During this class, we will look at

The Creed The inside of St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome is lined with enormous statues of the Apostles, visually showing visitors the men who brought the Gospel to the world. These things are wri/en that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. - John 20:31 1

During this class, we will look at 1. What is a creed? 2. Confessionalism vs. Creeds 3. The origin of creeds 4. The two standard Catholic creeds Apostles Creed Nicene Creed What is a creed? A creed is simply a statement of beliefs. A Christian creed is a prayer that expresses what a person or a community believes. The Catholic Encyclopedia defines a creed as, a concise, authorized statement of essential tenets of religious belief that a believing community employs primarily in worship and initiation rites. Not all Christian denominations accepts creeds. 2

The use of creeds suffered a tremendous blow at the end of the 19 th century. Many of the Protestant denominations were beginning to turn back to the use of creeds as a way of summarizing what they believed. This caused a backlash from other denominations. Conservative evangelical churches reacted by condemning the dead orthodoxy of creeds and praising an individual s personal experience of God. This mentality is still found throughout many church communities. What these Christian denominations are actually opposed to is not so much the use of creeds, but rather, the idea that salvation can come through a person s mere belief in a creed or the reciting of a creed. This, of course, is not the belief of the Catholic Church. Our use of creeds has been, from the very beginning, simply a tool for evangelizing and sharing the core tenets of our faith. We do not believe that our salvation is in a creed, but rather, in Christ. 3

An example of the opposition to creeds that can be found in some Christian denominations is illustrated on the marque of a small country church, which read: No book but the Bible No creed but Christ Those Christian denominations that oppose the use of creeds often refer to the use of creeds as the sin of confessionalism or creedalism. One particular author, who thought of creeds as the sin of confessionalism, wrote Whenever we codify the Christian faith into a doctrinal statement or theological tradition we are reducing something dynamic into a static system of beliefs. The Bible tends not to do this, but rather tells stories about God and humankind and the world we live in. So Westerners who organize reality [in this way] are the last people to really understand the Bible. 4

The Catholic Church understands creeds as an opportunity to express very simply one s belief and to share it very concisely with others. A brief look at the history of creeds shows quite clearly that they have existed for thousands of years, even before Christ, in the life of the Jewish People and they are an important part of Sacred Scripture, including the New Testament. Since religious creeds are part of the spirituality of a community of believers, they are naturally born out of the community. The Jewish community is an example. While many Jewish leaders have said that Judaism is not a creedal religion, there is no denying that creeds statements of belief have existed in Judaism for centuries. The most common statement of belief, which is prayed twice a day by all observant Jews, is, Here O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One (Deuteronomy 6:4). 5

We find very similar statements of belief among the early Christian communities, including Essential statements about Jesus divinity (Acts 2:36; Acts 10:36; Colossians 2:6; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Romans 10:9; Acts 9:20; 13:33; Romans 1:4; Hebrews 4:14) AND Developing statements about the Trinity (Matthew 28:19-20 and 2 Corinthians 13:13). As the Christian community grew, so did the need for concise statements of belief. The purpose of creeds in the Early Church was not to state, new truths, but rather, to state essential elements of God s plan of salvation. 6

There were numerous creeds being used throughout the early Church that are not found explicitly in Sacred Scripture, but were formulated from the revelation of Sacred Scripture. For example: The Der-Balizeh Papyrus: This was discovered in Upper Egypt in the sixth century and came from a liturgy from the fourth century. The creed it contains can be traced as far back as the late second century.. I believe in God, the Father almighty, and in his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and in the resurrection of the flesh in the Holy Catholic Church. Hippolytus (c. 215-217 A.D.): This creed was written in Rome in the beginning of the third century and was used during the baptismal liturgy. Just as we do during Baptisms today, this creed was in the form of questions to which the faithful were to respond, I believe or I do. Do you believe in God, the Father almighty? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, has been crucified under Pontius Pilate, died [and was buried], who on the third day rose again, alive, from the dead, ascended into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of the Father, and shall come to judge the living and the dead? Do you believe in the Holy Church and the resurrection of the body in the Holy Spirit? 7

As countless formulations of the Christian creed developed in the early centuries of the Church, two came to be held as particularly significant due to their ancient origins and their enduring presence in Catholic worship the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. Either of these creeds can be used during Sunday Mass, and They both proclaim the same basic Christian beliefs. The Apostles Creed: While legend tells us that the twelve articles of belief in the Apostle s Creed were written by the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, they more than likely developed slowly, over many years, finally becoming what we have today. The Nicene Creed: The formulation of the Nicene Creed is much easier to trace in history. It was formulated by the Church at the Council of Nicea, in 325 A.D. and later finalized at the Council of Constantinople, in 381 A.D. This creed was written specifically to reaffirm the Church s core beliefs against the numerous attacks by heretics during the 4 th and 5 th centuries. 8

Now, let s look at a comparison of these two popular creeds and then we ll look specifically at some of the articles mentioned in the Nicene Creed. The two creeds are presented side by side with their various articles of faith aligned next to one another for our comparison. The Apostle s Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, The Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; Through him all things were made. 9

The Apostle s Creed who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; The Nicene Creed For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. The Apostle s Creed he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, The Nicene Creed 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. I 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 adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. 10

The Apostle s Creed the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. The Nicene Creed I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Now, let s look at some of the articles of the Nicene Creed, with the hope of better understanding the Church s essential beliefs. The Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. Commentary Christianity is monotheistic, meaning that we believe there is only one God. However, there are three persons in that one God. This is only found in Christianity. Ultimately, our belief in the Trinity is a mystery that cannot be intellectually comprehended. Also, God created everything, including those things we cannot see (i.e. angels, demons, etc.). 11

The Nicene Creed I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. Commentary We believe that the Second Person of the Trinity existed from the very beginning and was therefore begotten of God, not created. We also believe that Jesus, as the Second Person of the Trinity, is fully human and fully divine. Consubstantial is a fancy word meaning of the same substance. The Holy Spirit mixed with Mary s DNA to conceive Jesus. The Nicene Creed For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day 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. Commentary Jesus Paschal Mystery (His suffering, death, and Resurrection) was foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled through Christ s obedience to the Father s will (Emmaus-Luke 24). Now, Christ intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father (an image of intercession). We believe that Christ will come again and that He will judge us. 12

The Nicene Creed I 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 adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Commentary The Holy Spirit has also existed from the beginning of time and was not created by the Father. He is equal to the Father and the Son and has been the source of inspiration for the prophets. These are four marks of the Church. We will study them in a future class. Baptism is a one-time event and it forgives all of our sins. We believe in the Resurrection. Remembering our core beliefs as Christians is so important to us, that we profess the creed at every weekend Mass. The challenge for us as Catholics is to consciously and heartily profess the creed with zeal and not let it become a rote prayer. 13

In conclusion, creeds have been an important part of Christianity for two particular reasons 1. They are an easy way to share and teach the core beliefs of Christianity. If someone asks us what Catholics believe, we can simply say, I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth 2. Creeds help to maintain the deposit of faith. Creeds ensure that the essential beliefs of the faithful will not be changed, manipulated, or lost. Speaking and writing down one s beliefs keeps us accountable to the Truth that has been revealed by God through His Son, and that has been pass down to us through the Apostles. Before we take time to answer any questions you might have, let me remind everyone again that the notes for this class contain both a quote from Scripture and from a quote from a Church document that we can use for our prayer time this week, as we reflect on the faith proclaimed through the creeds of the Church. Also, you will find group discussion suggestions and resources for further reading and study. 14

Let s end our class by praying together the Litany of Belief God, You created me in love I believe; help my unbelief. Your Son has redeemed and saved me I believe; help my unbelief. Your Holy Spirit guides me in love I believe; help my unbelief. Your Church invites me into community I believe; help my unbelief. Your mercy is drawing me into eternity I believe; help my unbelief. SCRIPTURE: Colossians 1:15-20 (notice how this ancient canticle contains elements of the Nicene Creed) [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness * was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven. 15

TRADITION: Excerpt taken from a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop (Cat. 5, De fide et symbolo, 12-13: PG, 33, 519-523) So for the present be content to listen to the simple words of the creed and to memorize them; at some suitable time you can find the proof of each article in the Scriptures. This summary of the faith was not composed at man s whim; the most important sections were chosen from the whole Scripture to constitute and complete a comprehensive statement of the faith. Just as the mustard seed contains in a small grain many branches, so this brief statement of the faith keeps in its heart, as it were, all the religious truth to be found in Old and New Testament alike. That is why, my brothers, you must consider and preserve the traditions you are now receiving. Inscribe them across your heart. Group Discussion Suggestions: The Creed 1. What parts of the creed are the most challenging for you to believe in? 2. Which parts of the creed fill you with the greatest hope and consolation? 3. If you were to write your own creed, expressing the most important articles of your faith, what would it look like? 16

For Further Study: The Creed Catechism of the Catholic Church: paragraphs 185-197. Catholicism for Dummies: Chapter 3, section entitled, The Creed. How to Understand the Creed by Jean~Noel Bezancon The Catholic Source Book published by Harcourt Religion The Christian Faith edited by Jacques Dupuis 17