Christian Creeds

The original Nicene Creed was first adopted in 325 at the First Council of Nicaea. At that time, the text ended after the words “We believe in the Holy Spirit”, after which an anathema was added. This is the statement of condemnation of any who do not accept the trinitarian statement of the creed. This anathema would be dropped from the creed of 381.

The Council of Nicaea (325) framed its own statement of orthodox belief, stressing that the Son is of the same essential Being ( homoousios ) as the Father, against the Arian heretics who allotted the Son a lower rank. The original Nicene statement differs considerably from the one recognized at Chalcedon. The latter, our “Nicene Creed,” appears to be based on an earlier baptismal creed possibly from Jerusalem or Antioch, and, in addition to the essential clauses from Nicaea, it incorporated material to combat later heresies.

Representing the statement of an ecumenical council, the Creed was naturally framed in the first-person plural, “we believe.” This plural use is not only original, but is also appropriate in corporate worship. The reference is to the faith of the whole Church, of all times and places, and not only to that of the local congregation. This is in contrast to the Apostles’ Creed, which began as a personal profession of faith.