Brethren. Therefore, it is hard to know exactly what we stand for as a denomination.
There seem to be few, if any, eternal truths which still hold the Brethren in awe. Matters of minor importance, once so emphasized by our church, have indeed passed from view. But now even the great doctrines of the faith, the “fundamental, evangelical” beliefs we once shared in common with all of orthodox Christianity, are also under fire. Even while a call is issued for spiritual renewal, Messenger prints articles which question the omniscience and omnipresence of God.
Again, a quote from editor Frantz, “What a man believes about anything determines what he does about it. To pretend otherwise is the sheerest folly. To say that it is what you do that counts, overlooks the simple fact that what you do depends on what you believe” (Basic Belief, p. 95, emphasis mine). For example, if you believe God is a loving being who will merely wink at your “mistakes,” then you will have little incentive to be carefully obedient in all things.
This attitude has had grave consequences in the life of our Brotherhood. Moral wrongs never countenanced by Brethren of even 20-30 years ago are now open behavior for all to see. Homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, and adultery are not condemned as sin anymore, but are accepted as “alternative lifestyles.” Who says what you believe does not matter?
We want to turn now to a comparison of the New Testament with creedal statements, looking at the proper place of each in the life and faith of the church.
OUR ONLY CREED: AUTHORITATIVE
As the very Word of God, the New Testament is our final rule of faith and practice, and accepted as authoritative in all matters. Every belief and practice must be subjected to it. Those ideas which do not comport with the plain teachings and principles of the New Testament should be discarded. The Church has every right to expect its members to believe in and accept the New Testament fully. Also, the church has every right to discipline its members for infractions of the Lord’s commands found therein.
Creedal statements written by committees are only authoritative when they follow the straightforward teachings of the Scripture. Many creeds go far beyond the explicit doctrines into subjects of conjecture. For example, some statements of faith are very definite about the doctrine of last things and the Second Coming of Christ. Other than the fact that Christ will return for His Church, much of what is taught today is merely an opinion of how events will occur. Some Christians are premillennial, some are amillennial, some postmillennial. There are many details the Lord has not given to us.
This is not to say that statements of faith are in themselves always wrong and not to be made or followed. The early Brethren were simply wan/ of stating what they believed and then being held in a “box” which would be considered a higher authority than the New Testament. They wanted to be open to new understandings as they studied the Scriptures for themselves. For example, as they read the Gospel of John, they observed that Jesus commanded that His followers were to “wash one another’s feet.” They also saw that Christians were to engage in a fellowship meal as a symbol of their love for one another. This was not being done by Christians of their time and area, so they sought to practice it themselves, as obedient disciples of Jesus. They were under the authority of the New Testament and any new commands which they found. This has been the practice of Brethren down to the present.
OUR ONLY CREED: SUPERIOR AND COMPLETE
When we say that the New Testament is our only creed, it often goes unsaid that all other statements and confessions of faith and creeds are inferior to it. This is not to say that we cannot compose statements of that which we believe from time to time. We need to recognize that all such statements are merely the works of human minds.
There does seem to be a need for people to set forth some kind of summary of their beliefs. It assists believers in their efforts to tell others–in a short way–the basics of their faith. Insofar as these summaries are faithful to the New Testament, they are helpful in communicating our faith. Many of us use the “Roman Road” as a help when explaining the Gospel to unbelievers. It simply covers the rudimentary facts of salvation. It does not include everything a person needs to know about the Christian faith. In the same way, a concise summary of beliefs does not include everything there is to the Bible or in the Christian faith. If it correctly relates the doctrines of the faith, then it is accurate and can be trusted. But the final authority is the New Testament itself.
William Beahm, former dean of Bethany Theological Seminary, writes, “Creedal statements can be useful, however, if they are regarded as a brief and memorable form of Christian belief as it faces spurious substitutes which from time to time might threaten to replace Biblical faith. It is valuable to have, in every age, short and simple statements of Biblical faith which may help to clarify and unify the church’s consensus on vital issues” (Studies in Christian Belief, pp. 26-27).
OUR ONLY CREED: UNCHANGEABLE
Man-made creeds are subject to change over the years as issues confronting the Christian faith change. When the Apostles’ Creed was written, no one ever expected the modern attack on the authority and trustworthiness of the Scriptures. Therefore, the doctrine of the Scriptures was not addressed. For the past century or so, however, the Bible has been questioned from both within and outside of the Church. Thus, in modern confessions and statements of faith, the issue of Biblical reliability and authority is mentioned.
The New Testament, however, does not change. Its statements are forever true and forever pertinent to the human condition. Some argue that the early Brethren opposed formulating a statement of belief because they were open to new revelation. It was not new revelation they were seeking, but fresh illumination. When you enter a dark room, you turn on the lights to show you what is already there, not in the hope there will be something there that was not present before. We search the Scriptures, not for a vision of new things, but for the understanding of those things already there.
In the article on the “Bible” in the Brethren Encyclopedia, the writer says “Brethren sometimes single out the New Testament as that part of Scripture to be designated as the ‘rule of faith and practice.’ Underlying this special esteem for the New Testament is the conviction that it sets forth God’s final and binding covenant with humanity in Jesus Christ” (p. 133, emphasis mine). Many raise the cry that we must be “on the cutting edge” of modern developments in theology and practice. Alexander Mack, when accused of starting a new church, replied, “We have neither a new church nor new laws. We only want to remain in simplicity and true faith in the original church which Jesus founded through His blood” (Ground Searching Questions, No. 38). Would that that be the concern of our leaders and preachers today!
OUR ONLY CREED: OBJECTIVE
When we mention that the New Testament is our only creed, we acknowledge that it has the highest authority in our Christian faith. While we may gain wisdom and insight from our experience, from the gathered body of believers, and from the Holy Spirit instructing us, the only objective measure we possess today is the Bible. By it only may beliefs and behavior be adequately judged.
The Bible is not subject to our redefining and reinterpreting, although many attempt to do so. Those who redefine Scripture, while loudly proclaiming their faith in Christ and His Word, really have no desire to pattern their lives and faith after the simple faith of the New Testament. Rather, they want to stand in judgment of the Word, and to re-interpret it according to the current theological and social trend. “Salvation” becomes liberation from social and economic oppression, and the Jesus who came “to seek and to save that which was lost,” becomes a political messiah intent on overthrowing Rome. The New Testament becomes so pliable that it often is no longer recognizable to the average believer, and becomes meaningless as any sort of guide.
Others (many of whom are theologically similar to conservative Brethren) also proclaim their belief in the New Testament, but prefer to pick and choose what they believe and practice. Yet the early Brethren found no “canon within the canon” which they followed more closely than the rest of the New Testament. It was to be obeyed, in its entirety, without question. How does one determine what to observe and what not to follow? To be sure, Matthew 5-7 are to be the Christian’s guide, but why not 1 Corinthians 11? Why in some congregations is the feetwashing and full communion service on the way out? How is it that divorce and remarriage are gaining acceptance even within our more evangelical churches? We cannot do better than to accept the New Testament unconditionally and uncritically, although we can definitely do much worse.
OUR ONLY CREED: PRACTICABLE
One of the things that concerned early Brethren most was that many in the state churches professed faith in Christ and in a creed, but there was no corresponding change in their lives. Those who claim faith in Jesus must also live that faith out. Jesus said, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
A statement of faith will not change peoples’ lives. Only the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit can prompt people to make permanent changes. But a written summary of belief can help us keep our minds focused on what is central in our faith, and remind us of the practices commanded in the New Testament. A statement can never capture all the essence of the New Testament faith — but it can help us as we seek to apply the Word to our lives.
Some do not care for statements of faith because they spell out in no uncertain terms what the essential content of faith is. The real fear is that such statements would serve to expose what people really believe–or do not believe! Many persons who are so inclined, can re-interpret or explain away the plain words of the Lord, as being “cultural” or “hard to understand.” It is not quite as easy to challenge the words and phrases of one’s own time. This is one reason why the “Brethren Card” is accepted by so few today. It sets forth in concise language what the Church of the Brethren has stood for from the beginning. It cannot be explained away. But, then too, the Word of God is not to be explained or interpreted away! To do so is to go against all that Brethren have stood for in the past 283 years. The Bible is to be read, studied, and obeyed. “Seek to know the Lord and to practice what you know,” said Henry Holsinger, the leader of the Progressive Brethren of the 1880s.
If we truly believe that the New Testament is our only creed, our final rule of faith and practice, then it is important that it be reflected in our lives and actions. Alexander Mack noted it would be hard for many to do this, and thus he counseled them (after Luke 14) to “count well the cost.” Simple obedience to the Lord’s Word can and will involve sacrifices at times. Jesus did not say that the way would always be easy, but He did promise the help of the Holy Spirit and an end which would be glorious. May He find us faithful!
A few years ago, the BRF reprinted the concise statement of Brethren belief known as the “Brethren Card.” We also have a small booklet, Basic Beliefs within the Church of the Brethren, which describes our faith in somewhat more detail. These materials are available free of charge.