A: Creeds were historically used as teaching tools for catechumens (Christian converts under instruction before baptism). In cultures where the average person was not literate, creeds allowed groups of people to be taught using easily memorizable, understandable, and recitable chunks of information. As such, the creeds were a kind of memory-device. They summarized the long and complex story of Scripture, but they were short enough so that catechumens could remember them. As Cyril of Jerusalem emphasized, the creeds were simple enough so that new Christians “can acquire the whole doctrine of the Christian faith in a few articles and so prevent any soul from being lost by not learning the faith.”
Today, The Episcopal Church recites the Nicene Creed during worship to affirm a shared, universal Christian faith that has been established for centuries. It is a foundational statement of belief about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit that helps define what the church stands for, unites the congregation with other Christians throughout history, and is a central part of our Eucharist service.
Reasons for reciting the Nicene Creed:
Statement of faith: The Creed is a comprehensive summary of core Christian beliefs, including the nature of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus Christ. Historical unity: It connects Episcopalians to the universal Christian church across time and geography, acknowledging a shared belief with other traditions. Community and tradition: Reciting the Creed is a communal spiritual practice that reinforces commitment to the church's core convictions and traditions, especially in a modern culture that often emphasizes individualism.
Liturgical practice: The Creed is part of the worship service, specifically the Eucharist (Holy Communion), and is recited to publicly declare the faith of the community.
Defining doctrine: The Creed helps to define the church's theological understanding and standards of teaching.
Historical context: It was originally developed by bishops in the 4th century to address theological disputes and establish right belief concerning Jesus Christ.
One thing that resonates for me, personally, is the use of the word "We." "We" reminds me that my faith journey is one that I travel with others; loved ones, my parish family, Christians throughout the world, and the historical saints. "We" is a word that demonstrates our intimate connectedness as well as a commitment to remain connected with each other. "We" suggests that we are all in this together, wherever we may each find ourselves on the path to Christ. We may all have our own, individual reasons for being at church and those reasons are diverse and unique. But, we are all in the same room together affirming our faith as one body.
The Nicene Creed also uses the word "in" instead of "that." So, for example, we do not say "We believe that..." We say, "We belive in..." This small word matters because it shows us that we are not merely assenting to a list of doctrines and dogma. We are professing, with sincere hope and thankfulness for our lives in God, in Christ, in the Holy Spirit and in the life of the Church itself. Belonging to the Episcopal Church is how I believe. Being with you at St. Luke's allows me to keep believing. Reciting our shared faith together affirms that place that my believing comes from. "In" is about relationship.
Lastly, many people feel confused about the statement "We believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church..." Notice that the "c" in "catholic." is not capitalized. We are not speaking here of the Roman Catholic Church. The word "catholic" itself means "universal" or "all-embracing." When we say that we believe in the one holy, catholic, and apostolic church, we are uniting ourselves to a universal and all-embracing fellowship of Christian believers throughout time and space. We are stating our belief in that universal church as an expression of faith and hope for the future.
Ben Sternke writes, "Confessing the creed participates in the life the creed speaks of. To say “We believe...” is not so much to confess individual confidence in historical facts, but to confess corporate belonging and participation in the Church of Jesus Christ, across time and space. We perform our belonging to the communion of saints throughout the world and throughout the ages who belong to Christ and participate in the life of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Author: The Reverend Ashley Wright