- First council
- Nicaea, 325
- Enlarged
- Constantinople, 381
- Answering
- Arianism
- Key confession
- “Of one substance with the Father”
About the creed
Arius taught that the Son was a creature, the first and highest of God’s works. The Council of Nicaea in 325 answered that the Son is “very God of very God,” begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father. The Council of Constantinople in 381 enlarged the creed to confess the Holy Spirit as “the Lord and giver of life,” worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son. The Western churches later added that the Spirit proceeds from the Father “and the Son.”
[CONFIRM URCP LITURGICAL TEXT]
The Father
I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:
The Son
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made:
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: whose kingdom shall have no end.
The Holy Spirit and the church
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets.
And I believe one catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Traditional English text · [CONFIRM URCP LITURGICAL TEXT]