THE NICENE CREED

AD 325

Arius

• Arius was a presbyter (priest) in Arius was a presbyter (priest) in Alexandria in Egypt in the 300s.Alexandria in Egypt in the 300s.

• He wrote in his infamous hymn The He wrote in his infamous hymn The Thalia (Banquet) that God the Father Thalia (Banquet) that God the Father created (or begot) the Son.created (or begot) the Son.

• This idea went against the orthodox This idea went against the orthodox teaching that God the Father, God the teaching that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are equal.Son and God the Holy Spirit are equal.

Arius (cont.)

• The argument of Arius was that God was The argument of Arius was that God was one and could not have three different one and could not have three different expressions, names or persons.expressions, names or persons.

• Therefore the Son was created by the Therefore the Son was created by the Father and they then created the world.Father and they then created the world.

• This placed the Son as a lesser being than This placed the Son as a lesser being than the Father.the Father.

• Scripture and Tradition said otherwise.Scripture and Tradition said otherwise.

Alexander

• Alexander, the Bishop of Alexandria Alexander, the Bishop of Alexandria summoned Arius.summoned Arius.

• He questioned him about his beliefs.He questioned him about his beliefs.• Arius stuck to his position.Arius stuck to his position.• The situation was very serious because The situation was very serious because

Arius had gained many followers.Arius had gained many followers.• At one stage there were more Arian At one stage there were more Arian

Bishops than orthodox.Bishops than orthodox.

The Council of Nicea

• The Council of Nicea was summoned in The Council of Nicea was summoned in 325AD.325AD.

• Nicea is in modern day Turkey.Nicea is in modern day Turkey.• It was the emperor Constantine the It was the emperor Constantine the

Great who summoned the Bishops Great who summoned the Bishops together.together.

• By an overwhelming majority the By an overwhelming majority the Bishops rejected Arius’ argument.Bishops rejected Arius’ argument.

The Role of ConstantineThe Role of Constantine

• It is important to note that it was the emperor It is important to note that it was the emperor who summoned the Bishops.who summoned the Bishops.

• When they could not agree about the wording When they could not agree about the wording of the Creed it was Constantine who settled the of the Creed it was Constantine who settled the argument.argument.

• He inserted the words “one substance” He inserted the words “one substance” (homoousios) to describe the fact that the (homoousios) to describe the fact that the Father and the Son are one.Father and the Son are one.

• This term cannot be found in the Bible.This term cannot be found in the Bible.

Athanasius

• Athanasius, the son of Alexander followed Athanasius, the son of Alexander followed his father as Bishop of Alexandria.his father as Bishop of Alexandria.

• He ensured that the orthodox teaching of He ensured that the orthodox teaching of the creed was enforced.the creed was enforced.

• Today the Creed is said in the liturgies of Today the Creed is said in the liturgies of all the major Christian Churches.all the major Christian Churches.

• The Jehovahs Witnesses follow Arius’ The Jehovahs Witnesses follow Arius’ position.position.

The Creed

• We believe in one God,• the Father, the Almighty,• maker of heaven and earth,• and of all that is, seen and unseen.

• We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, • the only Son of God,• eternally begotten of the Father.

The Creed

• God from God, Light from Light,

• True God from True God,

• begotten, not made,

• being of one substance with the Father.

• Through him all things were made.

• For us and our salvation he came down from heaven,

• and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

• and was made man.

The Creed

• For our sake he was crucified for us For our sake he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,under Pontius Pilate,

• he suffered death and was buried.he suffered death and was buried.

• On the third day he arose again in On the third day he arose again in accordance with the Scriptures;accordance with the Scriptures;

• he ascended into heaven and is seated at he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.the right hand of the Father.

• He will come again in glory to judge the He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,living and the dead,

• and his kingdom will have no end.and his kingdom will have no end.

The Creed

• We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.Father and the Son.

• With the Father and the Son he is With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.worshipped and glorified.

• He has spoken through the prophets.He has spoken through the prophets.

• We believe in one holy catholic and We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.apostolic Church.

• We acknowledge one baptism for the We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.forgiveness of sins.

• We look for the resurrection of the dead,We look for the resurrection of the dead,

• and the life of the world to come. AMENand the life of the world to come. AMEN

Commentary - the CreedCommentary - the Creed

• We believe in one God…We believe in one God…

• This defines the reality that God is one, This defines the reality that God is one, indivisible.indivisible.

• God is not made up of three separate God is not made up of three separate beings.beings.

• God is made up of three equal persons. God is made up of three equal persons. (We must be careful to not read this as (We must be careful to not read this as the term persons we use in English. It is the term persons we use in English. It is more like the term persona.)more like the term persona.)

Commentary - The Creed

• We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ…

• The creed defines Jesus Christ as the Lord.He is equally God

• The creed makes no attempt to describe the internal nature of the Trinity of Persons, it assumes that such an entity exists. It is a mystery.

• The creed does, however, insist that Jesus Christ was not made, unlike all other creatures who are made.

• Christ is the same being (or substance) as the Father.

Commentary - The Creed

• The Creed details the life of Christ.

• It does so to define the beliefs of the Church for two primary reasons.

• Firstly, it briefly states the essential information about Christ’s life here on earth. This is a summary of what is found in the Bible and the other documents of the Church (called Tradition).

• Secondly, it is to reinforce the Church’s teaching that he is both fully divine and human. This was to counter Gnosticism.

Commentary - The Creed

• We believe in the Holy Spirit…We believe in the Holy Spirit…

• The third Person of the Trinity is in The third Person of the Trinity is in every way equal to the Father and the every way equal to the Father and the Son.Son.

• Again there is no attempt to define the Again there is no attempt to define the inner nature of God. There is only a inner nature of God. There is only a description of how believers have description of how believers have experienced the ONE GOD.experienced the ONE GOD.

• These are not easy concepts to These are not easy concepts to understand.They are an attempt by the understand.They are an attempt by the Church to define Ultimate Being (God).Church to define Ultimate Being (God).

Commentary - The Creed

• We believe in one holy catholic…We believe in one holy catholic…

• The Church Fathers at Nicea insisted that The Church Fathers at Nicea insisted that there was one Church which held the same there was one Church which held the same beliefs, those defined in the Creed.beliefs, those defined in the Creed.

• Those who did not subscribe to the Creed Those who did not subscribe to the Creed did not hold to the same belief of the did not hold to the same belief of the Ultimate Reality.Ultimate Reality.

• The Church also insisted that it was through The Church also insisted that it was through the Sacrament of Baptism administered by the Sacrament of Baptism administered by the true Church(those who held the Creed) the true Church(those who held the Creed) which would gain the baptised life in which would gain the baptised life in heaven.heaven.

SummarySummary

• The Ultimate Reality, God, is a mystery.The Ultimate Reality, God, is a mystery.

• We will only ever truly know God when we We will only ever truly know God when we die and are in heaven, that is with Goddie and are in heaven, that is with God

• The Creed is a comprehensive summary of The Creed is a comprehensive summary of all beliefs of the Catholic Church.all beliefs of the Catholic Church.

• It expresses the reality of how people have It expresses the reality of how people have observed God in this world.observed God in this world.

• Those who wrote the Creed began by asking Those who wrote the Creed began by asking questions.questions.