Rachel Evans
A profession of faith is a public declaration of one's belief in God and Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In the Catholic Church, the profession of faith is expressed in the Nicene Creed: I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. The profession of faith is not just about words, but also about the corresponding heart of faith and the way one conducts their life. In the Catholic Church, various individuals are obliged to make the profession of faith, including vicars general, episcopal vicars, pastors, and teachers in universities that deal with faith or morals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | The New Testament |
| Purpose | To declare that we are not ashamed to be called followers of Jesus |
| What it professes | Belief in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible |
| Who makes it | People joining a Christian denomination |
| Who else makes it | Vicars general, episcopal vicars, judicial vicars, pastors, professors of theology and philosophy in seminaries, teachers in universities teaching disciplines dealing with faith or morals, etc. |
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The Nicene Creed
> I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
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The Apostles' Creed
The Creed also acknowledges the expectation of Christ's second coming, when He will come to judge the living and the dead. This belief underscores the Christian understanding of salvation history and the promise of eternal life for those who believe.
"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who 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; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I 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. Amen."
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The Holy Spirit
> "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets."
> "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Here, "the Counselor" is "ho paracleto" in Greek, which is masculine, not neuter. This indicates that the Holy Spirit is a person, rather than an impersonal force. The Holy Spirit is also referred to in the masculine singular in this passage, further emphasizing its personhood.
Through a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, Catholics believe they can be "divinely refashioned" and remade in the image of Christ, becoming true sons and daughters of the Father. This relationship is not a "private" one but is mediated through the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ.
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The Virgin Mary
The Catholic Church's beliefs about the Virgin Mary are informed by its beliefs about Christ. The Church's teachings about Mary are based on Scripture and Tradition, as taught by the Magisterium.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the Virgin Mary is the mother of Christ, and of the Church and all its members, i.e., all Christians. The Church confesses that Mary is truly the "Mother of God" (Theotokos). The Council of Ephesus in AD 431 declared: "If anyone does not confess that the Emmanuel (Christ) in truth is God and that on this account the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God (Θεοφόρος) since according to the flesh she brought forth the Word of God made flesh, let him be anathema."
Mary's virginity is seen as manifesting God's absolute initiative in the Incarnation. The Church teaches the doctrine of Mary's Perpetual Virginity, which maintains that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. This is supported by scriptural accounts of St. Matthew and St. Luke, who refer to Mary as a virgin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church includes the term Aeiparthenos ("Ever Virgin"), which states that "Christ's birth did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it."
The first Marian dogma to be promulgated is that of Mary's Divine Motherhood. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, which relates to the conception of Mary herself without any stain of original sin, is also a dogma of the Catholic Church. This means that Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit without the participation of any man. The Annunciation of Mary, her eventual conception of Jesus, and her bodily assumption are also considered dogmas.
The Catholic Church often sees Mary as the Queen of Heaven, crowned with a crown of twelve stars. This is based on the theological foundation of Mary as the Mother of God. Popes throughout history have paid tribute to Mary in this regard, referring to her as the Queen of Heaven and Earth, Queen and Ruler of the Universe, and Queen of the World.
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The Resurrection
The Catholic Church teaches that the Resurrection is not just a future promise but also a present reality. Through Christ's Resurrection, humanity is offered the promise of eternal life and the redemption of our sins. This belief is based on the teachings of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Christian tradition.
The Fourth Lateran Council provides additional insight into the Catholic understanding of the Resurrection: "all men, whether elect or reprobate, 'will rise again with their own bodies which they now bear about with them'." This belief in the physical resurrection of the body is a distinctive aspect of Catholic doctrine.
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Frequently asked questions
A profession of faith is a personal and public statement of belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
The profession of faith in the Catholic Church is the Nicene Creed, which states: "I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man."
Canon 833, Nos. 5-8 outlines that the following individuals are required to make the profession of faith: vicars general, episcopal vicars, judicial vicars, pastors, rectors of seminaries and ecclesiastical universities, professors of theology and philosophy in seminaries, those promoted to the diaconate, and superiors in clerical religious institutes.
