What problems, if any, do Jehovah's Witnesses have with the Apostles' Creed?

Question

I'm listening to an audio series in which the Apostles' Creed is used as the framework for "Christian theology," implying that those who believe the Apostles' Creed are orthodox.

However, it's pretty clear from other portions of the series that its creators do not consider non-trinitarians to be orthodox. Which made me wonder about how various non-trinitarian groups view the Apostles' Creed – do they actually accept it as written, or not?

In this question, I'll focus on one particular such group. Do Jehovah's Witnesses disagree with or "reinterpret" any phrases in the Apostles' Creed?

By "reinterpret," I mean divergence from a typical understanding of the text held by trinitarians. I realize of course that some trinitarians "reinterpret" some phrases too, like "he descended into hell," so it can be a gray area. But hopefully answers can cite JW publications or scholars to show to what extent they adopt the creed as their own.

_{Related: Same question for Christadelphians, Mormons, Oneness Pentecostals, and Swedenborgians.}

Answer 1

Jehovah’s Witnesses beliefs kind of line up with the text of the Apostle’s Creed, but their interpretation of it largely diverges from common trinitarian interpretations.

Here is the ELLC translation of the Apostles’ Creed, phrase by phrase:

• I believe in God, the Father almighty,
  • Watchtower teaches that God is omnipotent and omniscient​, but not omnipresent. g05 3/8 p. 21
• creator of heaven and earth.
  • Watchtower teaches that the days of creation lasted, “many thousands of years.” Creation, Awake!, January 2014
• I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
  • Watchtower teaches that Jesus is a created being, the Archangel Michael. w10 4/1 p. 19
  • They would disagree with any use of the word, “Lord” as the divine name. w08 8/1 p. 18-19
• who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
  • This is accepted. w02 12/15 p. 3-4
• born of the Virgin Mary,
  • This is accepted. They take issue with revering her. Reasoning p. 254-255
• suffered under Pontius Pilate,
  • This is accepted. w05 9/15 p. 11-12
• was crucified, died, and was buried;
  • This is accepted. Jesus​—The Way, the Truth, the Life, ch 131-133
  • Witnesses teach that Jesus was executed on a stake, not a cross.
• he descended to the dead.
  • Witnesses teach that death is a state of non-existence and that there is no Hell.
  • Bible Teach, ch 6.5
  • Myth 2: The Wicked Suffer in Hell, The Watchtower, November 2009
  • If not rejected, I suspect this phrase would be reinterpreted as simply meaning that Jesus died.
• On the third day he rose again;
  • Watchtower teaches that Jesus’ body was not raised from the dead, but his spirit. - After Jesus’ Resurrection, Was His Body Flesh or Spirit?
• he ascended into heaven,
  • Watchtower teaches that Jesus began his ascent to heaven in a physical form, then switched to a spiritual form when the disciples lost sight of him. Insight, Volume 1 p. 187
• he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
  • Watchtower teaches that Jesus has not been sitting at the right hand of the Father since World War I. Jesus​—The Way, the Truth, the Life, Ch 138
• and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
  • Watchtower teaches that judgement day will be a thousand year period during which everyone will be resurrected. Sin prior to death is forgiven. During this period, all will given an opportunity to learn and conform to God’s laws, and those who continue to sin will be destroyed. Bible Teach p. 214-215
• I believe in the Holy Spirit,
  • Watchtower teaches that the Holy Spirit is “God’s active force,” not a person. Insight, Volume 2 p. 1019
• the holy catholic Church,
  • Watchtower teaches that there is not a universal body of believers that spans churches or denominations; Jehovah’s Witnesses is the only true church. One True Christian Faith​—A Reality
• the communion of saints,
  • This phrase is directly related to the previous one; it refers to a spiritual union of believers that spans life on earth, purgatory, and heaven.
  • Witnesses rarely use this phrase; I can't find anything. I think it would be rejected or reinterpreted because they teach that believers who have died are in a state of non-existence (see “he descended to the dead” above).
• the forgiveness of sins,
  • Watchtower teaches that God’s forgiveness is a free gift, but that steps such as baptism and preaching are necessary for salvation. The Wikipedia article Jehovah’s Witnesses and salvation has a number of citations for this, copied below:

1. The Watchtower 6/1/00 p. 11 par. 6 Keep Your “Hope of Salvation” Bright!
2. The Watchtower, March 15, 1989, p. 31 Call on Jehovah’s Name and Get Away Safe! “The Way of Salvation”
3. "James Urges Clean and Active Worship,", The Watchtower 3/1/83 p. 13, "Faith that does not 4. prompt us to do good works is not genuine and will not result in our salvation."
4. "Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples", Our Kingdom Ministry, January 1979, p. 2.
5. The Watchtower, May 15, 2006 pp. 28-29 par. 12
6. "Young Ones—Are You Ready to Get Baptized". The Watchtower: 4. March 2016. It is a great privilege to get baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Moreover, baptism is a requirement for Christians, and it is a vital step toward gaining salvation.
7. The Watchtower 2/15/83 p. 12 You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth—But How?

• the resurrection of the body,
• and the life everlasting. Amen.
  • Watchtower teaches that there are two different resurrections; a heavenly resurrection for a limited number (144,000) of the most devoted followers, and resurrection on a restored earth for both the rest of the Witnesses and those deemed worthy of being given a choice to serve Jehovah. Bible Teach, ch 7

Answer 2

It is true that orthodox Christian denominations uphold the Trinity doctrine and denominations that reject the Trinity are considered to be outside of orthodox Christianity. That would include Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter Day Saints who deny that the Trinity is biblical.

A June 2015 Watchtower article said that all Trinitarian churches that do not promote the name Jehovah are part of the Antichrist. They believe that all Catholic and Protestant denominations are part of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, soon to be destroyed at Armageddon.

It is for this reason that Jehovah's Witnesses will have nothing to do with the Apostles' Creed (or any other creed, for that matter). Indeed, Jehovah's Witnesses deny they are either Catholic or Protestant.

However, the Apostle's Creed is NOT promoting the Trinity. It is simply a statement of faith. All Christians should be able to agree with it, although sometimes people misunderstand the expression "holy Catholic church." Catholic in this context means universal. As for the expression that Jesus descended into hell, the Witnesses say that hell is simply the common grave of mankind. They also say that the body of Jesus disappeared and what came out of the tomb was a spirit creature, and that Jesus is known in heaven as Michael the Archangel.

Source: What Does The Bible Really Teach