Creedal:
[This is about as good as I could find. – HW]
The word “creed” comes from the Latin credo, which means, “I believe.” It is a concise statement of faith or beliefs held by a religious institution, outlining and clarifying that which sets the institution apart from others.
The Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Westminster Confession are just three examples of the many creeds developed to define the Christian Church or an individual tradition within it.
There are many Christian traditions, Baptists and Quakers being only two, that do not promote the use of creeds. But the majority of Christian denominations, being so influenced by Greek, systematic thought, use creedal formulas, which new members are expected to affirm when being baptized or confirmed. [The Free Dictionary, referencing The Religion Book – see the link]
Noted in “America isn’t ‘hopelessly divided.’ It only looks that way because of our Constitution,” Jennifer Rubin, WaPo:
I get it — and agree with it to some extent: Americans are deeply divided, inhabiting two parallel political universes, ingesting different media and adhering to contradictory visions of America. One increasingly defines the United States as a bastion of White Christianity; the other sees a creedal nation defined by its founding documents. But perhaps the “civil war” perspective is overwrought and distorted.
As Creed is often used in reference to Christian tenets, I find this a trifle ambiguous. I suppose Rubin means that we are a secular nation with a creed of believing that a democracy is a better form of government than other forms.
I take the more pragmatic view that, while it may be difficult to measure and prove ‘better,’ the riots, butchering of the populace by governmental forces, and general unhappiness often found in monarchies, theocracies, and other governmental systems is lesser – but not non-existent – in democracies.
And that’s a good thing.
