Nicene Creed
From Theopedia
The Nicene Creed is a Christian statement of faith accepted by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and most Protestant churches. It gets its name from the First Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), at which it was adopted and from the First Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.), at which a revised version was accepted. Thus it may be referred to specifically as the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed to distinguish it from the 325 version.
The original Nicene Creed adopted in 325 ended just after the words, "We believe in the Holy Spirit..." The words from that point on were added at the second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 381; hence the name "Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed", which refers to the Creed as it was following the modification. The third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus (431) reaffirmed the creed in this form and explicitly forbade making additional revisions to it.
There have been other subsequent creeds, formulated to guard against perceived heresy, but this one, as revised in 381 A.D., was the last time both Catholic and Orthodox communions were in united agreement on a Credo. Also, this creed is not to be confused with the later Athanasian Creed.
For additional background and discussion see main article Wikipedia:Nicene Creed
[edit] A contemporary English-language translation
Prepared by the International Consultation on English Texts, this version is used by many mainline communions in the United States and other English-speaking countries.
- 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, one in
- Being with the Father.
- For us and for our salvation he came
- down from heaven, by the power of
- the Holy Spirit he was born of the
- Virgin Mary and became truly human.
- For our sake he was crucified under
- Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and
- was buried.
- On the third day he rose again in
- fulfillment of 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.
- Who with the Father and the Son is
- worshiped and glorified.
- Who 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.
