THE BOOK OF CONCORD: PART 4—THE THREE ECUMENICAL CREEDS: THE APOSTLES’ CREED AND NICENE CREED by Vicar Trevor Flanick

December 4, 2024 News and Notes

Our next section of the Book of Concord is the Three Ecumenical Creeds. These creeds have been critical statements of faith for the Christian Church long before Martin Luther and the Reformation. They trace their heritage back to the time of the Apostles and Ancient Church Fathers, when the fledgling Church was bringing the brand-new Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. The inclusion of these creeds in our own Lutheran Confessions do three very important things: First, it connects us to the early church, grounding us in the same confession as those who saw Jesus face-to-face. We make the same confession as Christians like Peter: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Second, it demonstrates that what we believe is nothing novel or revolutionary. The Reformers were not starting a new church or rebelling for their own sake, but rather, our faith is the “continuation of the historic, Christian faith of all times and places” (Reader’s Edition of the Book of Concord, p. 41). The Reformation sought to return the Church to her true roots, to correct it back to her “catholic”—universal—teachings. Finally, as we live in a day and age that seeks to critically redact and redefine Christianity according to ancient heresies or liberal revisionist theories, these creeds provide an anchor to the truth. We can stand firm while clinging to these creeds amidst opposition and falsehood because they define, in truth, what it means to be a Christian.

The first creed is the Apostles’ Creed, the shortest and most familiar of the three. Recited by Christians for almost two millennia, it is often one of the first pieces of literature that a Christian learns, both young and old. It is widely regarded as a baptismal creed, as it is closely associated with that sacrament and historically used as the confession the catechumen would make before being baptized. The Apostles’ Creed is simultaneously the oldest and the newest of the creeds. What we know as the Apostles’ Creed was developed over 500 years between the third and eighth centuries. The history of this confession can be split into two parts: First, the formulation of the earliest forms of the Creed (called the Old Roman Creed) during those five centuries, and second, the textus receptus, or “received text” that is now widely used throughout Christendom.

The Old Roman Creed traces its beginning to the New Testament era, where Christians felt the impulse of the Holy Spirit to confess their faith. Early confessions were likely in the form of common Christological statements, like the Confession of Peter above. These statements began to grow in length, either to summarize the identity of Jesus or to address errors in the faith. These continued to evolve in the second century to encompass statements that served as the “rule of faith,” in order to refute false Gnostic teachings and identify the true confession. Church Fathers like Irenaeus used these early creeds to argue for the truth of Scripture and maintain orthodoxy as Christianity spread. By confessing the same creed, you could ensure that you were in fellowship with other believers. The Creed developed into an interrogatory (questioning) form, like what we see in the baptismal rite, as part of questioning new Christians before bringing them into the Church. St. Augustine and St. Ambrose testify that the Apostles’ Creed in its familiar form arose in Rome, hence the name. This creed spread throughout western Christianity and was adopted as the standard creed more and more throughout the centuries.

In the fourth century, the Nicene Creed usurped the Apostles’ Creed as the primary confession of faith. The Old Roman Creed remained in use, existing in several variations of wording based on region, until King Charlemagne insisted that rite become standard among Christendom. The Apostles’ Creed verbiage we know today was the textus receptus adopted by the Church in the following years. In a simple and easy-to-memorize manner, the Apostles’ Creed stands even today as the primary tool to catechize Christians on foundation of their faith.

The Nicene Creed has a more concrete history than its predecessor, though as we confess it week in and week out, we probably don’t realize how revolutionary and important this confession is. A foundational answer to the Arian controversy, the Nicene Creed was the result of centuries of debate and theological grappling as faithful pastors sought to ensure that churches remained within the one true confession of faith. The Nicene Creed had to reconcile what seemed to be two conflicting principles: that we worship one God (monotheism) and that the Son, Jesus Christ, was fully God just as God the Father is (Christology).

This debate was sparked in 318 A.D., when a pastor named Arius in Alexandria, Egypt, preached sermons that described the Son as a created being rather than being eternal and fully God. While monotheism was accepted by Christianity, the fourth century was rife with polytheism—worship of many “gods.” In an effort to uphold the monotheistic principle, Arius made the heretical error of ascribing divinity only to God the Father and not to the Son. Arius’ bishop, Alexander, concerned with his teachings, called upon Arius to cease teaching this falsehood after a series of investigative debates. Arius refused and continued to spread his teachings, enlisting the help of outside bishops and other leaders in the Church. Within a few years, Arianism spilled out to both the western and eastern churches, causing controversy and dividing Christianity. This came to a head when Emperor Constantine became aware of the issue and called for a church council to settle the matter. The Council of Nicaea, the first of seven ecumenical councils in church history, convened in 325 A.D. Next week, we will consider the matters decided by this council, which resulted in our Nicene Creed and look at the Athanasian Creed.

NEWS:

Christmas Caroling
All are invited to enjoy Christmas caroling on Saturday, December 14th. We will gather in the fellowship hall at 3 pm and begin singing at 3:15 pm. Carols will be broadcast live on YouTube and KNNA 95.7 FM to share with our members unable to join in person. Come with a plate of cookies or munchies and merriment to share. (“Good voices” are not required!) Coffee and hot cocoa will be provided.

Christmas Nativities
Do you have a special nativity you display in your home? Maybe it’s unique, or a family heirloom, or extra kid-friendly, or just overall meaningful to you. Nativities can tell two stories: 1) the birth of Jesus, and 2) its meaningfulness to you. If you would like the opportunity to share your nativity, bring it to the Christmas Caroling event on Saturday, December 14. Tables will be set out for the nativity display in the Fellowship Hall. You can take it home after caroling or after church on Sunday the 15th. Please see the News & Notes for contact information.