Church Creeds

The Church’s creeds are enduring statements of what Christians believe. Rooted in the faith handed down by the apostles, they give us words to profess our belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and unite us with generations of believers who have spoken those same truths.

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The Creeds of Nicaea and Constantinople

For centuries, Christians have used creeds to express the faith they hold in common. A creed is a profession of belief: a way to proclaim who God is and what He has done for our salvation. The two texts below invite us to see how the early Church gave clear words to that faith.

The Nicene Creed arose from the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. At a time of disagreement about the identity of Jesus Christ, the bishops affirmed that the Son is truly God, “begotten, not made,” and of one being with the Father. Their words remain a powerful witness to the Church’s faith in Christ.

In A.D. 381, the Council of Constantinople gave fuller expression to this profession of faith, particularly concerning the Holy Spirit. The resulting Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed is the form commonly call the “Nicene Creed” when they profess it at Sunday Mass and on solemnities.

Reading these two creeds together lets us glimpse the Church’s care in expressing belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Church, baptism, the resurrection of the dead, and the life to come.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-Begotten, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by 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 was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to Amen.

THE NICEAN-CONSTANTINOPLIAN CREED

We believe in one God, The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only son of God, begotten from The Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God; of the same essence as The Father. Through Him all things were made that were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; He became incarnate by The Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate: He suffered and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of The Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His Kingdom will have no end. And we believe in The Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of life. He proceeds from The Father, and with The Father and Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the Prophets. We believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.