Making of the Creeds

In lucid and non-technical prose, Young demonstrates how and why the two most familiar Christian creeds - the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed - came into being. She describes how creeds originated in instruction before baptism and have their roots in the New Testament itself. She then shows how the rise of Gnosticism and a tendancy towards fragmentation in the church made a clear statement of faith necessary, as well as outlining the various controversies which led to particular words and phrases being included in the creeds as we now have them. She then describes the construction of the great Christian doctrines of the Trinity and incarnation.

This is a fairly personal book. It records 40 years of cut and thrust in the Church of England's General Synod and kindred bodies, as I have seen it, experienced it, and on occasion handed it out myself. Much is told from my personal standpoint, and the selection of themes derives my own involvement. It is not autobiography, but an attempt (as in my other writings) at accurate journalism. Oh yes, and remember I am not telling it the way it was. No one on earth can do that. I am telling it the way I have found it. Colin Buchanan, from the introduction to Taking a Long View."