The Nicene Creed

Definition of a Creed

• A creed is a statement of belief, in particular a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community.
• For Catholics, the Nicene Creed is the most important expression of faith in the community.

The 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.



Five Themes of the Nicene Creed

• God is the creator of all that extists.

• Jesus was and is totally one with God, fully divine; of one substance (consubstantial) with the Father.

• In Jesus, God took on human flesh and lived amongst us. He was eventually executed by crucifixion, but death did not defeat him as God raised him up so that we could know that all Jesus taught us was true.

• The Holy Spirit remains with us. Guiding the Church and empowering believers not only to remember but also to live out the message of Jesus.

•  We are called to live out our faith in community, in "one holy catholic (meaning universal) and the apostolic (following in the tradition of the Apostles) Church.