I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
The English word creed comes from the Latin credere, “to believe,” and is typically a list of propositions to which one is assenting. This is often more than an expression of personal piety, or a mission statement: it is a common statement of unity of belief. This idea of unity of belief is an important insight into the development of the historical Christian creeds and their role in the fight against heresy and heterodoxy, as well as their role in correct Catechesis.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, “Whoever says ‘I believe’ says ‘I pledge myself to what we believe.’ Communion in faith needs a common language of faith, normative for all and uniting all in the same confession of faith”.
Jesus told Saint Peter when He established His Church during his brief earthly ministry that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. Catholicism has battled numerous heresies in its 2000-year history. The Nicene Creed was written as a response to the Arian Heresy which sprung up in the 4th Century.
The Arian heresy, concerning the nature of Christ’s identity, caused a great rift in the church in the 300s. It is named after Arius, a priest from Alexandria in Egypt, who promulgated the idea that Jesus was created by God rather than being God.
As early as 320, Saint Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, convoked a council at which more than one hundred bishops from Egypt and Libya anathematized Arius, who still continued to officiate and recruit followers. He was driven out but the heresy caused quarrels and a war between Constantine and Licinius.
Having conquered, Constantine became sole emperor and respectively begged the bishops of every country to come promptly to Nicaea in order to reestablish religious peace and civil order. In 325 the 1st Council of Nicaea met while Constantine tended to the more than 250 clergy who participated.
The creed was developed out of many debates and discussions, and adhesion was general and enthusiastic with the members convinced that it contained the ancient faith of the Apostolic Church.
Creeds identify the heart of the Christian faith, expressing belief in certain teachings that were controversial or disputed at one time or another in the past. These creeds grew organically out of the life of Christ’s Church. They are teaching tools, methods of catechesis, propositions that one must give assent to in order to be baptized and join His Church.
For God’s Glory.