The Nicene Creed

This the seventh installment in my series on Apostolic Tradition. If you wish to review them
Apostolic Tradition 
Rule of Faith (Irenaeus)
Rule of Faith (Origen)
The Apostles' Creed
Faith of St Patrick
The Rule of Faith and the Apostles' Creed

As I said in my first post, Apostolic Tradition is the belief that the Apostles wrote some things down and delivered other things orally. The Bible would be the written down things, the inspired, authoritative Word of God. Apostolic Tradition would be the orally handed down things. And what was it they handed down orally? The Faith.

Today we come to the Nicene Creed. (Official Greek Orthodox English translation)

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator 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 ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father through Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And He rose on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father; And He will come again with glory to judge the living and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets.

In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.

Amen.


A few observations:

(1)  In Greek it begins, “We believe…”

(2) And in the Holy Spirit…who proceeds from the Father You will notice the filioque is missing. What is the filioque? The phrase and the Son. This was not part of the original creed and was added in the 6th century by the Catholic Church. The Orthodox consider this to be an unauthorized addition and was one of the main reasons for the Great Schism in 1066

(3) And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life. Personally, I believe καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, τὸ Κύριον καὶ Ζωοποιόν is better translated, and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life.

(4) It is known as the Nicene Creed, but its official name is the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed because what we have today was formed by two Ecumenical Councils, the First Council of Nicaea in 325 and in 381 it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople.

How does this confession of faith relate to the Apostolic Tradition? First of all, you can see by the form and content that this is essentially the Rule of Faith. But, it is clear that this is an expanded form of the early Rule of Faith. Is this still part of the Apostolic tradition?

There was a tremendous controversy in the Church in the late 3rd century known as Arianism which nearly destroyed the Church. Arianism taught the Son was the first and highest of God’s creation and the Council of Nicaea was convened to settle this question. They were not creating a new creedal statement but were clarifying what had always been believed. In other words they were saying, "This is what the Church has always meant when she said, We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God." This is the Apostolic Faith made abundantly clear. Amen!


Tuesday – Why do so many churches not use the Nicene Creed?
Wednesday – The Bible and the Rule of Faith