ABSTRACT
Christian theology only exists because there are communities of faith that collectively embody certain beliefs and practices. Whilst an individual who engages with the practice of theology may or may not consider herself a member of a church, it is nevertheless the embodied practices and beliefs of the churches with which she is concerned. Most theology in universities is done by individuals, and frequently happens
through engagement with key individual figures from both past and present who have themselves engaged with the beliefs and practices of the Church. However, not all theology is done by individuals; the Church does theology corporately too, and seeks to understand its practices and its beliefs, and to find appropriate ways of using language to make those beliefs and practices known. There are various means by which this has happened throughout the history of the Church, but two of the most significant are in the formulation of creeds and confessions of faith.
