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The Nicene
Creeds
There are several
Nicene creeds: The Original Nicene Creed adopted at the First Council
of Nicea in 325; and a revised version adopted by the First Council of
Constantinople (381 AD). Both are unscriptural, yet have been embraced
in most part by Catholic, Orthodox and mainstream Protestant
denominations for centuries. The later Constantinopolitan creed is
more strictly Trinitarian than the Original Nicene, for it describes
each member of the Trinity in relation to the other members. The creed
of 325 says less about the Father and only mentions the Holy Spirit
with no description at all, since the council's attention was fixed on
how the Son is no less divine that the Father.
The Original Nicene
Creed
We believe in one
God, the Father, almighty, maker of all things visible and
invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus
Christ, the son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten,
that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from
light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance
from the Father, through Whom all things came into being, things in
heaven and things on earth, who because of us men and because of our
salvation came down and became incarnate, becoming man, suffered and
rose again on the third day, ascended to the heavens, will come to
judge the living and the dead;
And in the Holy
Spirit.
But as for those who
say, there was when he was not, and, before being born he was not,
and he came into existence out of nothing, or who assert that the
son of God is a different hypostasis or substance, or is subject to
change or alteration—these the Catholic and Apostolic Church
anathematizes.
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan
Creed
I 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; [God of God]1, Light of Light, very God of
very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the
Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for
our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy
Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also
for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the
third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended
into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall
come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose
kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the
Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father
[and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is
worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one
holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for
the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
1. The Eastern Orthodox
version does not include the phrases in brackets.
Also see: The History
of the Trinity
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