2.2 The origin of the early church creeds

2.2 The origin of the early church creeds It has the following wording: “I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suﬀered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He des- cended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal [catholic] church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life ever- lasting. Amen.” 2.2.2 The Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople In the year 325 Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea. Ap- proximately 250 to 300 Bishops accepted the emperor’s invitation. Constan- tine regarded the now widespread Christian faith as a force potentially cap- able of supporting the state. Since the unity of Christendom was threatened by a controversy concerning the essence of Christ (“the Arian controversy”), he was very interested in having the Bishops formulate a unanimous doc- trine. The most important result of this council was the Nicene Creed. It was further refined in later councils right up until the eighth century—among them the significant Council of Constantinople (AD 381)—and is designated as the “Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople”. In particular, this creed goes beyond the scope of the Apostolicum to enshrine the profession of the Trinity of God and emphasise the distinguishing features of the church. Following is the wording of the Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, 57 2 The Creed not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the vir- gin Mary, and was made man; He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suﬀered, and was buried, and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; from thence He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who procee- deth from the Father and the Son1, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In one holy universal [catholic] and apostolic church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.” A creed that largely corresponds to the Nicene Creed in its statements is the much more detailed Athanasian Creed, which likely came into being during the sixth century and was made public (ca. AD 670) at the Synod of Autun.

2.2.1 The Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed originated in the early post-apostolic period. Some of its
essential statements are based upon the sermon preached by Apostle Peter in
the house of Cornelius (Acts 10: 37–43). The basic tenets of the Apostolicum
were compiled in the second century and lightly supplemented in the fourth
century.
56

2.2.2 The Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople
In the year 325 Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea. Ap-
proximately 250 to 300 Bishops accepted the emperor’s invitation. Constan-
tine regarded the now widespread Christian faith as a force potentially cap-
able of supporting the state. Since the unity of Christendom was threatened
by a controversy concerning the essence of Christ (“the Arian controversy”),
he was very interested in having the Bishops formulate a unanimous doc-
trine.
The most important result of this council was the Nicene Creed. It was
further refined in later councils right up until the eighth century—among
them the significant Council of Constantinople (AD 381)—and is designated
as the “Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople”. In particular, this creed goes beyond
the scope of the Apostolicum to enshrine the profession of the Trinity of God
and emphasise the distinguishing features of the church.
Following is the wording of the Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople:
“We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and
earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus
Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before
all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten,
57

2 The Creed
not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all
things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came
down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the vir-
gin Mary, and was made man; He was crucified for us under Pontius
Pilate, and suﬀered, and was buried, and the third day He rose again,
according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on
the right hand of the Father; from thence He shall come again, with
glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no
end. And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who procee-
deth from the Father and the Son1, who with the Father and the Son
together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. In
one holy universal [catholic] and apostolic church; we acknowledge
one baptism for the remission of sins; we look for the resurrection of
the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.”
A creed that largely corresponds to the Nicene Creed in its statements is
the much more detailed Athanasian Creed, which likely came into being
during the sixth century and was made public (ca. AD 670) at the Synod of
Autun.