Creed or Creeds

Hi, it's great to meet you through this video platform. I want to speak to you about the Nicene Creed. Is that the only creed of the Church? No, it’s not.

There are over 150 recognized creeds and confessions in Christianity. However, four formal creeds are considered ecumenical and have been accepted by the Catholic church. These include the Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, and the Chalcedonian Creed. 

The word "creed" comes from the Latin word "credere," which means "to believe." When the Church started growing in the first century and its early leaders died, local churches realized they needed a basic statement of faith. In spite of possessing parts of the New Testament, they needed a standard to distinguish true doctrine from heresy and to provide foundational instruction for catechumens.

The Apostles' Creed existed before the Nicene Creed. Although the apostles did not write it, the creed is named as such because early Christians believed it summarized the teachings of the apostles.

In the 2nd century A.D., St. Irenaeus described a creed with similarities to the Apostles' Creed, likely a precursor known as the Old Roman Symbol. This symbol evolved from the earlier ‘Rule of Faith’, a set of basic doctrines learned and professed at baptism. Over time, the ‘Rule of Faith’ and ‘baptismal declarations’ took on a structured form, gelling into a tripartite formula: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

In the 3rd century, Tertullian used the terms "Rule of Faith" and "Rule of Truth." By the 4th century, the ‘Rule of Faith’ had become part of the ‘Old Roman Symbol,’ an earlier, shorter version of the Apostles' Creed. The Creed reached its final form in southwestern France in the late 6th or early 7th century. Gradually, it replaced other baptismal creeds and became the official statement of faith of the Catholic church in the West when Innocent III was pope (1198–1216).

During the 4th century, as Christianity became the legal religion of the Roman Empire, churches across the empire began to reach consensus on the books that would comprise the New Testament and on several core statements of faith.

In 325 A.D., Emperor Constantine convened the First Council of Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey)  to address primarily Arianism, a heresy that challenged Christ's divinity. The resulting Nicene Creed was later expanded at the First Council of Constantinople (Istanbul) in 381 A.D. This Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is recognized as the sole ecumenical creed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and many mainline Protestant churches.

The Athanasian Creed was developed in the 5th century. Although it is named after Athanasius (A.D. 293–373), he was not its author. Unlike the Nicene Creed, which has Eastern Greek roots, the Athanasian Creed originates from the Western Latin tradition. It draws heavily from the theological work of St. Augustine of Hippo and reflects the doctrinal outcomes of the Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon.

The Chalcedonian Creed, formulated at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D., was a direct response to a variety of Christological heresies, particularly those that denied either the full humanity or the full divinity of Jesus Christ. This creed affirms that Christ is both fully God and fully man, possessing two distinct natures – divine and human – united in one person.

With this general overview of how faith statements evolved into Creeds, I would like to focus on the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, commonly known as the Nicene Creed.

I want to compare the Creed of Nicaea and the Creed of Constantinople to highlight what was originally included in the Nicaea Creed and what additions were made in the Creed of Constantinople.

In the 12 Articles of Faith, red text indicates the original wording of the Creed of Nicaea (325 A.D.), and blue text shows the additions from the Creed of Constantinople (381 A.D.).

1. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker
of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

2. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages. Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial
with the Father; through him all things were made.

3. 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.

4. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,

5. and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.

6. He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

7. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.
and his kingdom will have no end.

8. 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.

9. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

10. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins,

11. and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead.

12. and the life of the world to come. Amen

We profess this Creed at every weekend Mass. And yet, sometimes, we say it so quickly that its rich layers of meaning blur into routine words.

I have prepared a series of video clips explaining the Creed's key terms, historical context, and pastoral implications. Each video will address the articles of faith individually, such as "I believe," "in One God," "The Father Almighty," and continue through the entire Creed. You can find these videos on our parish website.

As you know, I'm not a scholar in dogma or scripture. As a Catholic priest, I simply want to share with you the faith I have learned, and continue to learn, through prayer and ministry. My approach will bring out my personal experience over purely intellectual analysis.

I hope this sharing of my faith supports you in deepening your understanding and living out our faith in your daily life.