Abstract
The elegant typeface, black and white images, and straightforward exposition might make one think that this little book is innocuous, but that would be a mistake. This book truly is a bid to define the Christian faith. In The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to an Ancient Catechism, Ben Myers provides an engaging theological interpretation of the most well-known western creed. Originating from a sermon series, this commentary connects repeatedly to Scripture, conveys a passion for speaking rightly about God, and effectively brings in image and anecdote to underline points.
Myers naturally works through the Apostles’ Creed in a linear fashion. He divides the creed into three articles: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a Trinitarian structure that not all expositions of the creed take for granted. He writes, “In the creed we confess the three great movements of God’s power: God lovingly brought the world into being; God lovingly entered the womb and became part of the world in Jesus Christ; and God the Holy Spirit is lovingly transfiguring the world in the lives of the saints” (p.27). The God one finds in the Apostles’ Creed is the threefold God of love whose power guarantees and does not compete with creaturely freedom. Myers draws attention repeatedly to the union of the divine and human in the person of Christ. Jesus’s mission is to sanctify and recapitulate human nature, the beginning of transforming creation. In fact, Myers often discusses God’s purpose for creation, continually reminding his readers of the cosmological dimension of the Christian vision (e.g., pp. 32–33). To summarize his presentation of God any further might seem pedestrian; the substance one finds in these pages is unsurprising in a good way: Myers speaks of God in light of the wisdom of Nicaea (p. 3) and Chalcedon (p. 44). The uniqueness of his presentation lies in his approach. He blends ancient and contemporary concerns. For example, he identifies the self-destructiveness laden in Marcionism and Gnosticism, and he also explores the problematic use of masculine language for God (p. 20), the relationship of an “almighty” God to free creatures (p. 25), and Christianity and slavery (p. 39). Fitting the series’s aim (Christian Essentials), Myers delivers “tradition that matters” for Christian catechesis (p. ix).
Throughout the book, Myers gives an apology for the Apostles’ Creed. The creed contains the heart of the biblical story, helping new believers learn the faith and providing a “framework” for speaking about God (pp. 4–5). It is rooted in apostolic tradition and yet is a safeguard for sane living: “In opposition to rival systems of thought that denigrate matter and the body, the ancient catechism confesses God as maker, redeemer, and sanctifier of this world” (p. 119). The creed is truly “countercultural,” allowing one a “transcendent” perspective above worldly ones (p. 10). The creed is not simply a product of the ancient Church (p. 2). Because the Apostles’ Creed is recited at baptism, it is “sacramental.” Indeed, the goal of this book is to “contemplate baptism and to penetrate more deeply into its meaning for life” (p. xv). This may mean that the faith one finds in this baptismal catechism is bound up with the object of faith: Jesus and the triune God whom he reveals. “The whole creed is about God’s action, God’s agency, and God’s initiative” (p. 132). In Myers’s presentation is a refreshing objectivity that often gets lost in discussion about personal “faith.”
Myers’s regular appeal to the Cappadocians, particular focus on Christ’s descent to the dead, use of the Harrowing of Hell icon, and description of divine judgment as the “scourge of love” give his interpretation an Eastern Orthodox feel. This theological accent does not detract from any of the substance of his work, but it is somewhat ironic given the low status of the Apostles’ Creed among Orthodox churches. This impression might be the result of his regard for the patristic witness or an Anglican appreciation for the East. To be fair, he often cites Augustine and even the Heidelberg Catechism. However, the commentary on “crucified, dead and buried” seems to confirm this theological accent, because one does not find the usual weight given to the cross in western accounts of the Christian faith. The absence of the word “atonement” in an English theological reading of the Apostles’ Creed is noticeable, and one will not find any satisfaction or substitutionary accounts of Jesus’s work, a feature most likely to leave some readers wanting. He does, however, make a strong case for Christ as a model of suffering love, which certainly deserves a prominent place in Christian formation.
All in all, this book fulfills its intended purpose, as Ben Myers proves to be an eager and lucid guide to the Apostles’ Creed. Drawing upon the scriptural witness and patristic wisdom, he explores how this historic liturgical document can frame how one speaks about God, and, beyond that, he challenges one to see the creed as so much more: as a means of directing one’s heart and mind into the reality of baptism, which is the reality of the triune God. His commentary would work well in the context of a group study, personal devotion, or, given the apologetic tone at times, even evangelism. His sensitivity to contemporary concerns and distinct theological accent, however, will make this an intriguing read for even those well-versed in theological discourse. For Myers, the faith one finds in The Apostles’ Creed is the Christian faith, and “ultimately the word of the risen Christ himself” (p. 3), and Myers wants his readers to hear that voice too.