CHAPTER 4

THE CHRISTIAN RITUALS AND STATEMENTS OF FAITH SUMMARRY

Rituals and creeds are the primary elements of Christian worldview. A ritual is a ceremonial act
aimed at enacting a special event or occasion performed periodically, for example, a festival.
Rituals perform functions such as; recreating historical events, it’s a rite of passage, renewing
bonds among members of a group, providing occasions for reflection on the meaning of one’s
core beliefs, evoke an effective response to one’s core beliefs, and integrate the core beliefs into
the fabric of the behavior and character of believers.
The Lord’s Supper and Baptism are the prominent Christian rituals recorded in the Bible. In most
liturgical churches, they are regarded as sacraments since it’s believed that grace is mediated
through them. The Lord’s Supper was commanded by Jesus himself during the celebration of the
Passover as accounted in; Matt 26; Mark 14, Luke 22 and John. Baptism is a complete
immersion into water as a sign of repentance and commitment to God. Baptism serves as an
indication of transitioning from one status to another. It marks identification with the old Adam
to identification with Jesus (new Adam).

Creed originates from the Latin word credo, meaning, “ I believe”. The Nicene Creed adopted
by the council of Constantinople and the Apostles’ Creed, which originated in Rome are the
major creeds. Creeds disseminate or preserve the attainments made in the knowledge of
Christian truth, discriminates the truth from the glosses of false teachers and present it in its
integrity and due proportions, it act as the basis of ecclesiastical fellowship among those nearly
agreed to labor together in harmony and is used as instruments in the great work of public
instruction.