I BELIEVE…WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE CREEDS?

I couldn’t remember when was the first time I recited this prayer in full as a kid. I often prayed this in the rosary and in the Holy Mass, especially as I grew up. I know that this summarized the faith of Catholics, but what did it truly signify?

The word creed comes from the Latin word: credo which means "I believe." Creeds are "symbols of faith" or "professions of faith" since they summarize the faith that Christians profess. When we say "I believe," we say "I pledge myself to what we believe." We are in communion in our faith with other Christians using a common language of faith, confessing the same faith  (CCC 187, 185 http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2.htm ).

The Apostles' Creed is the declaration of faith of Catholics. It contains the principal truths taught by Christ which the Catholic Church has compacted together into this creed. It is called as such because it is rightly considered to be a faithful summary of the Apostles' faith (CCC 194 http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p1s2.htm ).

It is an ancient prayer that goes back to the early days of Christian beginnings. We can be sure that when we begin, "I believe in God, the Father Almighty..." we are reciting in substance the very profession of faith which the first converts to Christianity - Cornelius and Apollos and Aquila and Priscilla and all the rest - so proudly recited and so joyfully sealed with their blood (http://www.catholicapologetics.info/thechurch/catechism/ApostlesCreed00.shtml).

The Creed seems to be divided into three principal parts:

1. One describing the First Person of the Divine Nature, and the stupendous work of the creation

 I believe in God the Father Almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth.

2. Another, the Second Person, and the mystery of man's redemption

 I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, 
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,  
 born of the Virgin Mary,   
suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
 crucified, died and was buried;   
He descended into hell; 
on the third day he rose again from the dead; 
He ascended into heaven, 
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;   
from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. 

3. A third, the Third Person, the head and source of our sanctification

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the holy Catholic Church, 

the communion of saints, 

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body, 

and life everlasting. Amen.

The whole of this is being expressed in various and most appropriate Articles and can be seen in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part 1, Section 2, 185-1065 (http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/ccc_toc2.htm)

The Creed ends with the Hebrew word amen, which comes from the same root as the word "believe." This root expresses solidity, trustworthiness, faithfulness. The Creed's  final "Amen" repeats and confirms its first words: "I believe." To believe is to say "Amen" to God's words, promises and commandments; to entrust oneself completely to him who is the "Amen" of infinite love and perfect faithfulness. The Christian's everyday life will then be the "Amen" to the "I believe" of our baptismal profession of faith: May your Creed be for you as a mirror. Look at yourself in it, to see if you believe everything you say you believe. And rejoice in your faith each day.  (CCC1061, 1062, 1064 http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a12.htm#amen)

Uttering each word of this creed is truly a profession of faith that manifests what we believe in, not only in mind and heart, but also in action as we stand firm for it.

THE NICENE CREED

What is this Creed? This creed is most widely used in the holy Mass. It is called as such because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicea by the first Ecumenical Council which met in 325 because of the Arian controversy. Arius, a Libyan presbyter in Alexandria, taught that although Jesus was divine, He was also a created being and only God the Father existed before, thus making Jesus lesser than Him. This teaching provoked a serious crisis during that time. Nontrinitarian churches persisted. 

The council was held to settle the matter once and for all. When some of the writings of Arius was read before the council, most participants denounced them as blasphemous. Majority of the bishops ultimately agreed upon a creed which was called the Nicene Creed. This affirmed the divinity of Jesus.


It was revised at the Second Ecumenical Council, held at Constantinople in 381 as a response to the Macedonian or Pneumatomachian heresy, which denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (381)

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.

Comparatively,  the Apostles' Creed is a summary of the faith expressed by the original Apostles of Jesus Christ as read in the New Testament while the Nicene Creed stems from the Ecumenical Councils of 325 and 381 A.D. and is common to many Eastern and Western Christian and Catholic churches.

For more information about:

- Catechism on the Creed (Part 1) on The Word Exposed by Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle:

- Catechism on the Creed (Part 2) on The Word Exposed by Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle:

- Catechism on the Creed (Part 3) on The Word Exposed by Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle:

- The Apostles' Creed visit Catholic Answers, The Original Catholic Encyclopedia http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Apostles%27_Creed
-  The Nicene Creed (Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicene_Creed)
- Arius  (Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arius)