The Lutheran Confessions are a summary of Bible doctrines. We adhere to the following confessional writings: The Apostles’ Creed, Nicene and Athanasian Creeds, unaltered Augsburg Confession, and Luther’s Small Catechism.
  —Church of the Lutheran Brethren Doctrinal Statement of Faith, Paragraph K

In 1580, Lutheran theologians placed the Three Chief Symbols at the beginning of the Book of Concord and called them “catholic” or “ecumenical” symbols since they asserted Lutheranism’s claim to continuity with all of Christendom. These three symbols of the ancient church are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.