Those listed under numbers 5 to 8 also take an oath of fidelity on assuming the office they are to exercise in the name of the Church. Under the 1917 Code of Canon Law, which was superseded in 1973 by a revised text, the obligation also fell on those who were appointed as
All professors at a canonically erected university and those gaining academic degrees in them
The approved formula now in use for the profession of faith and the accompanying oath of fidelity are given, together with a commentary, on the website of the Holy See. The prescribed profession of faith begins with the statement, "I, N., with firm faith believe and profess each and everything that is contained in the Symbol of faith, namely", followed by the words of the Nicene Creed. It then continues with three more paragraphs:
The earliest formula prescribed in this way for use by classes of people as a profession on faith on certain occasions was the Tridentine Profession of Faith contained in the papal bullIniunctum nobis of 13 November 1564 issued by Pope Pius IV. The original name of this formula was Forma professionis fidei Catholicae, or orthodoxae fidei and it expressed the teachings enunciated by the Council of Trent in response to those of Protestantism. Websites of Traditional Catholic tendency generally describe this profession of faith as a Creed classified together with the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. This formula was modified in the late 19th century by the addition of clauses regarding the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and papal infallibility.
Persons becoming Catholics
The rite of reception of baptized Christians into the Communion of the Catholic Church states that "one who was born and baptized outside the visible communion of the Catholic Church is not required to make an abjuration of heresy but simply a profession of faith. Today, normally, an abjuration of heresy is made in the privacy of the confessional, though in the past it was often a public matter. After joining with the congregation in reciting the Nicene Creed, the person being received into the Catholic Church makes the following profession of faith: As indicated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, adults joining the Catholic Church were formerly asked to abjure the previous faith to which they belonged. The profession of faith used was the Tridentine Profession of Faith.
Lutheran Churches
When a baptized individual joins a Lutheran Church, he or she becomes a Lutheran by making a profession of faith:
In the Anglican Churches, a profession of faith is made by "those elected or nominated in the office of bishop." For baptisms in the Church of England, the Apostle's Creed is the profession of faith made by the candidate.