9 Things You Should Know About the Apostles’ Creed

During the recent funeral of the late President George H. W. Bush, all the former presidents and their wives stood and recited the creed while President Donald Trump and his wife, Melanie, stood in silence. This sparked a minor controversy that exposed the confusions many Christians—especially evangelicals—have about the Apostles’ Creed. Here are nine things you should know about this ancient statement of faith. Read More

The controversy surrounding the article in the Apostles' Creed, "He descended into hell," goes back to the eighteenth century if not earlier. The compilers of the 1785 Proposed American Prayer Book omitted this article from the Apostles Creed. In the 1789 American Prayer Book the rubric governing the use of the Apostles' Creed gave permission to omit the words, "He descended into Hell," or to substitute for them, "He went into the place of departed Spirits," which, the rubric explains, "are to be considered as words of the same meaning as in the Creed." (See E. Clowes Chorley's The New American Prayer Book: Its History and Contents.) The 1892 American Prayer Book withdrew permission to omit the words, "He descended into Hell," but permitted the substitution of the words, "He went into the place of departed Spirits." The 1979 American Prayer Book adopted the view that the words,"He descended into Hell" are no longer controversial and withdrew permission to substitute for them the words, "He went into the place of departed Spirits." It is, however, evident from Joe Carter's article that the controversy surrounding this article has not disappeared.