Why Creeds Matter
Creeds are more than just old prayers; they’re essential for Christians. They sum up what we believe, keep us grounded in solid doctrine, and remind us of God’s truth. Creeds help us remember, teach, and tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not.
Apostles’ Creed vs. Nicene Creed
Two of the most important creeds are the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. Both are still used today across many Christian traditions.
While they both state core Christian beliefs, they came about at different times and for different reasons. The Apostles’ Creed is considered a statement of basic Christian faith, while the Nicene Creed was created to address specific theological controversies that arose in the early church.
This article will explore the history, theological affirmations, and the differences between the Apostles Creed vs Nicene Creed. Understanding these differences will give you a deeper appreciation for their significance in Christian history and theology.
Statements of faith before the creeds
Before the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds existed, early Christians used even simpler statements of faith. These statements usually focused on the core belief that Jesus is Lord. We see examples of these statements in baptismal formulas and summaries of what the apostles taught.
Around this time, the “Rule of Faith” (Regula Fidei) emerged. The Rule of Faith was a guide for interpreting Scripture and identifying orthodox (correct) beliefs. St. Irenaeus (c. 130-200) believed that people should adhere to the apostolic tradition and the Rule of Faith to fight heresy. The Rule of Faith gave people a framework for developing more detailed creeds.
Over time, these basic statements evolved into more complex creeds. Early creedal statements appear in the writings of people like St. Ignatius of Antioch. Creeds were also used to teach new believers, as we see in the Catechetical Lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386).
The Apostles’ Creed
The Apostles’ Creed is a statement of faith widely used by Christians, particularly in Western churches. It’s shorter and less detailed than the Nicene Creed, and it’s often recited in worship services.
Origins and development
A legend, popularized by Tyrranius Rufinus in 404 AD, says that each of the twelve apostles contributed a line to the Apostles’ Creed, but that’s not historically accurate.
The creed actually evolved over time, expanding on an earlier statement of faith known as the Old Roman Symbol. It wasn’t until around the 8th century that the Apostles’ Creed reached the form we recognize today.
Key affirmations
The Apostles’ Creed affirms several core Christian beliefs:
- Belief in God the Father Almighty. This affirms God’s omnipotence (all-powerful nature) and role as the Creator of everything.
- Belief in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord. This acknowledges Jesus’ divine sonship and his position as Lord.
- Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The creed summarizes the key events of Jesus’ life on Earth, including his crucifixion, death, and resurrection from the dead.
The Apostles’ Creed provides a concise summary of essential Christian beliefs, making it a popular choice for both personal devotion and corporate worship.
“He Descended Into Hell”
One potentially confusing phrase in the Apostles’ Creed is “He descended into hell.” This refers to Jesus’s actions after his crucifixion, before his resurrection. It means that Jesus went to the realm of the dead.
But why? It’s important to understand that the Creed doesn’t mean Jesus went to hell to suffer for the damned. The traditional interpretation is that Jesus went to free the righteous souls who had died before him. First Peter 3:18-19 is often cited in support of this idea.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraph 633) puts it this way: “Jesus did not descend into hell to deliver the damned, nor to destroy the hell of damnation, but to free the just who had gone before him.” So, the descent into hell wasn’t about punishment, but about liberation.
The Communion of Saints
The “communion of saints” in the Apostles’ Creed refers to the spiritual connection that all Christians share, whether they’re alive on earth or have already passed away. It’s the idea that we’re all united in Christ, part of one big, spiritual family.
Traditionally, the Church is described as existing in three states. There’s the Church Militant, which is us, here on earth, still fighting the good fight. Then there’s the Church Penitent, referring to those believed to be in purgatory, being purified. Finally, there’s the Church Triumphant, those who have made it to heaven.
The communion of saints includes all three of these states. It emphasizes that even death doesn’t break the bonds between believers. This belief is also the basis for the practice of praying to saints. Those who believe in this practice feel that saints in heaven can intercede for us, acting as advocates on our behalf. It’s all part of that ongoing connection between the living and the dead, all united in Christ.
The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is another statement of faith widely used in Christian churches today.
Historical context
The Nicene Creed came about because of a theological squabble that threatened to tear the early church apart.
In 325 A.D., the Roman Emperor Constantine called a meeting of church leaders in the city of Nicaea (now İznik, Turkey) to settle the Arian controversy, which centered on whether Jesus Christ was truly divine or a created being.
Later, in 381 A.D., another council was convened in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) to further refine the Nicene Creed and to address other theological questions, including the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
Purpose
The Nicene Creed was created to push back against specific heresies that challenged core Christian beliefs. It was designed to define and affirm what Christians should believe about the nature of Christ and the Trinity.
The Heresy of Arianism
The Nicene Creed emerged in response to a theological crisis caused by a priest named Arius. Arius’s teachings, known as Arianism, challenged the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Arian theology held that Jesus was a created being, subordinate to God the Father. Arius argued that Jesus was not eternally divine but was created by God as the first and most perfect of all beings.
This idea threatened the core Christian belief in the Trinity – the doctrine that God is one being existing in three co-equal, co-eternal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It also struck at the heart of the Christian understanding of salvation, which depends on the belief that Christ was fully God and fully human.
The Nicene Creed directly refuted Arianism by affirming that Jesus is “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.” This statement declared that Jesus is not a created being but is eternally divine and equal to the Father.
The Gnostic Heresy
To understand why the Nicene Creed was so important, it helps to understand the heresies it was meant to address. One of the biggest was Gnosticism. Gnostics believed that salvation came from secret knowledge, not from faith or good works. They also believed that the physical world was evil, created by a lesser god, and that only the spiritual realm was truly good. This led them to deny the full humanity of Jesus, arguing that a divine being could never truly take on a physical form.
The Nicene Creed directly refuted these ideas. It affirmed that Jesus was truly God, “God from God, Light from Light,” but also truly human, “incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.” It also proclaimed that God was the creator of “all things visible and invisible,” thus affirming the goodness of the material world. In other words, the Nicene Creed drew a line in the sand, declaring what Christians did believe in contrast to the Gnostic teachings that were spreading at the time.
Jesus is eternally begotten of and consubstantial with the Father
One key difference between the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed is the Nicene Creed’s assertion that Jesus is “eternally begotten” and “consubstantial” with God the Father. Let’s unpack what this means:
- Eternally Begotten: The phrase “eternally begotten” means that Jesus’ status as the Son of God isn’t something that happened at a specific point in time. Instead, it’s a description of his eternal relationship with the Father. Jesus always has been, and always will be, the Son of God. They have co-existed for eternity.
- Consubstantial with the Father: The word “consubstantial” (or homoousios in the original Greek) means “of one being” or “of one substance.” In other words, Jesus isn’t just like God; he is God. He shares the same divine nature as the Father, making him fully divine and equal to the Father.
These points are crucial for understanding Trinitarian theology. The Nicene Creed emphasizes the essential unity and equality of the Father and the Son as members of the Godhead.
The Holy Spirit: Where did the Spirit come from?
Both creeds affirm belief in the Holy Spirit. The Nicene Creed goes a bit further, calling the Spirit “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].” That last bit in brackets is where things get interesting.
The phrase “proceeds from the Father and the Son” is known as the filioque clause. Western churches added it to the Nicene Creed to show their belief that the Holy Spirit comes from both God the Father and God the Son (Jesus). Eastern churches rejected this addition, maintaining that the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.
Despite these differences, both traditions agree that the Holy Spirit is divine, co-equal with the Father and the Son.
Putting It All Together
The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed both summarize core Christian beliefs, but they arose in different historical contexts and emphasize different aspects of theology. The Apostles’ Creed is shorter and focuses on basic doctrines, while the Nicene Creed is more detailed, particularly in its articulation of Trinitarian theology.
Despite their differences, both creeds are valuable expressions of Christian faith. They aren’t exhaustive statements of belief, but they complement each other and provide a foundation for understanding scripture and Christian faith and practice.
These creeds remain relevant for Christians today, serving as guides for faith, worship, and theological reflection. They help us to understand what Christians throughout the ages have believed and to connect with the wider Christian community around the world.