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This week, our worship centers around the Nicene Creed—one of the most historic and widely affirmed confessions of the Christian church. Below, you’ll find the full text of the creed, followed by a brief explanation of its history and continued relevance for our tradition today.

Where Did the Creed Come From?

The Nicene Creed originated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and was expanded in 381 AD at the Council of Constantinople. These gatherings of early church leaders were responding to theological divisions, particularly over the nature of Jesus Christ and his relationship to God the Father.

The Creed they produced is remarkable for its clarity and unity. It affirms that Jesus is fully divine, eternally begotten, and one in being with the Father—a strong response to teachings that had begun to question or diminish Christ’s divinity.

Over the centuries, the Nicene Creed has become one of the most widely accepted confessions of faith, used in worship by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed churches alike.

Reformed Tradition and the Creed

In the Reformed tradition, we don’t believe creeds are perfect or permanent—but we do believe they matter. We use them not to close off discussion, but to help us find shared language for faith in community. Our confessions are always subject to Scripture, but they help us speak the truth in love, especially in times of uncertainty.

The Nicene Creed is especially important because it holds the Trinitarian center of our theology—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and connects us to the universal (“catholic”) church across time and geography.

We believe the church is always being reformed by the Spirit, and the Nicene Creed reminds us that part of being reformed means listening to the faithful voices of the past, not just reacting to the challenges of the present.

From “I Believe” to “We Believe”

One of the most striking differences between the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed is a single word:

  • The Apostles’ Creed says, “I believe…”

  • The Nicene Creed says, “We believe…”

That shift is more than grammar. It reminds us that faith is not a solo performance. It is something we share, something we carry together, especially when belief is difficult. We need each other—not to perfect our theology, but to see God’s wonder reflected in others.

If you're joining us for worship this week, or reading along from home, take time to read the Nicene Creed slowly. Speak it aloud. Let the words become prayer. You don’t have to understand every phrase to affirm its truth. This isn’t a formula. It’s a witness.

The Nicene Creed (Ecumenical Text)

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of the 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 and for our salvation,
came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
and was made truly human.

He 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 sits on the right hand of the Father;
and he shall come again, with glory,
to judge the living and the dead;
whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son];
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified;
who spoke by the prophets.

And 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.

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