Homeschooling as a Christian

A few months ago, I started a website that could serve as a resource for families in the county I live in considering homeschooling. I didn't realize at the time that I should have defined who a Christian is. This past Monday, I realized that I need to define it.

Hundreds of years ago, there was a lot of controversy over who a Christian was. That is why the Council of Nicea met and wrote the Nicene Creed.

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We 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 worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Later, the Apostles Creed was written. It is a little more succinct and some might say it is easier to recite.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker 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 buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,
and sits 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.

In our bulletin each week, there is a note about the word "catholic". It means the universal Christian church. Capitalized "Catholic" refers to the Orthodox Catholic church.

I think the Apostles creed is a good description of the core beliefs of a Christian. There are many other ways you could define who a Christian is, but I think the Apostles Creed is a good place to start.

Missing Pieces

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