Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Christian creeds for beginners -- Why you need the creed -- I believe -- Believing in the father -- Believing in the son : divine and human -- Believing in the son : messiah and Lord -- Believing in the virgin birth -- Believing in the cross ; the offence of the cross -- Believing in the cross : the victory of the cross -- Believing that Jesus lives -- Believing that Jesus reigns -- Believing in the Spirit -- Belonging to the church -- Believing in salvation, waiting for God's new world.

Modern Christians have often hesitated to embrace the ancient creeds because of our nothing but the Bible tradition. In What Christians Ought to Believe Michael Bird opens our eyes to the possibilities of the Apostle's Creed as a way to explore and understand the basic teachings of the Christian faith. Bringing together theological commentary, tips for application, and memorable illustrations, What Christians Ought to Believe summarizes the basic tenets of the Christian faith using the Apostle's Creed as its entryway. After first emphasizing the importance of creeds for the formation of the Christian faith, each chapter, following the Creed's outline, introduces the Father, the Son, and the Spirit and the Church. An appendix includes the Apostles' Creed in the original Latin and Greek. What Christians Ought to Believe is ideally suited for both the classroom and the church setting to teach beginning students and laypersons the basics of what Christians ought to affirm if they are to be called Christians. - Publisher.