Nicene Creed of 325 vs of 381 and 589

[Fritz Kobus]

The Nicene Creed of 381 (Orthodox version) is listed in this site's Statement of Faith along with a later version of 589 with slightly different wording that is typically held by the Catholics, Lutherans and many Protestants (see Filioque Controversy). Tonight I learned of an earlier version of 325, from the Council of Nicea where the creed originated. The 325 original has quite a different ending addressing the point of doctrinal controversy that generated the creed in the first place. Here is the 325 version:

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of all things seen and unseen.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father, that is, from the essence of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things came to be, things in heaven and things on earth;

who, on account of us men and our salvation, came down and became flesh, and was made man, suffered, and rose again on the third day, ascended to the heavens; he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

And in the Holy Spirit.

And that those who say: “There was when he was not,” and, “Before he was begotten, he was not,” and that he caem to be from those things which do not exist or from another hypostasis or say that he essences are either liable to be changed or that the Son is of another nature than the Father — these the catholic and apostolic church anathematizes.

Quoted from The Nicene Creed of AD 325

Also shown here parallel with Greek and Latin: Creed of Nicaea 325 - Greek and Latin Text with English translation

I find this fascinating, but will stick with the 381 version and was glad to see it listed as an alternative in the site Statement of Faith.

While the ending of the 325 version is important, I think the change to the later ending is good for a general creed to be recited in the church, and we do have the Athanasian Creed that should cover the issues addressed at Nicea quite well even though the Athanasian was developed to address a different false teaching.

On that topic, I wonder how many churches recite the Athanasian Creed. When I was in a Lutheran church we recited it once a year, which as I recall was on a particular church holiday, Trinity Sunday I think.

 

[hedrick]

The original also omits almost everything about the Holy Soirit and the church. It was created specifically to deal with Arianism. The 381 version seems to have been re-edited to make it more broadly useful.