Nicene Creed facts for kids
The Nicene Creed is a very old and important statement of beliefs for many Christians around the world. It's like a summary of what they believe about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is also known as the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed or the Symbol of the Faith.
Many different Christian groups use this creed. These include the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Assyrian, Anglican, Lutheran, and most other Protestant Churches. It helps Christians share a common understanding of their faith.
Contents
How the Creed Changed Over Time
The Nicene Creed was first written in the year 325 AD at a big meeting called the First Council of Nicaea. Later, in 381 AD, another meeting called the First Council of Constantinople made some changes and additions to it.
The First Version (325 AD)
The first version of the creed focused on important ideas about God the Father and Jesus Christ. It said that Jesus was "of one substance with the Father." This meant that Jesus and God the Father were equally divine and part of the same Godhead. This idea was very important to settle arguments among Christians at the time.
The Second Version (381 AD)
The version from 381 AD kept most of the original text. However, it added more details, especially about the Holy Spirit. It described the Holy Spirit as "the Lord and Giver of life." This newer version also added parts about the Church, baptism, the resurrection of the dead, and life in the world to come.
The main reason for these changes was to make the beliefs clearer and to address new questions that had come up. The version from 381 AD is the one most widely used today.
A Big Disagreement: The Filioque Clause
Over time, a big disagreement happened about a small part of the Nicene Creed. This part is called the "filioque clause" (pronounced "fill-ee-OH-kway"). Filioque is a Latin word that means "and the Son."
What the Disagreement Was About
The original Nicene Creed from 381 AD says that the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father." This means the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father.
However, in the Western (Roman Catholic) Church, the phrase "and the Son" was added. So, their version reads: "We believe in the Holy Spirit... who proceeds from the Father and the Son."
Why It Caused a Split
The Roman Catholic Church believes that the Holy Spirit comes from both the Father and the Son. But the Eastern Orthodox Church believes the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father.
This difference might seem small, but it became a major reason for the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1054 AD. This event is known as the East-West Schism. Even though there have been attempts to reunite, this difference in the creed remains. Many Protestant churches usually accept the filioque clause.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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Oldest existing manuscript of the Nicene Creed, from the 6th Century.
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A close-up of the Greek text from the icon above, showing the important phrase "Of one Being with the Father."
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A 17th-century Russian icon that shows the different parts of the creed.
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See also
In Spanish: Símbolo niceno-constantinopolitano para niños
