THE CREED

The essence of our Christian faith

• The Creed is written to combat the false teachings of the heretics.
• The Nicene Creed was formulated by the 1^st and the 2^nd Ecumenical Councils.
• It is the belief of the whole church.
• The Creed is written to be a signpost against heresies.

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Ecumenical Councils (4th to mid 5th Century)

Nicaea Arius: Denied the Abba Alexandros 318

June 325 Divinity of the Son Abba Athanasius The Creed

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Apollinaris: The Logos Abba Athanasius 3 volume book

replaced the human spirit (Apostolic)

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Constantinople Macedonius: Denied Abba Timotheos 150

March 381 the Divinity of the Spirit Creed extended

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Ephesus Nestorius: Separation Abba Cyril 200

June 431 in the Nature of Christ (Pillar of Faith) Union; Theotokos

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Ephesus II Eutyches: Denied the Abba Dioscorus 130

August 449 humanity of Christ Affirming the faith

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Chalcedon To reconsider the Abba Dioscorus ?

October 451 outcome of Ephesus II Schism

The Great Schism 1054 AD: West, Catholic and East, Orthodox

The Creed

The Church Gives the Creed a Great Value

• It is recited as part of the Prayers of the Hours
• It is recited as part of the Liturgies

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The Creed includes the following main facts of our Christian faith:

1. The “oneness” of God “We believe in one God”
2. The Holy Trinity
3. The Incarnation, Redemption, and Salvation

4. Baptism for the Remission of sins
5. The Resurrection of the dead and the life to come in eternity
6. The Second Coming of Christ for judgment
7. The one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church

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We believe in one God, God the Father, the Almighty, Who created heaven and earth, and all things, seen and unseen.

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We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made;

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Who for us, men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried. And on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into the heavens; and sat at the right hand of His Father, and also He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom has no end.

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Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke in the prophets.

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And in one holy, catholic and apostolic church.

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We confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

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We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.

Which council started the writing of the creed?

A

Ephesus

C

Constantinople

B

Nicaea

D

Chalcedon

Which of the following the Creed DOES NOT discuss

A

Second Coming

C

Liturgical Rites

B

Baptism

D

The Trinity

WE believe in one God

• We believe in the Holy Trinity but as being one God.
• We say, “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit ‘One God’ , Amen”.
• Believing in one God is the first of the Ten Commandments:

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me. (Ex20:2-3)

ONE GOD

• For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (1 Jn 5:7)
• The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt28:19)

God the Father

God the Father is not seen by anyone

• No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jn 1:18)
• But now, O LORD, �You are our Father; �We are the clay, and You our potter; �And all we are the work of Your hand. (Is 64:8) �      

Who declared the Father to us?

A

Saint Mary

C

The Holy Spirit

B

The Son

D

No one has declared

The Almighty

• He governs all creation; nothing is out of His control including the angels and the devils

Omnipotent: having unlimited power; able to do anything

Omniscient: knowing everything

Omnipresent: present everywhere at the same time

Omnibenevolent: possessing perfect or unlimited goodness

The creator of heaven and earth

• The word creator is an attribute of God alone. He creates from nothing (out of nothing; the nonexistent; ex nihilo)
• The farthest extent a human mind can reach is to be a maker not a creator, whatever he invents, is made from the material that was created by God
• The first verse in the Bible
• In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1:1)

The creator of heaven and earth

• God created the heavens and the earth and everything that dwells in them
• For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Col 1: 16)
• Visible and invisible �

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God created everything through the Son

• All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (Jn1:3)

For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. What is the biblical reference?

A

John 26:3

C

Jude 3:1

B

Luke 15:30

D

1John 5:7

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ

• The apostles used to repeat the expression “our Lord Jesus Christ”
• In the introduction to the Bible reading, we say, “our Lord, God and Saviour, King of us all, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, to whom is glory forever.”

The only begotten Son

• “Only begotten” He alone is the Son of God of His same nature, essence and Divinity
• No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (Jn 1:18)
• For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Jn 3:16)

The only begotten Son

• The only begotten Son distinguishes Him from all humans who are called sons of God though not having God’s nature.
• But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (Jn 1:12)

Before all ages

• Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” � Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” � Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” (Jn 8:56-58)

Before all ages

• I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” (Rev22:16)
• He is the Root of David with regard to His Divinity, and his offspring with regard to His Humanity.
• And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (Jn 17:5)

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Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before _____ was, I AM.”

A

Adam

C

Enoch

B

Abraham

D

Moses

Light of Light

• “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12)
• the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (1Tim6: 15-16)

Light of Light

• I am the light of the world. (Jn 8:12)
• You are the light of the world. (Matt 5:14)
• What is the difference?
• The Sun has light in itself, whereas the Moon has no light in itself, it gives light by reflection.
• We pray saying “O true Light, Who enlightens every man in the World”

True God of true God

• He has all the attributes of the Divinity.
• He is Everlasting, Creator, Almighty, Omnipresent, Unlimited, Searching the hearts and minds, Forgiver of sins and all other attributes that belong to God alone

Begotten not made

• He is born of the Father, but not made, as He is existing from the eternity
• He is not made because every creation has a beginning which is the day of being made

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Consubstantial with the Father

• This refutes the Arian thoughts which misunderstood the words of the Lord, “My Father is greater than I” (Jn 14:28)
• In fact the Father is not greater than the Son with regard to the essence because the Son is of the same nature, the same essence, and the same Divinity of the Father, He is equal to Him in everything.

Consubstantial with the Father

• As for the phrase “My Father is greater than I”. �It was said about taking a form of a bondservant in His incarnation
• who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:6-8)

Consubstantial with the Father

• This is the condition of which He said “My Father is greater than I” that is the image of the bondservant He took while His Divinity remained unchanged
• The Father is greater than the image the Son took in his incarnation. The Godhead united with the human nature remained unchanged, not affected by the humbleness of the flesh.

Consubstantial with the Father

• He said, “I and my Father are one” (Jn 10:30)
• He who has seen Me has seen the Father (Jn 14:9)
• I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (Jn 14:10)
• That all should honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him (Jn 5:23)

Which Heresy says that the Son is LESS than the Father?

A

Macedonian

C

Nestorianism

B

Nicaean

D

Arian

Through whom all things were made

• Here the Creed speaks about the Son as the Creator
• All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (Jn. 1:3)
• For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16)�

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Through whom all things were made

• Here we would ask: Who made the world? Is it the Father or the Son?
• And the answer is: God the Father made everything through the Son.
• He is the uttering wisdom of God; for God made everything by His Wisdom and by His Word, so He is the power of God and the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24) by Whom God made everything

The following is NOT true about Jesus because he is begotten not created.

A

Existing from� Eternity

C

Everlasting

B

Born of the� Father

D

Made by the� Father

Session 2

We believe in one God, God the Father, the Almighty, Who created heaven and earth, and all things, seen and unseen.

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We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not created, of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made;

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Who for us, men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried. And on the third day He rose from the dead, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into the heavens; and sat at the right hand of His Father, and also He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom has no end.

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Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who, with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke in the prophets.

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And in one holy, catholic and apostolic church.

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We confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

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We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the coming age. Amen.

Who for us all and for our salvation came down from heaven

• Had the Lord Jesus Christ done nothing but the redemption and the salvation of mankind, this would have been sufficient.
• But practically, Christ was to perform certain tasks before perfecting the redemption so that people might know Him. Thus, He is the perfect Teacher, the Shepherd of the lost sheep, the role Model for the people, and the Heart full of love.

And was incarnate

• The Virgin could not have begotten a child all by herself because she had not known a man. So, the angel explained the matter to her:
• Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (Lk. 1:34-35)

And was incarnate

• The word “incarnate” does not mean that He took the human flesh only, but He also took the complete human nature: body and spirit. Therefore, the creed did not stop at the word incarnate, but added the word
• “and became Man”.

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And became Man

• For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5)
• It was because the judgment was against man, so, the one who was to die should be a man.
• If He had not been a complete Man, He would not have been like us in everything and would not have redeemed us.

The word “incarnate” means that he took the bodily flesh but not the human nature

A

True

B

False

He was crucified for us

• He was crucified for us at the time of Pontius Pilate
• Being crucified for us means on our behalf or instead of us
• We deserved this because we sinned; for “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23)
• Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned (Rom. 5:12)

He was crucified for us

• Then Christ – who did no sin – came to die on behalf of the sinners who were under the sentence of death.
• Then he (Pilate) said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him” (Lk. 23:22)
• Pilate said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.” (Matt. 27:24)

He was crucified for us

• All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Is. 53:6)
• In His crucifixion, He was not a sinner, but He carried our sins.
• He carried the sins of others; the sins of the whole world, the sins of the past, the present, and the future.

He was crucified for us

• He was crucified outside the gate because we – being  sinners – were considered outside the camp.
• He went outside the gate on our behalf that He might  bring us into the camp. 
• He was crucified for us, He died for us, that we may have life through His death.

He was crucified for us

• Christ was crucified on our behalf, and it is said in the Creed that He was crucified for us at the time of Pontius Pilate.  
• It is a historic event which the Creed included to establish exactly the time at which it took place and the Roman ruler in  whose reign it happened.   

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How does the Creed establish Historical verifiability?

A

By Saying Christ�was Crucified.

C

By the emperor�Constantine.

B

By mentioning�Pontius Pilate.

D

It doesn’t, it’s a�religious document.

And Suffered

• Proving that the Lord Christ has suffered is very important.  
• Why is it so important?
• Lest some would think that the divinity of the Lord Christ prevented the human nature from suffering!  
• If this had been true, the crucifixion would have been mere  formality, and Christ would have not paid the penalty of sin.

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�The pains of the cross was real�

• “There is no beauty that we should desire Him.�He is despised and rejected by men,�A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.�And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;�He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (Isa 53:2-3)
• “Surely, He has borne our griefs�And carried our sorrows;�Yet we esteemed Him stricken,�Smitten by God, and afflicted.” (Isa 53:4)�

• ^“But He was wounded for our transgressions,�He was bruised for our iniquities;�The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,�And by His stripes we are healed.” (Isa 53:5)�
• “All we like sheep have gone astray;�We have turned, everyone, to his own way;�And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:6)

Why does the creed stress that Christ Suffered?

A

To show the pain�of sin

C

To show that�Christ was fully Human.

B

To show that we�make Christ suffer.

D

None of the above.

And was buried

• “Then they took the body of Jesus and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.” (Jn 19:40)
• However, despite all this, the Lord Christ arose and the empty tomb became a proof of His resurrection.    

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He arose from the dead

• The resurrection of the Lord Christ differs from the resurrection of any other person in the following:  
• The Lord Christ arose by Himself not raised by anyone.
• He alone arose in a glorious body.

This glorious body of the Lord Christ – in the  resurrection – can come out of the tomb that was closed with a big  stone against the door . He could also enter the upper room.

3. Never to die again. 

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• The resurrection of Christ is the proof of His power and His victory, and a proclamation that He will raise us with Him. 
• He is the only One who overcame death by His resurrection and trod death by His power. He gave us the  promise of our resurrection, “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection. of the dead”, “Christ, the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1  Cor. l5: 21-23).  

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• Had the Lord Christ not risen, He would have been like  any ordinary person, whose enemies overcame, and death  prevailed upon Him!!  
• But He arose because “in Him was life” (Jn. 1: 4), and  
• because He is “the Prince of life” (Acts 3:15), and He is the  resurrection and the life (Jn. 11: 25) as He said to Martha the sister  of Lazarus before raising him.

• The resurrection of the Lord Christ was a matter which He announced to His disciples before His crucifixion:  
• He told them that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day (Mt. 16:21), (Mk. 8:31) and (Lk. 9:22).

Which of the following is NOT true about Jesus’ Resurrection.

A

He rose with a �glorious body.

C

He never told his�disciples about it�before.

B

It was early Sunday.

D

He rose without �anyone’s help.

He ascended to the heavens

• Of course He ascended in the body.  
• The Godhead does not ascend or descend.
• He fills all and is present everywhere. 
• He ascended in the body as we say in the Mass of St Gregory [and at Your ascension into the heaven in the body ---]

He sat down at the right hand of His Father

• In the Biblical Terminology the right hand refers to  power, righteousness, or honor.  
• In the sense of power the Psalmist said, “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I shall not die, but live” (Ps. 118: 15-17);
• “Save with Your right hand and hear me” (Ps. 60:5; 108:6).

• Hence “the right hand of God” means His power, righteousness, honor or glory, and “sat” means settled.
• Sitting at the right hand of His Father means the end of “emptying Himself”

The right hand of God refers to power, righteousness, and honor.

A

True

B

False

He shall come back in His glory to judge the living and the dead

• His second coming will be for judgment.
• His coming for judgment will be in the end of ages.

Of His Kingdom there will be no end

The Son of Man passage in Daniel 7

• “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,�That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.�His dominion is an everlasting dominion,�Which shall not pass away,�And His kingdom the one�Which shall not be destroyed.” (Dan 7:14)

Of His Kingdom there will be no end

• ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Lk. 1:31-33

What will Jesus do when he comes again?

A

Judge

C

Incarnate

B

Redeem.

D

Bless

We believe in the Holy Spirit

• He is the Spirit of the Father
• for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matt 10:20
• He is the Spirit of the Son
• And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” (Gal 4:6)

The Lord the Giver of Life�Who proceeds from the Father�

• There is a great theological difference between procession and sending
• Sending takes place within the scope of time, whereas
• Procession is from eternity

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Who with the Father and the Son�is worshipped and glorified�

• Here we proclaim that we worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit because they are ALL equal and we worship ONE God.
• As we pray to the Father, we pray to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

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Who spoke in the prophets�

• “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2Pet 1:21)
• The words “Who spoke in the prophets” refer to the divine inspiration.

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Who does the Holy Spirit proceed from?

A

Father

C

Father & Son.

B

Son.

D

Proceeds of Itself

What is NOT true about the Holy Spirit?

A

The Life Giver

C

Spoke by the� prophets

B

Worshiped

D

Less than the Son

We Believe in One Holy catholic �(universal) and Apostolic Church�

• One Church: It is One in faith, in dogma, in thought, in doctrine and spirituality.
• It is One Church as It is One Body, and the Head of this body is the Lord Christ

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• A Church is universal, gathering all believers together in the unity of faith.
• Our church is apostolic which means two things
• It is founded on the apostles' teachings that they received from the Lord Christ
• That the teaching which the apostles had received from the Lord they delivered to us in their epistles, in church life, and teachings.

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We confess one Baptism for �the remission of sins.�

• Baptism is the first Church sacrament, and its importance is evident in the story of Saul of Tarsus
• “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” Gal 3:27
• One baptism, it is not repeated even in case of one deviating from Christian faith then returns to it.

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• “do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom 6:3-4)

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What is the maximum number of times can a person be baptized? (Hint: think if they convert)

A

Once.

C

Depends on the�situation.

B

Twice.

D

Under the Bishop’s�discretion.

We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age.�

• We are looking forward of the life that is to come in Heaven.
• We believe that everyone will be resurrected, both good and evil.
• The creed starts of with “we believe in One God… who created Heaven and Earth” and ends with the conclusion of God’s creation which is us in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age.

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AMEN

References�

- The Creed: By His Holiness Pope Shenouda III

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