I Believe

Copyright © 2015 by Garth Hodnett.

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Rev. date: 05/19/2015

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Contents

Translator’s Preface

The Apostles Creed

Foreword

1-9    I believe in God the Father Almighty Creator of heaven and earth.

10-15    And in Jesus Christ. his only-begotten Son Our Lord.

16-19    Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit. born of Mary the Virgin

20-25    Suffered. under Pontius Pilate crucified died and buried . He descended into hell

26-29    The third day. He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven. and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

30-32    From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead

33.       I believe in the Holy Spirit

34-37   I believe a church.

38.      I believe the communion of saints.

39.       I believe the forgiveness of sins.

40.      I believe the resurrection of the flesh.

41.      I believe the life everlasting.

Translator’s Preface

The work of Arnold Van Ruler is not nearly as well known in the English speaking world as it deserves to be. Unfortunately most of his work remains untranslated. I was introduced to the work of A.A. van Ruler by my mentor and friend, the late Professor Ben Engelbrecht, at the University of the Witwatersrand, while studying for my tertiary degrees. It was: The Christian Church and the Old Testament (Eerdmans, 1971), one of the few works that have been translated. I was so captured with the clarity and thoroughness of this work that I could not help but go on to do my Masters and Th.D. on the theology of Van Ruler.

I translated this work in an attempt to learn Dutch, as well as to become more familiar with his ideas. At the time, Prof. Engelbrecht said I should get it published, but unfortunately other things kept me occupied. After attending his funeral, I returned to my translation, with new resolve to get it published. I have mostly ironed out the more clumsy parts of my translation, while staying as close to the original as possible. Suggestions for the improvement of the translation would be very much appreciated and taken into account if a second edition is printed.

I dedicate this book to the memory of the late Professor Benjamin Engelbrecht

I would like to thank all those who helped me with the book, especially Sylvia Hodnett, who helped me with error checking and typing. To Prof. Engelbrecht’s family for providing me with a picture of their father. And a special thanks to Kees van Ruler (Arnold van Ruler’s eldest son), and the Van Ruler Foundation, that have kindly allowed me to publish this translation – with just the proviso of the addition: ‘Translated and Interpreted by Garth Hodnett’ on the Cover and on the Title Page.

For those who don’t know the Apostles Creed, I have added a copy of the version that Van Ruler uses (there are different versions, but they have only minor differences).

Garth Hodnett

garth.hodnett@gmail.com

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son Our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

Who suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died, and buried: He descended into hell;

The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

The holy Christian Catholic church;

The communion of saints;

The forgiveness of sins;

The resurrection of the flesh,

And the life everlasting.

Amen.

Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Benjamin Engelbrecht

Foreword

From June 1966 to March 1968, during my twice weekly morning teaching from behind the microphone at the AVRO radio station, I was dealing with the so-called Twelve Articles of the faith – also called the Apostolic Confession, or simply the Apolisticum

The listeners were surprisingly interested in this – at first sight – pure theological teaching. This interest was even more surprising, as I did not make the slightest attempt to come to terms with modern expressions. I concentrated completely on the apostolic gospel in all its uniqueness (‘foolishness’ – in the words of Paul), as it is summarised in the Apolisticum. Whoever thinks about these things clearly and properly, will either agree with the apostolic gospel, or must stop calling themselves Christians.

From the many reactions of the listeners, it has become very clear to me that this sort of explanation of Christian belief, including its intellectual content, is necessary. Therefore I am thankful that the Uitgeverig Callenbabach – Nijkerk is prepared to print this book, just as I am grateful to AVRO that they gave me the opportunity to give this talk on the radio.

A.A. van Ruler

Arnold Van Ruler in his study

1. I

The Twelve Articles of faith, also called the Apostles Creed or Apostolicum¹, is one of the oldest documents of the Western church. This creed had already begun to take form, in its main points, in the Christian community in Rome as early as about 150 AD. It is a summary - in a few ancient formulas - of the original apostolic gospel. The apostles brought the gospel of Jesus as the Christ to the world and those who believed, reflected on their faith and asked themselves: what exactly have we been told? Thus a formulated confession of faith came into being.

We will begin by limiting ourselves to the very first word of the Apostolicum - the word I. The first line reads: I believe in God the Father. Obviously, the word we could just as well have been used. This is the case in the other confessions of faith, for instance in the Nicene Creed. In the Christian faith there is always the greater whole of the church. The church is the body of Christ, the nation of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit. In this sense, it is the church that believes - I believe together with it. I am never alone in my belief. I also do not sing alone. There is an enormous choir in the world that sings the praises of God. That is the church. I stand in that choir and I sing together with it. This is the best way to sing, as it helps keep me in tune. The church helps to keep the individual member in line.

I certainly do not want to deny all this, I would even go a step further. The church is not only important in matters of faith because as a body of believers it keeps the individual in line, but also because there are the offices, which are the continuation of the apostolic office. From the beginning the church has stood at the source of the gospel about Jesus as the Christ. The individual believer has not pulled this gospel out of thin air. The apostles also did not simply imagine this good news. It is wholly and completely an act of God in history. He sent his Son to die on the cross for us. The church stands on the sure foundation of this confession of Jesus as the messiah. The believers stand together with the church on that foundation.

Yet the faithful do not only say we. They can also say I. The individual is not dissolved in the greater whole of the church. Individuality is valued, and retained in all its fullness. The individual goes and stands together with that choir of the church and he plays his individual part. Just as he is supported by the choir, so he also supports the choir. Finally, we are not only dependent on the other believers, on the office bearers, on the apostles, on God’s acts in history. We also have a mind and a heart. We can distinguish between truth and falsity. We can also articulate this distinction by expressing the truth. Then we say: I believe in God the Father. We affirm this from our innermost being. Then we are mature children - of God, and we express our individuality. No longer do we ignore the important things in life, rather, we think and act as individuals, consciously and with purpose.

For that matter: we do not avoid the impertinence of the word I when we replace it with the word we. Because that word we is no less impertinent. What does the Christian church really express in its symbols of faith? That it has been given the truth? That other world religions have not been given the full and whole truth of salvation?

Indeed, I would say, that is exactly what the Christian church expresses. This impertinence does not find its foundation in the pride of the Christian. It originates from the self-consciousness of Jesus and from the mandate of the apostles. Jesus posits himself as the truth, in whom all salvation for mankind and the world is given. The apostles pronounce the curse of excommunication over all those who blaspheme the name of Jesus.

The church has held fast to these enormous claims, which are so characteristic of it. If it gave up these claims and sung a tone lower, it would be empty and would become as worthless as salt that has lost its savour. Thus all the claims of the we of the church and of the we of the apostles and of the I am of Jesus, are implicit in the I of the Apostolicum. If a person says: I believe in God the Father, then he steps out of the general mass of humanity, he distinguishes himself from the other people, who do not believe, he says with a certain emphasis: I believe in God - what you do is your business, but I believe. Thus faith creates a certain isolation.

That is certainly not the intention. All the other people are heartily invited to listen to the gospel and also to believe it. But the surprising fact comes to light that millions say nothing about it and millions even consciously reject it. Then the faithful persevere in their isolation and say: but I, I believe in God the Father.

This separation and relative loneliness is all the more remarkable because in these things the concern is with the most important, the ultimate things in life. The Christian faith is not concerned with the question whether there is another world, other than this one in which we live. In essence the Faith is concerned with the question of how we must appreciate this world and the fact that it exists and that we exist. Must we despise or treasure this material world?

This material world! Not this or that, one or another part of the world and of life. But the world and life as such! How must we think about this life in its totality?

If I say: I believe in God, then I am saying: I treasure this world and life as such because He created the world, He redeems it, and He will glorify it. If I say: I do not believe in God, then, at most, I am saying: I have an unbearably difficult task because, in essence, life weighs upon me like a heavy burden.

Therefore the question of faith is the central question in the life of mankind. We must make a decision regarding the ultimate and most important questions. We feel secure or we feel threatened.

Now one could say: these things are so deep and so personal, that one must keep them to oneself. I certainly believe, but I do not make this known publicly. Expressing it seems to violate it and make it coarse; I would rather keep it to myself. But this idea does not apply in our case. We are concerned with the word I. Thus we are also concerned with the personal and individual. Furthermore a confession of faith is public. All those who confess their faith have revealed something. I go and stand in the midst of the world. I step out into the open. I break the silence of all the questions preceding the final question. I say, openly, in simple and clear language: I believe in God the Father!

The most important aspect of all this, without a doubt, lies elsewhere. When I speak thus, I place myself in a relationship with God, I make myself his partner, I stand with Him, I choose his side -against all the wild beasts that rage in myself and in the world. I confess Him, I treasure Him, I come before Him, I serve Him, and I have a common interest with Him.

How can I, an insignificant individual, presume to know God? Must I not respect God as an awe-inspiring mystery, as the dark night, as a deep abyss, as an immense silence? Yes, all of this is true. But I am human. I have been called to be the image of God. I am theos-logos, God-talker. In this confession I am not blowing my own trumpet, I am only coming to the full measure of my humanity. This alone is the true being of man: standing before the countenance of your Creator and proclaiming Him in clear and simple language.

Indeed, these are the two poles: God himself and man himself. Many realities stand between these two poles: the world of things, the multiplicity of people, the community of believers, the church as duality of its offices and members, the apostles and the evangelists, the mediator with his completed work. But in all this I am radically and totally myself and God is even more radically and more totally Himself. The spark must jump between these two poles. This occurs when I say: I believe in God!

2. believe

When, together with the church, we repeat the first article of the apostolic creed: I believe in God, what are we actually saying? It is not so easy to answer this question, because the word believe has received a rich variety of meanings throughout the ages.

If, for instance, before she goes to bed at night, the woman of the house asks: are all the doors locked and all the lights off? Then the man of the house can answer her: I believe they are. He does not know for sure. He cannot rationally prove it. He is not aware of a conscious experience of it. The best he can do is to check and establish whether everything is in order.

In our case, this meaning has given a wrong interpretation to the word believe. In this modern day and age we rely, almost completely, on sensory observation, scientific experimentation, mathematical argument, sure proof. Thus it is said: believe? In church you believe but here you must know!

The most remarkable thing is that this imposing rule completely disregards the most important issues of human life. For instance, the choice of career or the choice of a marriage partner, the question of how to appreciate the fact that I exist, all moral questions regarding good and evil and the immense question of how I regard death. Can I have certainty in these all-important matters of human life, on the basis of convincing evidence or guaranteed experience? In other words: life as such and as a whole is characterised by belief to a much greater extent than those, who banish all belief to the church, would have us think it is.

Opposed to this understanding of believe as do not know with certainty stands the interpretation of believe as accepting as the truth. Belief is accepting something as the truth. In any case, this is the Christian understanding of belief.

Christianity is radically directed at the truth. For instance, it understands truth to be just as important as goodness and beauty. This is because Christianity is so radically directed at reality. This is the legacy from the nation of Israel. The world is real because it is creation. God is also real because He is the Creator. The appearance, the