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56-464: Although followers have held the teachings of Schwenckfeld since the 16th century, Schwenkfelder Church was not formed until the 20th century, due in large part to Schwenckfeld's emphasis on inner spirituality over outward form. He also labored for a fellowship of all believers and one church. Originally calling themselves Confessors of the Glory of Christ after Schwenckfeld's 1541 book Great Confession on

112-494: A Catholic majority, but also a significant Lutheran Protestant population (especially in northern Württemberg and some parts of Baden and Franconia (northern Bavaria)), in contrast to the almost entirely Protestant Northern Germany . Due to the immigration of non-Christians, mainly Turks (see Turks in Germany ) during the last decades of the twentieth century, there is also a small number (roughly 250,000, i.e. 2–3% of

168-698: A Spring General Conference. Sometimes Conferences are also held in the fall. The Church teaches that the Bible is the source of Christian theology. Schwenckfeld drew his theology from the Old Testament and New Testament , and it agrees with the Apostles' Creed , the Nicene Creed , and the Confession of Chalcedon . The Church also recognizes the wisdom of church fathers, particularly those from

224-594: 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 the modern liturgy and catechesis of the Catholic Church , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , Presbyterianism , Moravianism , Methodism , and Congregational churches . It

280-753: 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

336-612: A line between Bonn and Bingen , in the mountain ranges ( Mittelgebirge ) of the Westerwald , the Taunus , and the Eifel , along the Rhine and Mosel rivers—is seen as the cultural border between Southern and Western Germany. Two of the most populous states of Germany, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, are part of Southern Germany. They have a combined population of 23.5 million people. In

392-480: 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

448-596: A variety of holiday cookies , cakes , and tarts . 49°N 10°E  /  49°N 10°E  / 49; 10 Apostles%27 Creed The Apostles' Creed ( Latin : Symbolum Apostolorum or Symbolum Apostolicum ), sometimes titled 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

504-517: Is a region of Germany that includes the areas in which Upper German dialects are spoken, which includes the stem duchies of Bavaria and Swabia in present-day Bavaria , Baden-Württemberg , and the southern portion of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate that were part of the Duchy of Franconia . German-speaking Switzerland , Austria , Liechtenstein , Alsace , and South Tyrol are also historically, culturally, and linguistically associated with

560-451: Is now known as the Apostles' Creed 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

616-528: 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

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672-626: 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 the Nicene Creed . It thus says nothing explicitly about the divinity of either Jesus or the Holy Spirit. For this reason, it

728-596: 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

784-553: The Kingdom of Bavaria . Linguistically, Southern Germany corresponds to the Upper German dialects . Southern Germany is culturally and linguistically more similar to German-speaking Switzerland , Austria , and German-speaking South Tyrol than to Central and Northern Germany. A jocular term referring to a cultural boundary defining Bavarian culture is Weißwurstäquator , i.e. the "equator" dividing Northern Germany from

840-675: 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

896-546: 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

952-787: 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

1008-543: 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

1064-702: 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 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

1120-809: The Bohemian Crown. As the persecution intensified around 1719–1725, they were given refuge in 1726 by Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf in Saxony . When the Elector of Saxony died in 1733, Jesuits petitioned the new ruler to return the Schwenkfelders to Harpersdorf. With their freedom in jeopardy, they decided to look to the New World ; toleration was also extended to them in Silesia in 1742 by King Frederick II of Prussia . The immigrant members of

1176-753: The Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles is a lineage society for descendants of the 209 members of the Schwenkfelder Church who arrived near Penn's Landing between 1731 and 1737 and settled in what then was the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania . It was founded in 1921 by William Wagener Porter and had an initial membership of 125 individuals. Publications include Exile Herald (1924–1954) and Der Bericht . Southern Germany Southern Germany ( German : Süddeutschland , [ˈzyːtˌdɔʏtʃlant] )

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1232-573: The Eastern Church and Augustine. Schwenckfeld emphasized the inner work of the Holy Spirit , conversion (which he called the rebirth), and the new man. The Church also continues his belief that the Lord's Supper is a spiritual partaking representing the body and blood of Christ in open communion. Adult baptism and both infant baptism and consecration of infants is practiced depending on

1288-631: 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 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 ,

1344-514: The Glory of Christ , the group later became known as Schwenkfelders. These Christians often suffered persecution like slavery, prison, and fines at the hands of the government and state churches in Europe. Most of them lived in southern Germany and Lower Silesia . By the beginning of the 18th century, the remaining Schwenkfelders lived around Harpersdorf in the Duchy of Silesia , which was part of

1400-801: 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

1456-655: 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

1512-600: 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

1568-539: 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

1624-528: The Schwenkfelder Church brought saffron to the Americas . Schwenkfelders may have grown saffron in Europe; there is some record that at least one member of the group traded in the spice. In 1731, a group came to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , and several migrations continued until 1737. The largest group, 180 Schwenkfelders, arrived in 1734. In 1782, the Society of Schwenkfelders was formed, and in 1909

1680-620: The Schwenkfelder Church was incorporated. Though the Schwenkfelders thereafter remained largely confined to Pennsylvania, a small number later emigrated to Waterloo County in Ontario , Canada. Schwenkfelder Church has remained small. As of 2024, there are four congregations in southeastern Pennsylvania. All of these bodies are within a fifty-mile radius of Philadelphia: one in the city itself, and one each in East Norriton , Palm , and Worcester . The Schwenkfelder Church meets annually at

1736-612: The Schwenkfelder Ministerium, managing the church through congregational government. Schwenkfeldian theology fits broadly within the parameters of Reformed theology today. Each congregation remains autonomous in theology and practice. Historic statements of faith inherited by the Christian Church as a whole, including the Apostles' Creed and other scriptural foundations, remain the best representative statement of Schwenkfeldian theology. The Society of

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1792-469: 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,

1848-512: 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

1904-732: The broader sense (with Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland), Southern Germany includes roughly 30 million people. Thus, about 40% of the German population and almost 30% of all native speakers of the German language live there. In the 17th and 18th centuries, emigrants from Southern Germany, known as the Pennsylvania Dutch , were among the first settlers of the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania and other influential population centers in present-day United States . The region has

1960-466: 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

2016-644: 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

2072-402: 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

2128-588: 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

2184-482: The church. Adult members are also received into church membership through transfer of memberships from other churches and denominations. Their ecclesiastical tradition is congregational with an ecumenical focus. The Schwenkfelder churches recognize the right of the individual in decisions such as public service, armed combat, etc. Individual, autonomous congregations select ministers by a self-regulated search process. Ministers and church representatives gather regularly in

2240-490: The earliest appearance of what we know as the Apostles' Creed 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

2296-607: 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 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

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2352-579: 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

2408-426: 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

2464-420: The homeland of the Weißwurst sausage. The river Main , flowing westward, through Upper and Lower Franconia and Southern Hesse , through the city of Frankfurt , into the river Rhine at Mainz , is often cited as a natural border between Southern and Middle Germany while the border west of Mainz is, in that respect, less clearly determined. The border between the Palatinate and the Rhineland —roughly

2520-419: 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",

2576-417: 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

2632-486: The ones in Heidelberg , Munich , Tübingen , and Würzburg ). The specific features of the landscape are rolling hills, Mittelgebirge (mid-range mountains). Southern Germany also has a part of the Alps , in the southeast of the region ( Allgäu and Bavarian Alps ). In the culinary field, both beer and wine are produced in many varieties throughout the region. The regional cuisine consists of stews , sausages , cabbage , noodles , and other pasta dishes as well as

2688-411: The population) of Muslims . Where a city has different names in English and German, the English name is given first. Economically, Southern Germany is the strongest part of Germany, with Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria being the powerhouses of manufacturing , especially in the automobile and machinery industry. Furthermore, it is home to some of the country's most prestigious universities (such as

2744-443: The region. Southern Germany primarily contrasts with Northern Germany and defines the territories of modern Germany that did not form part of the North German Confederation in the 19th century. Between Northern and Southern Germany is the loosely defined area known as Central Germany ( Mitteldeutschland ), roughly corresponding to the areal of Central German dialects ( Franconia , Thuringia , Saxony ). The boundary between

2800-420: 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

2856-405: 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 the "Symbol of the Trinity ", and recognizing it as an integral part of the rite of baptism . The term Symbolum Apostolicum appears for

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2912-418: The spheres of political influence of Prussia (Northern Germany) and Austria (Southern Germany) within the German Confederation (1815–1866) was known as the "Main line" ( Mainlinie , after the river Main ), Frankfurt am Main being the seat of the federal assembly. The "Main line" did not follow the course of the River Main upstream of Frankfurt, however, it instead corresponded to the northern border of

2968-440: 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

3024-453: 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

3080-419: 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,

3136-436: 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 the twelve articles of the creed. The ecclesiastical use of Latin symbolum for ' creed ' —in the sense of "a distinctive mark of Christians", from

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