God the Father and Maker
My favorite active Chiefs player might surprise some: Creed Humphrey. I've always had mixed feelings about offensive linemen. It’s a strange position for a Creed fan, because I don’t want to hear his name called as often as we did with Jawaan Taylor. There’s no hate or harsh judgment. It’s not like I’d play that position myself. Usually, hearing a lineman’s name called means he had a penalty or missed a block. But their job is to protect Mahomes, the quarterback, and create space for the running backs to matriculate down the field. I also really love pancake blocks. Creed’s role and the creeds are quite similar: both set the boundaries of our faith, shielding it from false beliefs while allowing room for interpretation and growth.
Today, we have a lot to cover, including the purpose of creeds, the history of the Apostle’s Creed, the Canadian Creed we're studying this week, and topics like "God the Father” and “God the Maker." The earliest creed was likely just “Jesus is Lord." A more detailed version appears in Philippians 3, which Paul quotes, and we'll explore this in a few weeks as it defines my faith in Jesus. Originally, creeds served to educate new believers, teach them what it means to believe in God, protect the faith, and establish its boundaries.
There's a story I heard from Justo González, a favorite theologian and historian of Christianity, that goes like this: A young monk went to the abbot, the head of his monastery, and said, “I am struggling with the creed; I don’t understand or believe it.” The abbot replied, “Repeat the creed until you believe.” The young monk kept returning, struggling to believe, and the abbot kept giving the same advice until, at last, it clicked, and the monk believed. This story illustrates that a primary purpose of the creed is to teach faith. Creeds also serve another important purpose: they protect the faith from heresy. They define what true belief in God entails and what it does not. We will see how creeds defend against heresy regarding topics like the nature of Jesus and the Trinity. Additionally, Justo González explains that creeds help set boundaries, much like foul lines on a baseball field. These lines mark limits, but there is plenty of space within them. We will observe this dynamic starting with the very first line of the Apostles’ Creed. Creeds set clear boundaries while allowing room for differing interpretations.
The origins of the Apostles’ Creed are highly debated. Despite being perhaps the most popular of all creeds, it exists in multiple versions even within our hymnal. There is no single, definitive story behind its origin. Over the centuries, between 20 and 30 people have been credited with its creation. Legend claims the Apostles each wrote a line of the creed, but almost no one believes this is true. Some date the creed to the medieval period, between the 5th and 15th centuries. Others argue it descends from the old Roman creed, possibly dating back to the 2nd century, though written records only appear from 341. The Nicene Creed was written in 325, while the Apostles’ Creed appears in records no earlier than the 8th century. The key point is that the origin of this creed is complex, passing through many hands. If you research this online (though I advise against it), you'll find varying accounts across different sources. Does this confusion matter? The answer is both yes and no.
Yes, we must acknowledge that, despite its name, this creed was not authored by the Apostles. It has also evolved over time, with changes even in recent history. However, regardless of these facts, Christians have relied on this creed for over a thousand years to understand, declare, and affirm their faith. It remains in use today across diverse Christian traditions worldwide. This enduring tradition underscores its significance and authority.
Now let’s talk about the first line: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” We are going to look at two things here, “God the Father Almighty” and “Maker of Heaven and Earth.” The first should be pretty quick.
You may have noticed I don’t usually refer to God as 'Father.' In sermons, prayers, liturgy, and blog posts, I simply say 'God.' Why? Two main reasons. First, not everyone has a positive relationship with the word 'Father,' for various reasons. Second, I don’t believe God is a man. I want to be clear that calling God 'Father' is both good and faithful; it’s the most common name for God, aside from 'God' or 'YHWH.' However, God also compares divine self to a mother hen who shelters her children—my favorite image of God. Jewish texts often refer to God in non-gendered terms like Elohim, El, and Adonai. Christian texts use names like Theos and Kyrios. God isn’t limited to human gender. Calling God 'Father' describes an aspect of who God is, not what God is. God is the Creator, Guide, Provider, Companion, and Comforter; qualities of a loving father, but not an old man with a beard. I already have a dad for that. If 'Father' fits your relationship with God, use it. If not, that’s okay. No single name fully captures who God is, which is why God has many names.
“Creator of Heaven and Earth” represents the other part of the statement. Heaven can be interpreted in various ways, and I want to avoid getting too caught up in the details. It could mean the place where God dwells or where Jesus ascended, which is the traditional view. However, I believe that God doesn’t live in a distant place but is present with us here and now. I also think that heaven was not created by God as an escape from earth. For me, stay with me, heaven is a current reality that we may not perceive. Our limited vision, as discussed last week, driven by our expectations, prevents us from seeing the God who is present with us today. Remember, God is also the creator of the earth.
The Genesis creation story is not meant as history because chapters 1 and 2 present two conflicting accounts. Instead, it is a parable. Honestly, I don’t care how long it took God to create the world—whether 6 days or 6 billion years doesn’t matter. What’s important is that God created everything. Humans are not the only beings God created; all living things on earth were called into existence by God, and everything God made was good! So why would God abandon what was called good and only take humans to heaven? Why spend all that time creating something just for us to leave it behind? That’s why I struggle with the idea of heaven as another place where God resides and takes us. Salvation isn’t just about humans but about all living creatures. In Noah’s ark story, did God abandon all animals? No! Except for the dinosaurs, they were left behind because T-Rex was too big to fit on the boat. We forget that God created the entire earth and called it good, yet we exploit it for our pleasure. We misinterpret ‘dominion’ as license to do whatever we want like: hunting animals to extinction, cutting down forests for bigger houses, spilling oil in the ocean, and filling landfills. Dominion actually means we are entrusted with the earth’s care, not given permission to do as we please. We were entrusted with the earth, but we’ve failed to care for what God gave us. Life isn’t meant for us to take for ourselves, to wage war, or pursue personal vendettas.
If God, as the Father, gave a wonderful gift to His children and they destroyed it, how do you think He would react? Fortunately, He responds with grace. Why are we entrusted with such a gift? Humanity alone is created in God’s own image. Don’t think of it as printing a picture; though that’s not a bad metaphor, since a picture fades each time it’s reproduced. We are simply shadows of God’s power and love. It’s not about us resembling God or vice versa; that’s the mistake of making God in our image, which is problematic today. To me, the image of God is the capacity to create and the free will to craft whatever we wish. We possess great power but often misuse it.
Why the United Church of Canada’s Creed? Because of two lines I want to highlight, one of which isn't in our hymnal for unknown reasons. The first line states: “We believe in God: who has created and is creating.” This emphasizes that creation isn't a one-time event, whether over six days or six billion years, but an ongoing process happening daily. Emily and I have seen plants she carefully planted begin to bloom again, bringing new life to formerly barren branches. God continuously makes things new, exemplified in the cross. Through Jesus, God renewed life by helping us conquer the fear of death and reminding us of God's omnipotence. That even death cannot overpower God. The second line, absent from our hymnal, calls the Church “to live with respect in Creation.” I appreciate this for two reasons: first, respect. Our duty is to protect God's creations. Second is the living in creation line. Since we live in a world created by God, it’s not ours, but something we must respect. We do not own this world; we are simply blessed to be in it as a gift from God.
*What is the United Church of Canada? According to the United Church of Canada’s website: “The United Church of Canada is the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. We minister to over a million people in about 2,500 congregations. The history of the United Church is closely entwined with the history of Canada itself. The United Church was inaugurated on June 10, 1925, in Toronto, Ontario, when the Methodist Church, Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada, and 70 percent of The Presbyterian Church in Canada entered into a union… The United Church continues to be a "uniting" church, and has been enriched by several additional unions since 1925.”
Know that you are created by God, and that every person, being, plant, rock, star, and more was created by God too. Our unique quality as Image of God is not just a gift but a responsibility to use it wisely and care for what God created. We are only here for a little while, so why don’t we try to leave it better than we found it?
Today, we have a lot to cover, including the purpose of creeds, the history of the Apostle’s Creed, the Canadian Creed we're studying this week, and topics like "God the Father” and “God the Maker." The earliest creed was likely just “Jesus is Lord." A more detailed version appears in Philippians 3, which Paul quotes, and we'll explore this in a few weeks as it defines my faith in Jesus. Originally, creeds served to educate new believers, teach them what it means to believe in God, protect the faith, and establish its boundaries.
There's a story I heard from Justo González, a favorite theologian and historian of Christianity, that goes like this: A young monk went to the abbot, the head of his monastery, and said, “I am struggling with the creed; I don’t understand or believe it.” The abbot replied, “Repeat the creed until you believe.” The young monk kept returning, struggling to believe, and the abbot kept giving the same advice until, at last, it clicked, and the monk believed. This story illustrates that a primary purpose of the creed is to teach faith. Creeds also serve another important purpose: they protect the faith from heresy. They define what true belief in God entails and what it does not. We will see how creeds defend against heresy regarding topics like the nature of Jesus and the Trinity. Additionally, Justo González explains that creeds help set boundaries, much like foul lines on a baseball field. These lines mark limits, but there is plenty of space within them. We will observe this dynamic starting with the very first line of the Apostles’ Creed. Creeds set clear boundaries while allowing room for differing interpretations.
The origins of the Apostles’ Creed are highly debated. Despite being perhaps the most popular of all creeds, it exists in multiple versions even within our hymnal. There is no single, definitive story behind its origin. Over the centuries, between 20 and 30 people have been credited with its creation. Legend claims the Apostles each wrote a line of the creed, but almost no one believes this is true. Some date the creed to the medieval period, between the 5th and 15th centuries. Others argue it descends from the old Roman creed, possibly dating back to the 2nd century, though written records only appear from 341. The Nicene Creed was written in 325, while the Apostles’ Creed appears in records no earlier than the 8th century. The key point is that the origin of this creed is complex, passing through many hands. If you research this online (though I advise against it), you'll find varying accounts across different sources. Does this confusion matter? The answer is both yes and no.
Yes, we must acknowledge that, despite its name, this creed was not authored by the Apostles. It has also evolved over time, with changes even in recent history. However, regardless of these facts, Christians have relied on this creed for over a thousand years to understand, declare, and affirm their faith. It remains in use today across diverse Christian traditions worldwide. This enduring tradition underscores its significance and authority.
Now let’s talk about the first line: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” We are going to look at two things here, “God the Father Almighty” and “Maker of Heaven and Earth.” The first should be pretty quick.
You may have noticed I don’t usually refer to God as 'Father.' In sermons, prayers, liturgy, and blog posts, I simply say 'God.' Why? Two main reasons. First, not everyone has a positive relationship with the word 'Father,' for various reasons. Second, I don’t believe God is a man. I want to be clear that calling God 'Father' is both good and faithful; it’s the most common name for God, aside from 'God' or 'YHWH.' However, God also compares divine self to a mother hen who shelters her children—my favorite image of God. Jewish texts often refer to God in non-gendered terms like Elohim, El, and Adonai. Christian texts use names like Theos and Kyrios. God isn’t limited to human gender. Calling God 'Father' describes an aspect of who God is, not what God is. God is the Creator, Guide, Provider, Companion, and Comforter; qualities of a loving father, but not an old man with a beard. I already have a dad for that. If 'Father' fits your relationship with God, use it. If not, that’s okay. No single name fully captures who God is, which is why God has many names.
“Creator of Heaven and Earth” represents the other part of the statement. Heaven can be interpreted in various ways, and I want to avoid getting too caught up in the details. It could mean the place where God dwells or where Jesus ascended, which is the traditional view. However, I believe that God doesn’t live in a distant place but is present with us here and now. I also think that heaven was not created by God as an escape from earth. For me, stay with me, heaven is a current reality that we may not perceive. Our limited vision, as discussed last week, driven by our expectations, prevents us from seeing the God who is present with us today. Remember, God is also the creator of the earth.
The Genesis creation story is not meant as history because chapters 1 and 2 present two conflicting accounts. Instead, it is a parable. Honestly, I don’t care how long it took God to create the world—whether 6 days or 6 billion years doesn’t matter. What’s important is that God created everything. Humans are not the only beings God created; all living things on earth were called into existence by God, and everything God made was good! So why would God abandon what was called good and only take humans to heaven? Why spend all that time creating something just for us to leave it behind? That’s why I struggle with the idea of heaven as another place where God resides and takes us. Salvation isn’t just about humans but about all living creatures. In Noah’s ark story, did God abandon all animals? No! Except for the dinosaurs, they were left behind because T-Rex was too big to fit on the boat. We forget that God created the entire earth and called it good, yet we exploit it for our pleasure. We misinterpret ‘dominion’ as license to do whatever we want like: hunting animals to extinction, cutting down forests for bigger houses, spilling oil in the ocean, and filling landfills. Dominion actually means we are entrusted with the earth’s care, not given permission to do as we please. We were entrusted with the earth, but we’ve failed to care for what God gave us. Life isn’t meant for us to take for ourselves, to wage war, or pursue personal vendettas.
If God, as the Father, gave a wonderful gift to His children and they destroyed it, how do you think He would react? Fortunately, He responds with grace. Why are we entrusted with such a gift? Humanity alone is created in God’s own image. Don’t think of it as printing a picture; though that’s not a bad metaphor, since a picture fades each time it’s reproduced. We are simply shadows of God’s power and love. It’s not about us resembling God or vice versa; that’s the mistake of making God in our image, which is problematic today. To me, the image of God is the capacity to create and the free will to craft whatever we wish. We possess great power but often misuse it.
Why the United Church of Canada’s Creed? Because of two lines I want to highlight, one of which isn't in our hymnal for unknown reasons. The first line states: “We believe in God: who has created and is creating.” This emphasizes that creation isn't a one-time event, whether over six days or six billion years, but an ongoing process happening daily. Emily and I have seen plants she carefully planted begin to bloom again, bringing new life to formerly barren branches. God continuously makes things new, exemplified in the cross. Through Jesus, God renewed life by helping us conquer the fear of death and reminding us of God's omnipotence. That even death cannot overpower God. The second line, absent from our hymnal, calls the Church “to live with respect in Creation.” I appreciate this for two reasons: first, respect. Our duty is to protect God's creations. Second is the living in creation line. Since we live in a world created by God, it’s not ours, but something we must respect. We do not own this world; we are simply blessed to be in it as a gift from God.
*What is the United Church of Canada? According to the United Church of Canada’s website: “The United Church of Canada is the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. We minister to over a million people in about 2,500 congregations. The history of the United Church is closely entwined with the history of Canada itself. The United Church was inaugurated on June 10, 1925, in Toronto, Ontario, when the Methodist Church, Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada, and 70 percent of The Presbyterian Church in Canada entered into a union… The United Church continues to be a "uniting" church, and has been enriched by several additional unions since 1925.”
Know that you are created by God, and that every person, being, plant, rock, star, and more was created by God too. Our unique quality as Image of God is not just a gift but a responsibility to use it wisely and care for what God created. We are only here for a little while, so why don’t we try to leave it better than we found it?