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| The Communion of Saints |
How do we define th Communion of Saints as mentioned in the Apostles Creed? Well, first, let us look at the Creed. The origin of the Apostle's Creed dates back to, as the title explicitly states, the Apostles. In a 4th century commentary by Rufinus (Commentarius in symbolum apostolorum) he states the long accepted belief that the Apostles themselves wrote the Creed shortly after Pentecost, in Jerusalem before they split up to go out and preach. The oldest existing writing comes to us in a letter Marcellus of Ancyra wrote to Pope Julius about 341 AD (Logos Staff, 2022).
Below is the Creed in its present form and is not only used by Catholics, Eastern and Western, but also widely used by many, if not most, Protestant churches too (though some Protestant groups change the word "Catholic" to "Christian." Those that retain "Catholic" or "catholic" express that it means "universal" - which the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church is that universal church - though Christendom has gone through several splits and schisms as well as heretical divisions. Still the Body of Christ in His Church is not divided - those who have separated from that One, True, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church while they may be retaining a portion of the truth, the fullness of truth is only found in the One Church which Jesus Christ Himself founded and left His Apostles to lead and spread it throughout the world.
The phrase "the Communion of Saints" is generally retained throughout the Christian professions which have retained the Apostles Creed. It references not only those Christians living today, but also all those faithful Christians who have gone before us and live now in Heaven. Those who have gone before us we refer to as "the Church Victorious" (or "Triumphant") and we, here and now, are "the Church Militant" and then there is "the Church Suffering" (which are those who have gone before us, but are in a state of cleansing or purging, aka: Purgatory). These three communities are what make up the Communion of Saints (Staff, 2016).
I believe in God
the Father Almighty, Creator of
Heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our
Lord Who was conceived by
the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered
under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into
Hell; the third day He
arose again from
the dead; He ascended into
Heaven and is seated
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 Ghost,
the Holy Catholic
Church, the Communion
of Saints, the forgiveness
of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and
life everlasting. Amen.
And for some Scripture references which support the concept of the Church Triumphant, or saints in Heaven:
Mark 9:4-5
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (Old Testament saints, Moses and Elijah were physically present, alive, and conversing with Jesus Christ at the Transfiguration).
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
Revelation 8:3-4
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
References
Catholic
Encyclopedia, (1912). Communion of Saints: The doctrine expressed in the
Apostles' Creed. Catholic Answers.
https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/Communion-of-Saints
Logos Staff (2022). The Apostles' Creed: Its history and origins. Logos. https://www.logos.com/grow/the-apostles-creed-its-history-and-origins/
Scripture Passages: New International Version, from https://www.biblegateway.com
Staff, (2016). Our Church: Suffering, Militant, Triumphant. Diocesan. https://diocesan.com/church-suffering-militant-triumphant/
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