Apostles' Creed & Nicene Creed Information

Two important creeds that establish what Christians believe: Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed. First, the Apostles Creed (340 AD) which announces God as almighty creator, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. “The Apostles' Creed, like the Nicene Creed, is widely accepted as a statement of faith among Western Christian churches (both Roman Catholic and Protestant) and used by a number of Christian denominations as a part of worship services. It is the simplest of all the creeds. … Apostles' Creed affirms the common heritage and basic beliefs that unite Christians around the world and throughout history … The creed summarizes the apostles’ preachings and teachings concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. … The creed is the oldest, simplest, and least developed creed of the Christian church.” It is repeated mostly in the Catholic Church and Reform Churches today. (by Mary Fairchild The Apostles' Creed: Origins, Old Roman Form and New learnreligions.com)

Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son,
our Lord, 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; the third day
He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sits at
the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence He shall come
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic* Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting.
Amen.

See Documents of the Christian Church pp 23-24 (* Holy Catholic Church refers to universal church or Christian Church) The Newsboys sing a wonderful rendition called “I Believe” which you may want to get.

Nicene Creed Information

The Nicene Creed (381 AD) came after the Apostle’s Creed (340 AD). The creed came about due to much controversy about whether Jesus was a created being or always existed one with the Father in one God head.

The Nicene Creed is a statement of faith that Christian leaders first agreed on at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. It was written in response to a popular heresy about Jesus Christ and the Trinity. The creed is affirmed by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and most Protestant churches. Here’s a concise version of the Nicene Creed: Copilot with GPT-4 (bing.com)

Before Christendom embraced the view that Jesus was rightfully part of the Trinity, Athanasius debated against the popular belief put forth by Arius (256 – 336). Athanasius I of Alexandri (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), a Christian theologian and Church Father (were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity). Athanasius opposed the popular belief put forth Arius and others in the 3rd Century.

Arius, a priest, “ He has been traditionally regarded as the founder of Arianism, which holds that Jesus Christ was not coeternal with God the Father, but was rather created before time. Arian theology and its doctrine regarding the nature of the Godhead held in common a belief in ‘Subordinationism’ (is a Trinitarian doctrine wherein the Son … is subordinate to the Father, not only in submission and role, but with actual ontological subordination to varying degrees.)” Arius - Wikipedia; Subordinationism - Wikipediar Christian Most theologians of the 3rd century held this position except Athanasius of Alexandria, a Church Father.

Athanasus won out due to persistency and also because he nemesis, Arius, died and lost favor in the church. The following is the Nicene Creed correcting the Arian heresy (this Arianism is still practice by Christian cults).

The Nicene Creed “first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. According to a popular view forwarded by the Council of Chalcedon of 451, the Creed was amended in 381.” Nicene Creed - Wikipedia Thus it appeared after the Apostle’s Creed (340 AD) and establishes that Christ co-existed with with God the Father from the beginning. See the what I wrote about the “Trinity” from the “Home page.”

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. 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. 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. 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.

Amen.