Background for 'Modern Poetry' - 'A New Creed' 1968, 1980, 1994

C. Modern Poetry
Sunday Dec 4 noon, repeated Tuesday Dec 6 7:30pm


How did we speak ‘words of faith’ from the mid-1960’s to the mid-1990’s? What changes to you remember in our context and our church life in those decades? Who and what were we trying to preserve, and to serve? What audience would be reached by our words of faith? What ‘words of faith’ were being rejected?


There is much less to read this week. Start with the 1968 version, “Man is not alone, he lives in God’s world”. Then read the current version, reflecting inclusive language changes in 1980. Can you find the 1994 change to emphasize our ecological faith? Which, if any, are ‘our words of faith’ for you?


Possibly these are the first words in the background package that many at Thornhill United Church now could claim as ‘cherished, honoured, and living’. Can you imagine why anybody would not claim these as ‘our words of faith’? Continuity with older words is another measure to apply – do these pass?

Click on 'read more' to see the 1968, and then the current form of 'A New Creed' - or pick up hard copies at the church library of this and the other background reading.


(C) A New Creed (1968)Man is not alone, he lives in God’s world

We believe in God:

who has created and is creating,

who has come in the true Man, Jesus,
to reconcile and make new,

who works in us and others
by his Spirit.

We trust him.

We are called to be his Church:

to celebrate his presence,

to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,

to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.

We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.


(In 1980, changes were approved for gender inclusivity.)

(In 1994, changes added ‘to live with respect in creation’ for environmentalism.)
(C) A New Creed (1968, as amended 1980 and1994)We are not alone
We live in God’s world

We believe in God:

who has created and is creating,

who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,

who works in us and others
by the Spirit.

We trust in God

We are called to be the Church:

to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,

to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,

to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.

We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.