The Creed

We recite it at every Mass. It is the product of two Councils of the Catholic Church. It contains the summary of our faith, the truth.

If we were playing Jeopardy, answer would be: What is the Nicene Creed?

Now though the Creed is said at every Mass, repetition does not always coincide with understanding. It is easy to say the same words every week without truly taking those words to heart. In the Creed, we find the substance, the meat of our faith.

How well do you know the Creed? Your answer determines how well you know the faith.

The next several posts will focus on the Truth contained within the Creed. This first post will review the history behind the Creed.

Though we know it as the Nicene Creed, its correct name is the Nicene-Constantinople Creed. The formula of the creed originated from the Council of Nicaea and was finalized through the Council of Constantinople.

The Council of Nicaea was the first ecumenical council of the Catholic Church and was invoked in 325 AD to counter the dangers of the Arian heresy. The first form of the Nicene Creed appeared in the Profession of Faith which began the text of the Council. It was meant to clearly enumerate the beliefs of the Catholic Church. The early form of the Creed was followed by a specific denouncement of the Arian heresy.

"And those who say 'there once was when He was not,' and 'before He was begotten He was not,' and that He came to be from things that were not, or from another hypostasis or substance, affirming that the Son of God is subject to change or alteration, these the Catholic and apostolic Church anathematizes."

In short, the Church refuted the claims of the Arians that Jesus was not "consubstantial with the Father." They defended the nature of the hypostasis, the union of Divine and human natures in Christ, against the attacks of the heretics. The Creed originated as a defense of the Truth.

The Council of Constantinople in 381 finalized the Nicene Creed. Surviving records of the Council
begin with an affirmation of the truth found in the Creed.

"The profession of faith of the holy fathers who gathered in Nicaea in Bithynia is not to be abrogated, but is to remain in force. Every heresy is to be anathematized...."

The Creed is a shield. It is a guide. It is the Truth.

We live in an age that reduces the Truth to opinion. The lie of relativism tells you that you can believe whatever you want to. It teaches that lies can be the Truth, if only you want them to be. But in the Creed, there is no relativism. There is no lie.

We find in the Creed the beautiful Truth of God, the Truth of our faith. I hope that you will enjoy the next several posts which will examine the Creed in detail in order to promote a greater understanding of what we as Catholics believe.



DEUS VOLT!