The Importance of Creeds

The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are incredibly important to the Christian Faith. They say in a very direct way what we believe and help non-Christians to understand the core of our faith. In this blog I’ll be sharing a little about the history of the Creeds, when they were created and the differences between the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds.

The Nicene Creed actually came first of the two. It was written at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Constantine, who had recently come to power in the Roman Empire, wanted to unite the church under one idea and make sure everyone knew what they believed. Thus, the Nicene Creed was born. The Apostles' Creed was obviously inspired by the Nicene Creed but has a few changes. We do not know exactly who wrote it or when it was written but since it was mentioned in writings from the Council of Milan in 390 A.D. we can speculate it was written sometime before that. The Apostles' Creed is a much more concise version of the Nicene Creed but both express the Story of Christ and the essential beliefs of the Christian faith. Both reflect core Christian beliefs but their use in worship depends on your denominational background and preferences.

So why is it important for us to know these Creeds and say them together? They were originally created because Theological attacks were being made against the deity of Christ and so the church leaders wanted to protect the church against heresy. The Creeds not only answered the questions of early Christians but united them under one banner. When we say the Creeds as a congregation several things happen. One, we are letting those around us, Christian and non-Christian, know who we are and what we stand for. Not just that, but we show a united front against opposing beliefs. Two, we become joined with the Ancient church in affirming the beliefs held by all Christians since the earliest days of the church. So not only are we a community of believers in the here and now but we are part of a larger community through the ages. This is what Ancient-Future worship is all about. Lastly, it is a reminder to ourselves that God’s Story did not just take place hundreds of years ago, it is still happening now and we are part of it. This is incredibly important for us to remember. Take time this to look at the Creeds and remind yourself of your core beliefs. Here’s the article I got some of this information from if you want a closer look: http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/articles/churchhomeleadership/nicene-apostles-creeds.html

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen