Mystical Supper

The CREED that we pray each and every Divine Liturgy is really the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed which is really a modified version of the Nicene Creed of 325. The Council of Constantinople made a few additions to more clearly express our faith. The Creed clearly professes our belief in God as Trinity.

There are four sections to our Creed and each of the first three sections express our particular beliefs about God as: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For example, the first version said of the Father that He is the Maker of things both visible and invisible. In 381 these words were added to state that He is the Maker of (added: heaven and earth and of all) things visible and invisible.

The second section is devoted to our belief in Jesus Christ. Of the Three Persons, the section devoted to Christ is the longest and had the most additions because of the various heresies about Christ.

Some examples are represented by the words in italics: only-begotten of the Father, before all ages;  He came down from heaven; was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary; He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate  and suffered, and was buried, and on 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 will come again with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. The Fathers believed it was important to add these words so that our beliefs about Jesus are very nuanced.

Another difference between the Creed we use and that of the Western Church, which has added a few words, is that we say Jesus suffered and was buried and do not add the word died. The two original Creeds did not use the word died in reference to Christ.

While I believe that all additions to the Creed have been done in order to express greater clarity, the Western Church has made some changes outside the Ecumenical Councils accepted by the early Church. This makes it neither right or wrong but has been one of the sources of disagreement between Catholic and   Orthodox  Churches.

It has been the stance of our Church that using the original version of the Creed that was finally accepted when all Christendom was in union is the better policy. In the next issue I will address the biggest controversy about the Creed.