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80-716: The EPRAL adheres to the Apostles Creed , Nicene Creed , Heidelberg Catechism and the Second Helvetic Confession . The EPRAL has approximately 33,000 members in 52 congregations served by 50 pastors. Congregations holding services in German and use the current German Protestant hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch issued by the Protestant church bodies in Austria, France (Alsace-Moselle), Germany and Luxembourg (1993–1996), in

160-471: A general synod , the only body relevant in taking decisions in matters of doctrine and teaching for all the church, and while the law de jure provided for regional synods combining representatives of at least five consistorial ambits the government de facto never allowed their convocation. Lacking a general synod, last convened in 1659, and with no provincial synods convoked, the Calvinist congregations formed

240-513: A Calvinist church body be established. Now the consistory of Metz threw a spanner into the preparatory works by demanding its merger into the EPCAAL. However, the Department of Justice and Religious Affairs of the state administration now "determined that the law required only that there be five consistories available for the synod, not that all five consent to form the body." This was because by French law

320-560: A delegate to the Eisenach Church Conference, the consistories lacking any joint body long quarrelled about whom to send. In 1885, the state administration proposed that the Calvinist consistory of Metz apply to merge into EPCAAL. The Metz consistory, the other four Calvinist consistories and EPCAAL opposed that proposal. So the Alsatian Reformed consistories felt the need to establish a statewide Calvinist church and started

400-798: A faithful summary of the apostles' faith." The following gives the original Latin text, with the traditional division into twelve articles, alongside an English translation. Underlined passages are those not present in the Old Roman Symbol as recorded by Tyrannius Rufinus . 1. Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, Creatorem caeli et terrae , 2. et in Iesum Christum, Filium Eius unicum, Dominum nostrum, 3. qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, 4. passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus , et sepultus, 5. descendit ad inferos , tertia die resurrexit

480-472: A mortuis, 6. ascendit ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris omnipotentis , 7. inde venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos. 8. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, 9. sanctam Ecclesiam catholicam, sanctorum communionem , 10. remissionem peccatorum, 11. carnis resurrectionem, 12. vitam aeternam. Amen. There is also a received Greek text, which alongside

560-476: A new initiative to that end. By mid-1892 the four Alsatian consistorial delegates formed a committee in order to prepare a constitutive synod, while Metz refused to participate. In October the committee sent its proposal to the state administration and asked it to convene that synod. Although the state administration rejected a constitutive synod in February 1892, as being not provided by French law, this time it offered

640-547: A regional edition (Ausgabe Baden / Elsass-Lothringen) including traditional hymns from Alsace, Baden and Moselle. In 2006, the EPRAL formed with the EPCAAL the Union of Protestant Churches of Alsace and Lorraine . This is no united body, but it provides common decision making structure and single body of pastors. However, the two churches maintain their own organisation. The EPRAL is member of

720-436: A worse position than the other creeds. However, Napoleon's model of hierarchical parastatal governance was a harsh breach with many crucial Reformed presbyterial and synodal traditions. Pastors were not employed and paid by the church people, constituted in the congregations, but were chosen and paid by the government and subordinate to the government-appointed members of the consistories. Napoleon's law did not provide for

800-717: Is a minority faith among the German Protestants, who then still formed a majority in the German overall population. In all the then-three German federal states adjacent to Alsace-Lorraine, Baden , the Bavarian Palatinate and the Prussian Rhineland , the Calvinist and Lutheran church bodies had merged, either through a united Protestant confession ( Evangelical State Church in Baden as of 1821, Protestant State Church of

880-611: Is here referring to the Old Roman Creed , the immediate predecessor of what is now known as the Apostles' Creed. The narrative of this creed having been jointly created by the Apostles, with each of the twelve contributing one of twelve articles, was already current at that time. The Old Roman Creed had evolved from simpler texts based on Matthew 28:19, part of the Great Commission , and it has been argued that this earlier text

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960-515: Is recorded in the late 5th century. However, the Old Roman Creed remained the standard liturgical text of the Roman Church throughout the 4th to 7th centuries. It was replaced by the "Gallic" version of the Apostles' Creed only in the later 8th century, under Charlemagne , who imposed it throughout his dominions. The phrase descendit ad inferos (' he descended into hell ') is not found in

1040-680: Is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. De jure In law and government , de jure ( / d eɪ ˈ dʒ ʊər i , d i -, - ˈ jʊər -/ ; Latin: [deː ˈjuːre] ; lit.   ' by law ' ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether

1120-741: Is the synod with 33 synodals. They elect and control the Synodal Council (Conseil synodal) and its president for three year terms. Since 1 September 2012 Pastor Christian Krieger serves as president of the Synodal Council. The EPRAL has its headquarters (Synodal Council) in Strasbourg. EPRAL has a mobile form of pastoral ministry. The congregations (paroisses, i.e. parishes) are grouped in four (till 2009 five) consistorial ambits: The consistories are based in Bischwiller , Metz , Mulhouse und Strasbourg. The former consistorial ambit of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines

1200-552: The Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles , is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith". The creed most likely originated in 5th-century Gaul as a development of the Old Roman Symbol : the old Latin creed of the 4th century. It has been used in the Latin liturgical rites since the 8th century and, by extension, in the various modern branches of Western Christianity , including

1280-580: The Council of Florence (1431–1449) explicitly challenged the western tradition that attributed the Apostles' Creed to the Twelve Apostles. This tradition was also shown to be historically untenable by Lorenzo Valla . The Roman Church does not state that text dates back to the Apostles themselves, the Roman catechism instead explaining that "the Apostles' Creed is so called because it is rightly considered to be

1360-535: The Israelite Central Consistory in Paris. Subordinate to the chief bodies there were regional consistories each comprising several congregations altogether counting at least 6,000 souls. The organic articles shaped the constitution of the pre-1905 Reformed Church of France. The representatives of the Calvinist church accepted the governmentally imposed structure, since it did not put the Calvinist church in

1440-566: The Local law in Alsace-Moselle . Only during the German occupation (1940–1944/1945) the organic articles had been abolished in 1941 as part of the Nazi Weltanschauung policy doing away with public funding of religious bodies and religious instruction in all schools. But with the reestablishment of French law, the pre-1940 legal status was reconstituted. Therefore, the EPRAL cannot merge with

1520-615: The Nicene Creed . It thus says nothing explicitly about the divinity of either Jesus or the Holy Spirit. For this reason, it was held to predate the Nicene Creed in medieval Latin tradition. The expression "Apostles' Creed" is first mentioned in a letter from the Synod of Milan dated AD 390, referring to a belief at the time that each of the Twelve Apostles contributed an article to

1600-702: The Our Father ) of prime and compline on certain days during Advent and Lent. Recitation of the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is required to obtain a partial indulgence . The International Consultation on English Texts (ICET), a first inter-church ecumenical group that undertook the writing of texts for use by English-speaking Christians in common, published Prayers We Have in Common (Fortress Press, 1970, 1971, 1975). Its version of

1680-849: The Protestant Federation of France and of the World Communion of Reformed Churches , and the World Council of Churches . The EPRAL was a founding member of the Conference of Churches on the Rhine in 1961, which now functions as a regional group of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE). The EPRAL has close fellowship with the Reformed Church of France. The first Calvinist congregation in

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1760-606: The newly united Germany . The Reformed congregations there with approximately 39,000 parishioners were separated from the Reformed Church of France in May 1871. Unlike the Lutheran Church of the Confession of Augsburg of France (Église de la Confession d’Augsbourg de France) whose directory ( directoire ) and supreme consistory (consistoire supérieur) were located in Strasbourg in Alsace, with

1840-716: The organic articles which constituted also the other then-existing major religious groups in France, the Calvinists, Jews and Lutherans, as recognised public religious bodies (établissements publics du culte). These bodies all followed a similar model with semigovernmental leading bodies, such as the Reformed Central Council ( Conseil central ; est. on 26 March 1852) in Paris, the Lutheran General Consistory (renamed as supreme consistory as of 1852) in Strasbourg and

1920-867: The parliament of Alsace-Lorraine  [ de ] (the Landtag). Charles Piepenbring  [ de ] , president of the Synodal Council from 1898 to 1913, represented the church in the Landtag, then followed by Albert Kuntz . Whereas in metropolitan France, the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State did away with the Concordat of 1801 and the organic articles; these provisions remained valid law in Alsace-Lorraine also after its return to France as part of

2000-532: The quire . The Episcopal Church (United States) uses the Apostles' Creed in Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Before the 1955 simplification of the rubrics of the Roman Breviary by Pope Pius XII , the Apostles' Creed was recited at the beginning of matins and prime , at the end of compline , and in some preces (a series of versicles and responses preceded by, eleison ("Lord, have mercy") and

2080-523: The ruling dynasty of Egypt was subject to the rulers of the Ottoman Empire but acted as de facto independent rulers who maintained the polite fiction of Ottoman suzerainty . However, starting from around 1882, the rulers had only de jure rule over Egypt, as it had by then become a British puppet state . Thus, by Ottoman law, Egypt was de jure a province of the Ottoman Empire, but de facto

2160-550: The "Symbol of the Trinity ", and recognizing it as an integral part of the rite of baptism . The term Symbolum Apostolicum appears for the first time in a letter, probably written by Ambrose , from a Council in Milan to Pope Siricius in about AD 390: "Let them give credit to the Symbol of the Apostles, which the Roman Church has always kept and preserved undefiled". Ambrose's term

2240-804: The Apostles' Creed as part of a Baptismal Covenant for those who are to receive the Rite of Baptism. The Apostles' Creed is recited by candidates, sponsors and congregation, each section of the Creed being an answer to the celebrant's question, "Do you believe in God the Father (God the Son, God the Holy Spirit)?" It is also used in an interrogative form at the Easter Vigil in The Renewal of Baptismal Vows. The Church of England likewise asks

2320-533: The Apostles' Creed was adopted by several churches. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and

2400-446: The Calvinist and Jewish proposals, arguing he would interfere as little as possible in the current state of legal affairs of Alsace-Lorraine as long as no Alsace-Lorrainese legislative body were established. At the same time, Moeller forbade the Calvinist consistories to send delegates to the 1872 Eisenach Church Conference  [ de ] (Eisenacher Kirchenkonferenz). When in 1882 the five Reformed consistories were invited to send

2480-553: The Christian revival movement (in France, they were then called évangéliques ), colliding with proponents of religious liberalism. The congregations still could not employ the pastors, since the advowson was with the parastatal consistories. When the consistories appointed pastors of a particular theological leaning to a congregation whose members and elected bodies clung to another opinion, it often created hefty quarrels. Two pastoral conferences were convened each by proponents of one of

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2560-458: The Christological part of the Old Roman Creed. While the individual statements of belief that are included in the Apostles' Creed – even those not found in the Old Roman Symbol – are found in various writings by Irenaeus , Tertullian , Novatian , Marcellus , Rufinus , Ambrose , Augustine , Nicetas , and Eusebius Gallus , the earliest appearance of what we know as the Apostles' Creed

2640-526: The EPRAL Synodal Council. The consistories appoint the pastors after proposition by the presbytery of the concerned congregation. The ordination of women and blessings of same-sex marriages are allowed. A selection of presidents of the Synodal Council (French: Président du Conseil Synodal ): International churches Apostles Creed The Apostles' Creed ( Latin : Symbolum Apostolorum or Symbolum Apostolicum ), sometimes titled

2720-655: The French government finally allowed the gathering of a general synod. However, the Calvinist congregations in Alsace and the Lorraine department could not benefit from this any more. After France had waged war on Prussia (then a member of the North German Confederation) the former was defeated by the latter and its allies. By the Treaty of Frankfurt France ceded Alsace and parts of two northeastern départements of Lorraine to

2800-785: The Latin is found in the Psalterium Græcum et Romanum , erroneously ascribed to Pope Gregory the Great . It was first edited by Archbishop Ussher in 1647, based on a manuscript preserved in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The Latin text agrees with the "Creed of Pirminius" edited by Charles Abel Heurtley ( De Fide Symbolo , 1900, p. 71). Four other Greek translations with slight variations were discovered by Carl Paul Caspari , and published in 1879 ( Alte und neue Quellen zur Geschichte des Taufsymbols , vol. 3, pp. 11 sqq.). The tradition of assigning each article to one of

2880-478: The Metz consistory to be accepted into the EPCAAL as a united Protestant consistorial ambit and the Lorrain department president Hans von Hammerstein-Loxten , favouring the union of Calvinists and Lutherans, terminated his presidency term. In November 1902 the Calvinist Consistory of Metz gave itself up to fate and agreed to be part of the EPRAL and started participating in the statewide Calvinist bodies established seven years earlier. So Metz set some conditions, which

2960-438: The Missal gave for use at Mass , except in Masses for children; but in some countries use of the Apostles' Creed was already permitted. The Apostles' Creed is used in Anglican services of Matins and Evening Prayer (Evensong) . It is invoked after the recitation or singing of the Canticles , and is the only part of the services in which the congregation traditionally turns to face the altar, if they are seated transversely in

3040-443: The Nancy consistorial ambit since 1850, so that a Reformed consistory of Metz was refounded in 1871, however, competent only for the Calvinists in German Lorraine. Already in 1822 the French government had established a Reformed consistory in Metz, which, however, had been moved to Nancy in 1850. The then five Reformed consistorial ambits in Alsace-Lorraine existed side by side without any umbrella organisation. In this, their situation

3120-421: The Nicene Creed. It echoes Ephesians 4:9, " κατέβη εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς " ( ' he descended into the lower earthly regions ' ). This phrase first appeared in one of the two versions of Rufinus (d. 411), the Creed of Aquileia , and then did not appear again in any version of the creed until AD 650. Similarly, the references to the communion of saints is found neither in the Old Roman Symbol nor in

3200-453: The Nicene Creed. The reference to God as "creator of heaven and earth" likewise is not in the Nicene Creed of 325, but it is present in the extended version of the Nicene Creed (the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed ) of 381. The Eastern Orthodox Church does not use the Apostles' Creed, not because of an objection to any of its articles, but because of its omissions necessary for the definition of Nicene Christianity . The Orthodox delegates at

3280-431: The Palatinate as of 1817) or in administration only (by way of a united umbrella) maintaining separate confessions in the local congregations ( Evangelical State Church of Prussia's older Provinces ; united umbrella since 1817). So Protestant officials from interior Germany delegated to posts in Alsace-Lorraine often had no routine with a Calvinist and a Lutheran church existing side by side. This caused their expectation for

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3360-527: The Reformed and the Lutheran churches in Alsace-Lorraine to unite, promoted by the administration of Alsace-Lorraine, especially since the head of state of Alsace-Lorraine, the German Emperor himself, in personal union king of Prussia was as such the supreme governor of the united old-Prussian church body. However, the Lutheran Supreme Consistory in Strasbourg asserted its continued existence as recognised public-law religious body in 1872, although reconfined to Alsace-Lorraine only, so that thereafter any merger with

3440-406: The Reformed committee an alternative, by convoking a regional synod as provided by the French organic articles if five consistories apply. Now, the Alsatian Calvinists took the administration up on its proposal postponing any decisions of the Calvinist consistories as to new examination rules for Strasbourg University graduates of Protestant theology, arguing these can only effectively be taken, once

3520-429: The Reformed congregations distinct legal entities, whose governing bodies (called presbyteries) - according to then Reformed doctrine - were elected by the male adult members. The new Central Council established in 1852, the supreme executive body of the Reformed Church of France, was staffed with incumbents appointed by the government, a practice clearly contradicting the presbyterial and synodal doctrine of Calvinism. In

3600-456: The Reformed synodals willingly fulfilled in 1903. The special united Protestant character of several congregations in the Metz consistorial ambit was to be maintained and congregations were to be entitled to officially use, if they wished so, the brand Protestant (evangelisch) instead of Reformed as part of the parish name. After 1871, many people from interior Germany settled in Alsace-Lorraine, among them rather few Calvinists, because Calvinism

3680-403: The Synodal Council as governing body of the Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine. By the new Constitution of Alsace-Lorraine, enacted in 1911, the president of the Synodal Council as a representative of one of the two Protestant regional churches in Alsace-Lorraine, like one representative of each public-law religious body in Alsace-Lorraine, became an ex officio member of the first chamber of

3760-409: The Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,

3840-457: The apostles specifically can be traced to the 6th century. In Western sacral art, Credo Apostolorum refers to the figurative representation of the twelve apostles each alongside one of the articles. This artistic tradition extends from the high medieval to the Baroque period. The precise division of the text and the sequence of attribution to the apostles has never been entirely fixed. For example, Pelbartus Ladislaus of Temesvár , writing in

3920-498: The area was founded by John Calvin in Strasbourg in Alsace. It has its origin in the very early times of the Reformation . In the 16th and 17th centuries, the populations in a number of small imperial estates or free imperial cities including their governments (princes or city councils) had adopted the Calvinist confession; in other such territories, the ruling princes introduced the Calvinist faith using their privilege of Cuius regio, eius religio . Calvinist confessions spread in

4000-401: The candidate(s); for confirmands, it is the professing of the faith before and among the congregation. For the congregation, it is a reaffirmation of their professed faith. Do you believe in God? I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of

4080-452: The candidate: "Dost thou believe in God the Father ..." The response is: "All this I stedfastly believe." Lutherans following the Lutheran Service Book ( Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the Lutheran Church–Canada ), like Catholics and Anglicans, use the Apostles' Creed during the Sacrament of Baptism: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord, who

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4160-402: The candidates, sponsors and congregation to recite the Apostles' Creed in answer to similar interrogations, in which it avoids using the word God of the Son and the Holy Spirit, asking instead: "Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ?", and "Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit?" Moreover, "where there are strong pastoral reasons", it allows use of an alternative formula in which

4240-411: The celebrant says: This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord. And all respond: Amen. The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand uses the Apostles' Creed in its baptism rite in spite of the reservations of some of its members regarding the phrase "born of the virgin Mary". The Episcopal Church in the United States of America uses

4320-406: The course of the 19th century, Calvinists in France clung to different theological movements, such as traditionalist Calvinism, rationalist theology , Christian revival and liberal Christianity . So, the pre-1905 Reformed Church of France entered into heavy controversies on doctrinal and teaching matters which could not be resolved due to the lacking general synod. Many Calvinists were adherents of

4400-442: The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting? Following each question, the candidate answers: "Yes, I believe". If the candidates are unable to answer for themselves, the sponsors are to answer the questions. For ELCA ( Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ) Lutherans who use the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book, the Apostles' Creed appears during the Sacrament of Holy Baptism Rite on p. 229 of

4480-432: The four Alsatian Reformed consistorial ambits, with Metz boycotting, formed their synod, thus formally constituting today's Protestant Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine (EPRAL). Since then the synodals elect the Synodal Council (Conseil Synodal, Synodalvorstand), as central governing body of the church representing the synod when not convened. In 1901, the Lutheran Supreme Consistory of the EPCAAL had definitely rejected

4560-415: The government convened regional synods for the ambits of at least five consistories, whereas the concerned consistories had no say in this matter. French law contradicted itself in how to choose delegates for a Calvinist regional synod, either the consistories would send delegates (Organic articles), or the parishes would elect representatives (1852 decree). So only on 16 and 17 April 1895, representatives of

4640-426: The hardcover pew edition. The United Methodist Church in the United States uses the Apostles' Creed as part of their baptismal rites in the form of an interrogatory addressed to the candidate(s) for baptism and the whole congregation as a way of professing the faith within the context of the Church's sacramental act. For infants, it is the professing of the faith by the parents, sponsors, and congregation on behalf of

4720-419: The interrogations, while speaking of "God the Son" and "God the Holy Spirit", are more elaborate but are not based on the Apostles' Creed, and the response in each case is: "I believe and trust in him." The Book of Common Prayer may also be used, which in its rite of baptism has the minister recite the Apostles' Creed in interrogative form. Asking the godparents or, in the case "of such as are of Riper Years",

4800-417: The late 15th century, divides article 5 in two but combines articles 11 and 12 into one, with the following attributions: The Apostles' Creed is used in its direct form or in interrogative forms by Western Christian communities in several of their liturgical rites, in particular those of baptism and the Eucharist . The Apostles' Creed, whose present form is similar to the baptismal creed used in Rome in

4880-460: The modern liturgy and catechesis of the Catholic Church , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , Presbyterianism , Moravianism , Methodism , and Congregational churches . It is shorter than the full Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed adopted in 381, but it is still explicitly trinitarian in structure, with sections affirming belief in God the Father , God the Son , and God the Holy Spirit . It does not address some Christological issues defined in

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4960-460: The new Reformed Church of France , a religious association established in 1938 by merging four religious bodies, unless the EPRAL would waive its concordatory status, which also provides for the clergy being paid by the government and Calvinist pupils in public schools entitled to participate in religious instruction classes following EPRAL guidelines. The EPRAL has a presbyterial -synodal system of church government . The legislative body of EPRAL

5040-462: The northern and eastern part of the area with concentrations in Mulhouse and Metz . In Strasbourg, some enclaves in northern Alsace and the Vosges , Calvinists form only small minority communities but the Republic in Mulhouse was Calvinist at the time of the French Revolution, when all of their land had become a part of France. After the conclusion of the Concordat of 1801 with the Vatican applying to French Catholicism, in 1802 Napoleon I decreed

5120-415: The only decision-taking body, though restricted to local church matters, legitimised by the Calvinist doctrine. Until 1852 the law did not even recognise Calvinist congregations but considered them as legally indistinct local outposts of the parastatal consistories. On 26 March 1852 Napoleon III signed a decree, influenced by Charles Read , which still did not provide for a general synod, but at least made

5200-410: The pastors active in its district and the double number of laypersons, elected for three year terms by the local church presbyteries . The consistorial members elect from their midst their executive, the consistorial council ( Conseil consistorial ) of four members. Consistorial decisions are presented to the French minister of the Interior , who may oppose them within a two-month period, and reported to

5280-658: The practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with de facto ('in fact'), which describes situations that exist in reality, even if not formally recognized. De jure is a Latin expression composed of the words de (from) and jure (adjective form of jus , meaning 'law'). In U.S. law , particularly after Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the difference between de facto segregation (that existed because of voluntary associations and neighborhoods) and de jure segregation (that existed because of local laws) became important distinctions for court-mandated remedial purposes. Between 1805 and 1914,

5360-420: The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Since the 2002 edition, the Apostles' Creed is included in the Roman Missal as an alternative, with the indication, "Instead of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed , especially during Lent and Easter time, the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church, known as the Apostles' Creed, may be used." Previously the Nicene Creed was the only profession of faith that

5440-399: The subordination to the non-elected Central Council, which was mostly staffed with proponents of liberal Christianity, whom the French government preferred, was rather welcome to the Calvinists in Alsace-Lorraine. Whereas the Alsatian Reformed consistories comprised all the Calvinist congregations in Alsace, the Calvinist congregations in the new German Lorraine department used to be part of

5520-440: The third and fourth centuries, actually developed from questions addressed to those seeking baptism. The Catholic Church still today uses an interrogative form of it in the Rite of Baptism (for both children and adults). In the official English translation ( ICEL , 1974) the minister of baptism asks: Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who

5600-426: The twelve articles of the creed. The ecclesiastical use of Latin symbolum for ' creed ' —in the sense of "a distinctive mark of Christians", from the sense of Greek σύμβολον , ' a sign or token used for identification ' —first occurs around the middle of the 3rd century, in the correspondence of St. Cyprian and St. Firmilian , the latter in particular speaking of the trinitarian formula as

5680-451: The two main currents in French Calvinism; the liberals met in Nîmes and the revivalists in Paris. They had no mandate for binding decisions, since elected laymen were not represented. Revivalists demanded a general synod, in order to conclude a binding confession of faith, while moderate liberals agreed but radical liberals denied that a general synod decision would at all be binding in matters of teaching and doctrine. Only in June and July 1872

5760-662: The vast majority of its members also residing in Alsace-Lorraine and subsequently transforming into the Protestant Church of Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine (Église protestante de la Confession d'Augsbourg d'Alsace et de Lorraine; EPCAAL) territorially confined to the new German state of Alsace-Lorraine, the central governing body of the French Calvinists, the Central Council, was based in Paris. Evading from

5840-562: The – by membership – smaller Calvinist consistories turned unlikely and did not materialise in the end. Nevertheless, the recognition of an all Alsatian-Lorrain Reformed church umbrella was protracted by the authorities. Only on 21 June 1905 did the Alsatian-Lorrain state committee (Landesausschuss, between 1874 and 1911 the indirectly elected parliament), passing the first law altering the French legal situation as to religious bodies, recognised

5920-579: Was already in written form by the late 2nd century (c. 180). The earliest known formula is found within Testamentum in Galilaea D[ominus]. N[oster]. I[esu]. Christi written between 150 and 180. This formula states: "[I believe] in the Father almighty, – and in Jesus Christ, our Savior; – and in the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, in the holy Church, and in the remission of sins." As can be seen, it lacks

6000-507: Was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? Do you 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? To each question, the catechumen, or, in the case of an infant, the parents and sponsor(s) (godparent(s)) in his or her place, answers "I do." Then

6080-477: 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints,

6160-460: Was in the De singulis libris canonicis scarapsus ( ' Excerpt from Individual Canonical Books ' ) of St. Pirminius ( Migne , Patrologia Latina 89, 1029 ff.), written between 710 and 714. Bettenson and Maunder state that it is first from Dicta Abbatis Pirminii de singulis libris canonicis scarapsus ( idem quod excarpsus , excerpt), c. 750. The text of what is now known as the Apostles' Creed

6240-537: Was merged into that of Strasbourg due to decreasing numbers of parishioners in 2009. By the French Organic Articles each time several congregations form a consistory (consistoire), with the term used for the board and its district alike. As religious statutory law corporations ( établissements publics des cultes ) the consistories have legal entity status, holding property of their own and receiving contributions from member parishes. Each consistory comprises all

6320-415: Was most likely developed in southern Gaul around the midpoint of the 5th century. A creed that is virtually identical to the current one is recorded by Faustus of Riez . It is possible that Faustus had the identical text, as the original text written by Faustus cannot be reconstructed with certainty. A version that is identical to the current one with the single exception of infera in place of inferos

6400-502: Was similar to that of the three Israelite consistories in the area which had been cut off from the Paris-based Central Consistory. Proponents of Calvinism and Judaism then took the endeavour to form new statewide umbrella organisations. According to Calvinist doctrine, the new central body needed the mandate of an elected synod rather than being a parastatal authority. In 1872, Upper President Eduard von Moeller rejected

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