LEARNING TO LIVE AND TO PRAY THE NICENE CREED
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'We believe in one God'. The emperor Constantine brought the bishops together in 325 in Nicaea so that they would come to an agreement on the person of Jesus Christ. It was not an easy meeting, and it lasted several months. There were those who wanted to say that Jesus was 'like' God, but was not God. He was created like us. They were the followers of a bishop called Arius. There were those who wanted to say that Jesus Christ was both human and divine. He was not 'like' God but 'the same as God'. They prevailed, although it took another 60 years for what came to be known as Orthodoxy to be fully recognised, at the council of Constantinople (381). And so we have what we call the Nicene creed.
This is the creed that is said by Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Anglicans and many protestant and independent churches. Despite our divisions, these words are the basis of what we have in common.
We believe in one God,
the Father, the almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
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.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen
Image from the sanctuary of the Anaphora Coptic Cathedral, Egypt.
Christ reigning in glory surrounded by the host of heaven, the 24 elders and the four living creatures.
The shadow of 'the Father, the Almighty': notice the hand coming from the almost invisible divine circle (outlined in blue at the top) holding the people in his palm.
The presence of our 'one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God', who 'for our sake was crucified' and who holds out arms of welcome.
The voice of 'the Holy Spirit', 'who has spoken through the prophets', witnessed in the living creatures: the lion, the eagle and the ox (Revelation 4:7), who are also symbols for the four gospels.
What is it that the creed emphasises?
FATHER, THE ALMIGHTY
There is only one God
The first word used to describe God is relational
The universe we live in is a creation not a 'happen-ation'
There is a visible, quantifiable, measurable dimension to creation, and an invisible dimension.
ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST
He is the visible image on earth of God (Colossians 1:15). He is eternally begotten of the Father. i.e. He is the Son of God and there has never been a time when he was not the Son of God.
The way of love: 'for us', 'for our sake'
Descent - ‘he came down’. Incarnation (becoming flesh)
Suffering - crucified, suffered death, and buried
Ascent - ‘he ascended into heaven’
Although the creed does not speak of Jesus' life and teaching, it tells us about the way that he lived, with the assumption that those who follow him will also live this way. The way of humbling ourselves, serving and even suffering for those we are called to love, in order that we and they might be lifted up to God.
His movement from ‘eternally begotten of the Father’ to ‘seated at the right hand of the Father’
His glory, future role and kingdom.
HOLY SPIRIT
Part of the Father and comes out from the Father (eg. like the breath of God). The original Nicene creed did not include the words 'and the son'.
Fully God, worshipped with the Father and Son
The giver of Life (the Spirit, the breath of God, gives life to creation - Genesis 1:1; the Spirit transforms hearts of stone into living hearts - Ezekiel 36:26; the Spirit gives life to dry bones - Ezekiel 37:10)
The voice of God speaking through the prophets and apostles (the scriptures)
The first word
The first word used in the Creed to describe our relationship with God is not the word 'obey', 'fear', 'serve' or even 'worship'. The first word is 'believe'. In Greek that word is πιστεύομεν (pisteuomen), which means to believe, to trust, to put our faith in. It is about placing our confidence in, committing ourselves to God. πιστεύομεν was translated into Latin using the word credemus (from the verb credo), also meaning to believe, to entrust: 'I give my heart to, I entrust myself to, I place my trust in'.
Praying the creed. A personal prayer.
Heavenly Father, Almighty God,
Creator of all things, seen and unseen,
I entrust myself to you.
I hold on to you when the way is dark
and when everything seems out of control.
I trust that this world is not without purpose,
that you are good, that your plans are good,
and that you love us.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, my Lord,
I entrust myself to you.
Thank you for your overwhelming love.
You humbled yourself for us,
you became one of us,
you suffered and died for us on the cross.
Thank you for the forgiveness of sins
and the hope of resurrection.
By your strength, help me to walk the way of love:
to humble myself,
to look to the needs of others,
and to serve even when it is costly.
Raise us up to share in your coming Kingdom.
Holy Spirit, my Lord,
I entrust myself to you.
Fill me with your presence.
Give me life.
Speak through the prophets and apostles to your people today.
Open my ears to hear your voice
and turn my heart to obey.
Holy God,
Holy and Strong,
Holy and Eternal,
I entrust myself to you.
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