Within Christianity, creeds serve as formal statements of beliefs, summarizing key aspects of the faith. These creeds have been used throughout the history of the Church to define and defend the core doctrines of Christianity against heresies, to instruct believers, and to express the unity of the Christian faith. While there are various creeds and confessions that have been formulated over the centuries, three creeds stand out due to their historical importance and wide acceptance across different Christian traditions: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.

1. The Apostles’ Creed: Though not written by the apostles themselves, the Apostles’ Creed is a concise summary of apostolic teachings. It dates back to the early centuries of the Church and has been widely used in Christian liturgy and catechesis. The Apostles’ Creed begins with, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,” and continues to profess faith in Jesus Christ, His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
2. The Nicene Creed: Formulated at the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 and later expanded at the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381, the Nicene Creed was created to address the Arian controversy, which questioned the divinity of Jesus Christ. It affirms the belief in one God, the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, who is of the same substance with the Father, emphasizing His divinity, incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. It also professes faith in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son, according to Western Christianity), and it speaks of the Church, baptism, resurrection, and everlasting life.
3. The Athanasian Creed: Named after Athanasius, the Bishop of Alexandria, who was a staunch defender of the doctrine of the Trinity against Arianism, this creed is more detailed than the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. It focuses on the theological intricacies of the Trinity and the nature of Christ. It states that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are each uncreated, incomprehensible, eternal, and almighty, yet there are not three eternals but one eternal, as there are not three uncreated or three incomprehensibles, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. Similarly, it explains the incarnation of Christ, affirming that He is both true God and true man, one Person in two natures.

These creeds have played a significant role in the development of Christian theology and continue to be recited in many Christian denominations during worship services as a declaration of faith. They are considered ecumenical, meaning they are intended to be universally accepted and used by Christians worldwide, transcending denominational boundaries to express the common faith shared among believers.