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When Christians recite the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed, we encounter language that can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable. The Apostles' Creed confesses belief in “the holy catholic church,” while the Nicene Creed goes further, declaring belief in “one holy catholic and apostolic church.” For many believers these words raise questions. We're not Roman Catholic, so why are we confessing belief in “the catholic church”? And what does “apostolic” mean in this context?

These ancient terms carry profound theological weight that we lose when we try to update or sanitize them. Understanding what the creeds actually mean by “catholic” and “apostolic” helps us grasp something essential about the nature of the church and our place in it.

The Word “Catholic” Doesn't Mean What You Think

Let's address the elephant in the room first. When both creeds speak of the “catholic” church, they're not referring to Roman Catholicism or any particular denomination. The word predates the split between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism by centuries, and it has nothing to do with modern denominational divisions.

The English word “catholic” comes directly from the Greek katholikos, which simply means “universal” or “according to the whole.” It's a compound of kata (according to) and holos (whole). When the early church used this term, they were distinguishing the true, universal church of Jesus Christ from various local heresies and schismatic groups that were popping up in different regions.

Ignatius of Antioch, writing around AD 110, made the point clearly: “Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the catholic church.” He wasn't talking about a particular organization or hierarchy. He was making a straightforward claim that the real church isn't confined to one location or faction—it's the whole body of Christ across the world.

Think of it this way: the church catholic is the church that exists everywhere, believes the same apostolic gospel, and spans all times and places. It's not limited to one city, one culture, or one era. It's the full body of Christ across all ages and nations. When we say “catholic,” we're affirming that we're part of something far bigger than our local congregation or even our denominational tradition.

Why Both Creeds Use “Catholic”

Both the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed use the word “catholic” because both are making the same essential claim about the church's universal nature. This wasn't accidental or arbitrary—it was theologically necessary.

The Apostles' Creed, though its exact origins are debated, reflects the baptismal confessions of the early church and was widely used in the West by the fourth century. The Nicene Creed was formulated at the Council of Constantinople in AD 381, building on the earlier Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Both creeds needed to define what the true church is over against false claims and breakaway movements.

By the time these creeds were being used throughout the church, there were already groups claiming to be the “real” Christians while denying essential doctrines or splitting off into isolated factions. Gnostics claimed secret knowledge. Donatists insisted that only their pure church was legitimate. Various regional groups tried to redefine Christianity according to their own preferences.

Against all these fragmenting forces, the creeds confess: we believe in the catholic church—the universal church, the whole church, the church that maintains apostolic teaching across all times and places. This wasn't about claiming institutional authority. It was about affirming that the true church isn't whoever shouts the loudest or splits off most recently, but the body of believers united by the same gospel everywhere.

The Nicene Addition: “Apostolic”

The Nicene Creed goes beyond the Apostles' Creed by adding a fourth mark of the church: it's not just “one, holy, and catholic,” but also “apostolic.” This addition wasn't random—it addressed a specific need in the fourth-century church.

The word “apostolic” points us to the foundation of the church's teaching and authority. Paul makes this explicit in Ephesians 2:20, describing the church as “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.” The church is apostolic because it continues to hold fast to what the apostles taught, wrote, and passed down.

By AD 381, when the Nicene Creed reached its final form, the church was dealing with various groups that claimed divine inspiration or new revelations that contradicted apostolic teaching. The claim to be “apostolic” drew a clear line: the true church is the one that maintains continuity with apostolic doctrine, not the one that invents new theologies or abandons the foundation laid by Christ's chosen witnesses.

This isn't about some mystical transfer of ecclesiastical power through laying on of hands, as if apostolic authority flows through an unbroken chain of ordained clergy. Rather, apostolic succession—rightly understood—is about doctrinal continuity. The church remains apostolic by maintaining fidelity to apostolic teaching as we have it recorded in the New Testament scriptures.

Here's where the Reformed perspective offers clarity that some other traditions obscure: apostolic succession is fundamentally about message, not mechanism. A church that has bishops who can theoretically trace their ordination back to the apostles but has abandoned apostolic teaching is not truly apostolic. Conversely, a church that faithfully preaches and teaches what the apostles delivered—even if it was planted last year—stands in genuine apostolic succession.

How the Marks Connect

The Nicene Creed's four marks—one, holy, catholic, and apostolic—aren't just a list. They're interconnected realities that define the true church.

The church is one because there's one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Despite our denominational divisions and cultural differences, all true believers are united in Christ. We're not many churches but one body with one head.

The church is holy because it's set apart by God for his purposes, sanctified by the blood of Christ, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This holiness isn't about moral perfection but about being consecrated for God's use and called to live differently from the world.

The church is catholic because it's universal—it extends across geography and history, including all true believers in every time and place. No single culture, nation, or tradition can contain it.

The church is apostolic because it's built on the foundation of apostolic teaching and maintains continuity with the gospel they proclaimed. It's not subject to human innovation or cultural revision but anchored in the once-for-all revelation delivered through Christ's authorized witnesses.

These marks guard us against different errors. “One” challenges our divisions. “Holy” challenges our worldliness. “Catholic” challenges our sectarianism. “Apostolic” challenges our tendency to drift from foundational truth.

Why These Words Matter Today

Some might wonder if we shouldn't just update the creeds' language to avoid confusion. Why not say “universal” instead of “catholic”? Why not find simpler ways to express these ideas?

There's wisdom in retaining the historic language. First, using these ancient terms connects us with believers across twenty centuries of church history. When we say the same words Christians have confessed since the earliest centuries, we're participating in something that transcends our moment in time. We're joining our voices with Augustine, with Athanasius, with Calvin, with countless faithful believers who have gone before.

Second, the very strangeness of these words forces us to think more deeply about what we're confessing. If the creeds simply said what we already assume they say, we might recite them thoughtlessly. But when we encounter terms that require explanation, we're pushed to examine the rich theological content they carry.

Third, these words challenge our tendency toward individualism and presentism. “Catholic” reminds us we're part of a church that extends far beyond our preferences and experiences. “Apostolic” grounds us in an authority that predates us and will outlast us. Both terms call us out of ourselves and into something much larger and older than our immediate context.

Finally, keeping the historic language is itself an act of confessing the universal church. By using terms that belong to all Christians rather than to any single tradition, we're embodying the very reality we're confessing. We're refusing to let one denomination claim exclusive ownership of these words, and we're asserting our connection to the whole church.

What We're Really Confessing

When we say “I believe in the holy catholic church” or “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church,” we're not expressing faith in the church the way we have faith in God. The church isn't an object of saving faith.

Rather, we're confessing that we believe the church exists as a real, divinely established entity. We're affirming that God has called out a people for himself from every tribe and tongue and nation. We're declaring that Christ is building his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. We're acknowledging our membership in this body and our connection to all other true believers who hold to apostolic teaching.

This confession challenges our individualism. American Christianity in particular tends toward a “Jesus and me” spirituality that downplays the corporate nature of the faith. But the creeds won't let us get away with that. We don't follow Jesus as isolated individuals. We're part of a body, members of a household, stones in a temple. The church isn't optional or secondary—it's central to God's plan of redemption.

And the creeds insist that this church has identifiable marks. It's not just any gathering of people who claim the name Christian. The true church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. It's united, set apart, universal, and grounded in apostolic truth.

Confessing With Understanding

The next time you recite either of these ancient creeds—whether in corporate worship or private devotion—let these words land with their full weight. When you confess belief in “the holy catholic church” or “one holy catholic and apostolic church,” you're affirming something profound and beautiful.

You're declaring that you belong to the universal body of Christ, united across oceans and centuries by the same apostolic gospel. You're asserting that the church isn't defined by cultural boundaries, contemporary preferences, or denominational politics, but by God's calling, Christ's headship, and the Spirit's indwelling presence.

You're identifying yourself with believers in Seoul and São Paulo, with Athanasius and Augustine, with Luther and Calvin, with Christians yet unborn who will confess this same faith. You're standing on the foundation laid by the apostles and maintained by faithful teachers across two thousand years of church history.

This is the church catholic. This is the church apostolic. And by God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, this is your church too.

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The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to 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 the life everlasting. Amen.

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The Nicene Creed (AD 381)

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. 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. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

~ john