
Introduction
Where do Christian beliefs come from? While many would simply answer, “the Bible,” the reality is more complex. The diversity of Christian denominations reveals the ongoing need to interpret and define essential doctrines. What Christians affirm about God, Jesus, and the faith today is rooted in what the early church believed, taught, and preserved. Creeds became a primary means by which the early church summarized and safeguarded these core convictions.
The English word “creed” derives from the Latin credo, meaning “I believe.” Church historian J.N.D. Kelly defines a creed as “a fixed formula summarizing the essential articles of the Christian religion and enjoying the sanction of ecclesiastical authority.” In essence, creeds articulate the basic beliefs passed down from the apostles—what Jude calls “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3). When elements of this faith were challenged, the church reaffirmed its essentials by crafting authoritative summaries faithful to apostolic teaching.
Creedal roots appear even within Scripture. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) functions as a creedlike statement of Israel’s faith. In the New Testament, scholar Ralph Martin notes the early development of creedlike formulas to resist pagan influences and establish key doctrines. Paul likely cites one such early creed in 1 Corinthians 15:3–7, summarizing Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and appearances. Likewise, baptismal formulas (“in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19) and confessions like “Jesus is Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:3) reflect the early church’s commitment to a central, unifying faith.
Though no formal creeds appear in Scripture, the foundation for later creedal development is firmly established in the biblical witness.
“Obviously, Christianity did not begin when we were born. Nor did our generation invent Christian thought. We live two thousand years removed from the time of our founder, and — for better or for worse — we are the recipients of a long line of Christians’ insights, mistakes, and ways of speaking about God and the Christian faith. Today’s Christianity is directly affected by what earlier Christians chose to do and to believe.” —Justin Holcomb
How Are Creeds Used?
Justin Holcomb observes, “In individualist cultures, we pick and choose what religion we like. More than that, we sometimes combine parts of different denominations or religions to make something entirely new—whatever works for us personally.” For the early Christians, however, creeds were not about personal preference. They were communal: not simply a summary of shared opinions, but a collective promise—a confession made and upheld together.
Creeds serve an essential function: they draw clear boundary lines between orthodoxy and heresy. Simply put, if one cannot affirm the creeds, one is not confessing historic Christian faith.
Originally, creeds were used in baptism, where candidates would either recite a creed or respond to specific questions, publicly professing their faith in Jesus Christ. Over time, creeds also became essential tools for teaching new converts the basic elements of Christianity. Their brevity and clarity made them easy to memorize and pass on.
Creeds further shaped church liturgies, providing congregations with a shared confession of faith during worship. Far from being academic or elitist, creeds were designed for everyday believers—ordinary tradesmen, farmers, and citizens—equipping them to know, proclaim, and live according to the truths revealed in Scripture.
A Historical Sketch of the Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed emerged in the early fourth century as a foundational statement of Christian belief, crafted to address serious theological disputes about the nature of Christ. Its origins lie in the Council of Nicaea (AD 325), convened by Emperor Constantine to unify the Church amid the threat posed by Arianism. Arius, a church leader from Alexandria, taught that Christ was a created being, not fully divine—a view that not only fractured theological consensus but also threatened the unity of the empire.
Major theological figures such as Athanasius of Alexandria, Alexander of Alexandria, and Hosius of Cordoba played crucial roles in resisting Arianism. Athanasius, especially, would later be hailed as the “champion of Nicaea” for his relentless defense of Christ’s full divinity. The bishops gathered at Nicaea affirmed that the Son is “of the same essence” (homoousios) with the Father—eternally begotten, not made. As N.T. Wright observes, “The Council of Nicaea wasn’t about splitting hairs; it was about guarding the very heart of the gospel: that in Jesus, the living God had come among us.”
Though the Council produced a preliminary creed, theological disputes persisted, especially concerning the Holy Spirit. In response, the Council of Constantinople (AD 381) expanded and finalized the Nicene Creed into the form that most churches use today. It structured Christian confession around belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, affirming the Spirit’s full divinity as “the Lord and Giver of Life.”
Modern theologians highlight the continuing relevance of the Creed. Tim Keller writes, “The Nicene Creed reminds us that Christianity is not good advice but good news about something God has done,” emphasizing its grounding in the historical and cosmic work of God rather than mere human philosophy. Similarly, Michael Bird remarks, “The Nicene Creed is Christianity’s DNA; tamper with it, and you end up with something else entirely.”
Across the centuries, the Nicene Creed has remained a defining standard of Christian orthodoxy, uniting Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and many Protestant churches around the essential truths of the Triune God and the divine mission of salvation through Christ. The following is a timeline of the creed’s creation and today’s version used throughout Christendom.
Timeline of the Nicene Creed
AD 318–323 — The Arian controversy begins
The Arian heresy was a major theological crisis in early Christianity that directly inspired the creation of the Nicene Creed. Named after Arius, a priest from Alexandria (c. AD 250–336), Arianism taught that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was a created being and therefore not co-eternal or of the same divine essence (homoousios) as God the Father. Arius famously argued, “There was a time when the Son was not,” implying that Christ, while exalted above all creation, was still subordinate and not fully divine.
Here’s where Arian-like beliefs show up today:
Jehovah’s Witnesses: Jehovah’s Witnesses explicitly deny the full divinity of Christ. They teach that Jesus is the first and greatest creation of Jehovah (God), but not equal to Him. This is essentially a modern form of Arianism.
Mormonism (Latter-Day Saints): While different in important ways from classical Arianism, Mormon theology similarly teaches that Jesus is not eternally God in the same way as the Father. Instead, He is seen as a spirit child of the Father, elevated to divinity.
Progressive or Liberal Theology: In some corners of progressive Christianity, Jesus is reinterpreted mainly as a moral teacher or prophet, with his divine nature either downplayed or metaphorically redefined. While not always a full return to Arianism, these ideas weaken or deny the traditional affirmation of Christ’s true, eternal Godhood.
Individual Beliefs: In a culture where people often mix and match spiritual ideas, it’s common to find individuals—sometimes even within otherwise orthodox churches—who think of Jesus as somehow “less than God,” influenced by popular culture, skepticism, or misunderstanding of Scripture.
AD 325 — Council of Nicaea
The Council of Nicaea in AD 325 was the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church and a pivotal moment in the history of Christian doctrine. Convened by Emperor Constantine, the council gathered over 300 bishops from across the Roman Empire in the city of Nicaea (modern-day İznik, Turkey). The main purpose was to address the growing controversy caused by Arianism, the teaching of Arius, who argued that Jesus Christ was not fully divine but a created being. This teaching threatened the unity of both the Church and the Empire.
At Nicaea, the bishops overwhelmingly rejected Arius’s views. They affirmed that the Son is “begotten, not made, being of one substance (homoousios) with the Father.” To codify this belief, they produced the first version of what is now called the Nicene Creed, a clear and authoritative statement of faith that defended the full divinity of Christ. The council also set important precedents for how the Church would handle doctrinal disputes, emphasizing collective deliberation and formal creeds
AD 381 — Council of Constantinople
The Council of Constantinople in AD 381 was the second ecumenical council of the Christian Church, convened by Emperor Theodosius I. It was called primarily to reaffirm and expand the theological decisions made at the Council of Nicaea (AD 325), especially as new controversies had arisen concerning the nature of Christ and the Holy Spirit. While Arianism had been officially condemned at Nicaea, it continued to influence many parts of the Eastern Roman Empire.
At Constantinople, about 150 bishops met and reaffirmed the Nicene faith, particularly the full divinity of both Christ and the Holy Spirit. They produced an expanded version of the Nicene Creed, clarifying the Church’s belief in the Trinity: one God in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The new wording emphasized that the Holy Spirit is “the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified.”
The Council of Constantinople secured Trinitarian orthodoxy for the Eastern Church and strengthened the unity of Christian doctrine, profoundly shaping the theological foundation of Christianity for all future generations.
The Creed becomes widely used in liturgy (worship services) throughout Christendom.
In the West, the phrase “and the Son” (Filioque) is added when speaking about the procession of the Holy Spirit—leading to later East-West division.
Today: The Nicene Creed remains a central confession of faith for Catholic, Orthodox, and many Protestant churches, uniting Christians in the essential beliefs about the Trinity and salvation.
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again 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.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Conclusion
The Nicene Creed stands as one of the greatest treasures of Christian history, offering a legacy of unity, clarity, and faithfulness that continues to bless modern believers. Originally crafted to defend the truth of Christ’s full divinity and humanity against heresy, the Creed remains a vital anchor for the Church today. It provides Christians across denominations—Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant alike—with a shared confession of faith that transcends culture, tradition, and time.
In a world of religious confusion and personal spiritual invention, the Nicene Creed offers a tested and true foundation. It reminds believers that Christianity is not something we invent for ourselves but a revealed faith entrusted to us. When modern Christians recite the Creed, they are connected to the early church, to generations of saints, and to the core truths about the Triune God: the Father who creates, the Son who redeems, and the Holy Spirit who gives life.
In a time when faith is often reduced to feelings or politics, the Nicene Creed calls believers back to the unchanging essentials—grounding hearts and minds in the profound mystery of the gospel.
The Creed is like saying the ball is round or what the ball is, but not how to kick it, pass it, score goals, or win the game.
Jesus and Paul were far more interested in playing the game of the Kingdom — loving enemies, proclaiming the reign of God, embodying resurrection life — than merely describing the shape of the ball.
It's interesting in the Creed itself that Light, judgement, forgiveness and Salvation are mentioned, but not love.