On the 1700 th Anniversary of The Nicene Creed

Written by Danny Castiglione

“After the Bible, the Nicene Creed may be the most important Christian text ever written. Since the fourth century, the Nicene Creed has served as the most influential, most ecumenical, and arguably most widely used statement of faith in the history of the church…The Nicene Creed doesn’t merely merit the label “orthodox”; it summarizes and defines orthodoxy itself.”

This statement is from the introduction to a recent book about the Nicene Creed from American pastor and theologian, Keving DeYoung. If what he says is true, “the Nicene Creed may be the most important Christian text ever written,” then this historic creed should be a significant part of our faith as Christians. If you go on our website or attend the Explore Waypoint class you will see when we define “What We Believe” we start by saying, “we affirm and believe Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds.”

What is the Nicene Creed?

On June 19, 325, 1700 years ago, the first ever large gathering of Christian leaders from 3 continents met to establish and confirm the “Creed of Nicaea.” It provided the core theological ideas that would be further developed and solidified in the statement of faith that we call the Nicene Creed (381). 

You can read more of the historical and theological foundations of the Nicene Creed in other places. For us, on the 17 hundredth anniversary of the Spirit guiding the Church to create the Nicene Creed, I challenge you to read, reflect, and meditate on the beautiful and profound doctrinal truths found on each line. Here is the full text:

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 from 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.