Nicene Creed

Definition and Meaning

The Nicene Creed is a concise confession of faith in the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A creed is a text that summarizes the content of the faith. Its central affirmation is that the Son, Jesus Christ, is consubstantial (of the same essence; Greek homoousios) with the Father. The text commonly called the Nicene Creed today is, strictly speaking, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, as expanded in 381.

Biblical and Historical Background

In the early fourth century, Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria, taught that the Son was a being created by the Father (Arianism). In response, Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea in 325. The council confessed that the Son is "true God from true God" and was "not made." Scriptural grounds commonly cited for this confession include John 1:1, John 10:30, and Colossians 2:9.

The Council of Constantinople in 381 expanded the creed by enlarging its confession concerning the Holy Spirit. The Western Church later added a phrase stating that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son" (the Filioque). The Orthodox Church did not accept this addition, and the phrase became one of the causes of the schism between the Eastern and Western churches.

Practice in the Korean Church

Most Protestant denominations in Korea confess their faith in Sunday worship using the Apostles' Creed. As a result, relatively few church members encounter the Nicene Creed directly in worship. Nevertheless, in the theological education of many denominations, including Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, and Baptist churches, the Nicene Creed is taught as an ecumenical creed that serves as a standard of orthodox Trinitarian faith.

• The Anglican Church of Korea and the Lutheran Church in Korea maintain the tradition of using the Nicene Creed in worship services, including those that celebrate Holy Communion.
• The Catholic Church uses both the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed and the Apostles' Creed at Mass.
• As a creed that Christians of different traditions can confess together, it is also used in united worship services connected with the ecumenical movement.