Nicene Creed

The confession of Nicaea was issued by the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the first ecumenical council.

It is not to be confused with the better known and closely related Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the profession of the first council of Constantinople Opel, which is also often referred to as Nicänisches Creed or Nicene Creed. In contrast to this, the described here commitment by all ancient Oriental Churches is recognized. This makes it the most recognized principle confession in Christianity, but plays in the profession and practice of piety of those churches that recognize also the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, de facto not matter.

Historical Background

The commitment to the essential unity of Christ and the father moved into the first non-local council of church history position against Arianism, the doctrine at the Council of Nicaea ( Nicaea corresponds to today's Iznik / Turkey) was rejected.

As a result, the confession of Nicaea was often described as the faith of the 318 Fathers (318 bishops who are said to have taken part in the First Council of Nicaea on the number of servants which Abraham takes off in Genesis 14:14) refers - both the literal form as well as various Orthodox faiths that have been formulated according to the principle of Nicaea (eg, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed ).

Then the literal Nicene Creed was explicitly confirmed at the Council of Ephesus in 431 and declared that it should not be changed.

Text

Today's translations and the Latin version aboriginal included or only born unigenitum, assuming that γενή is born of γενναω. However, translating older Latin manuscripts of the New Testament μονογενή as unicus unique. Thus, the original text remains ambiguous.

Comparison with older confessions

Literary allows the confession of Nicaea to older eastern creeds attributed. However, since very similar confessions are handed down from Jerusalem, Caesarea, Antioch and Alexandria, can not determine to which of these confessions was the basis for the nizäanische.

The Trinitarian formulation of the Creed ( We believe in one God ... And in one Lord Jesus Christ ... And in the Holy Spirit ... ) is both the Apostles' Creed as found in many other Taufbekenntnissen of that time. This structure of the confession was not an issue at the Council.

The above italicized parts are admixtures of the Council, which are found in no earlier confession. In them the Church has sought formulas as expressing the Christological teaching of the Church that Arianism could not interpret Arian - older confessions were accepted by the Arians, as they were able to interpret their meaning.

At issue was the council of the term homoousios ( consubstantial dt / consubstantial ), which does not occur in the Bible - it was suggested by Emperor Constantine I or its consultants Ossius of Córdoba. Since it is precisely this expression was unacceptable for the Arians in a profession of faith, the council decided despite concerns it.

Swell