THE CREEDS
The APOSTLES' CREED said to have been
composed by the Apostles is usually the first creed that we learn in Sunday
School and contains the basics of the Christian faith.......
I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH;
AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD; WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED,
DIED AND WAS BURIED. HE DESCENDED INTO HELL, THE THIRD DAY HE AROSE AGAIN FROM
THE DEAD; HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY; FROM WHENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE
The following Responsorial based upon the
Apostles Creed is used at Baptism; during Masses with many children present,
the renewal of Baptismal promises at Confirmation, the Easter Vigil; when one
returns to the Christian community after having been in heretical affiliations;
and sometimes between the Bishop and Ordinant at Ordinations:
Priest: DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH?
Response: I DO.
Priest: DO YOU BELIEVE IN
WHO WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY,
WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED,
ROSE FROM THE DEAD,
AND IS NOW SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER?
Response: I DO.
Priest: DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT,
THE
THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
AND LIFE EVERLASTING?
Response: I DO.
The NICENE CREED promulgated by the council
of Nicea in 325 without the ‘filioque clause’(part in italics) which was added
by the Roman Church in the 10 th Century, contains
the truths of Christianity which are held by all Apostolic Christians and is
said on all Sundays and Feast days. (Optional weekdays)
I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY,
CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND OF ALL THINGS VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, AND IN
ONE
FOR US AND FOR OUR SALVATION, HE CAME DOWN
FROM HEAVEN, WAS MADE FLESH BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, AND
WAS MADE MAN.
HE SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS
ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN. HE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER. HE WILL COME
AGAIN IN GLORY TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. HIS KINGDOM WILL BE WITHOUT
END.
I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, LORD AND GIVER
OF LIFE, WHO PROCEEDS FROM THE FATHER,
WITH THE FATHER AND THE SON HE IS WORSHIPED AND GLORIFIED, HE SPOKE THROUGH THE
PROPHETS.
I BELIEVE IN ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND
APOSTOLIC CHURCH. I CONFESS ONE BAPTISM FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. I LOOK
FORWARD TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN
The ATHANASIAN CREED [
WHOSOEVER WILL BE SAVED, BEFORE ALL THINGS IT
IS NECESSARY THAT HE HOLD THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
WHICH FAITH EXCEPT EVERYONE DO KEEP WHOLE AND UNDEFILED, WITHOUT DOUBT HE SHALL
PERISH EVERLASTING.
AND THE CATHOLIC FAITH IS THIS: THAT WE WORSHIP ONE GOD IN TRINITY, AND TRINITY
IN UNITY, NEITHER CONFOUNDING THE PERSONS, NOR DIVIDING THE SUBSTANCE.
FOR THERE IS ONE PERSON OF THE FATHER, ANOTHER OF THE SON, AND ANOTHER OF THE
HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT]
BUT THE GODHEAD OF THE FATHER, OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT], IS
ALL ONE, THE GLORY EQUAL, THE MAJESTY CO-ETERNAL
SUCH AS THE FATHER IS, SUCH IS THE SON, AND SUCH IS THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT].
THE FATHER UNCREATE, THE SON UNCREATE, AND THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT] UNCREATE.
THE FATHER INCOMPREHENSIBLE, THE SON INCOMPREHENSIBLE, AND THE HOLY GHOST
[SPIRIT] INCOMPREHENSIBLE.
THE FATHER ETERNAL, THE SON ETERNAL, AND THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT] ETERNAL
AND YET THEY ARE NOT THREE ETERNALS, BUT ONE ETERNAL.
AS ALSO THERE ARE NOT THREE INCOMPREHENSIBLES, NOR THREE UNCREATED, BUT ONE
UNCREATED AND ONE INCOMPREHENSIBLE
SO LIKEWISE THE FATHER IS ALMIGHTY, THE SON ALMIGHTY, AND THE HOLY GHOST
[SPIRIT] ALMIGHTY,
AND YET THEY ARE NOT THREE ALMIGHTIES, BUT ONE ALMIGHTY.
SO THE FATHER IS GOD, THE SON IS GOD, AND THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT] IS GOD.
AND YET THEY ARE NOT THREE GODS, BUT ONE GOD
SO LIKEWISE THE FATHER IS LORD, THE SON IS LORD, AND THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT] IS
LORD.
AND YET NOT THREE LORDS, BUT ONE LORD.
FOR LIKE AS WE ARE COMPELLED BY THE
SO ARE WE FORBIDDEN BY THE CATHOLIC RELIGION, TO SAY, THERE BE THREE GODS, OR
THREE LORDS.
THE FATHER IS MADE OF NONE, NEITHER CREATED, NOR BEGOTTEN.
THE SON IS OF THE FATHER ALONE, NOT MADE, NOT CREATED, BUT BEGOTTEN.
THE HOLY GHOST [SPIRIT] IS OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON, NEITHER MADE, NOR
CREATED, NOR BEGOTTEN, BUT PROCEEDING.
SO THERE IS ONE FATHER, NOT THREE FATHERS; ONE SON, NOT THREE SONS; ONE HOLY
GHOST [SPIRIT], NOT THREE HOLY GHOSTS [SPIRITS]
AND IN THIS TRINITY NONE IS AFORE, OR AFTER
OTHER; NONE IS GREATER, OR LESS THEN ANOTHER;
BUT THE WHOLE THREE PERSONS ARE CO-ETERNAL TOGETHER AND CO-EQUAL.
SO THAT IN ALL THINGS, AS IS AFORESAID, THE UNITY IN TRINITY AND THE TRINITY IN
UNITY IS TO BE WORSHIPPED.
HE THEREFORE THAT WILL BE SAVED MUST THUS THINK OF THE TRINITY.
FURTHERMORE, IT IS NECESSARY TO EVERLASTING SALVATION THAT HE ALSO BELIEVE RIGHTLY
THE INCARNATION OF OUR
FOR THE RIGHT FAITH IS, THAT WE BELIEVE AND CONFESS, THAT OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, IS GOD AND MAN;
GOD, OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE FATHER, BEGOTTEN BEFORE THE WORLDS; AND MAN, OF
THE SUBSTANCE OF HIS MOTHER, BORN IN THE WORLD;
PERFECT GOD AND PERFECT MAN, OF A REASONABLE SOUL AND HUMAN FLESH SUBSISTING;
EQUAL TO THE FATHER, AS TOUCHING HIS GODHEAD; AND INFERIOR TO THE FATHER, AS
TOUCHING HIS MANHOOD.
WHO ALTHOUGH HE BE GOD AND MAN, YET HE IS NOT TWO, BUT ONE
ONE, NOT BY CONVERSION OF THE GODHEAD INTO FLESH, BUT BY TAKING OF THE MANHOOD
INTO GOD;
ONE ALTOGETHER; NOT BY CONFUSION OF SUBSTANCE, BUT BY UNITY OF PERSON.
FOR AS THE REASONABLE SOUL AND FLESH IS ONE MAN, SO GOD AND MAN IS ONE CHRIST;
WHO SUFFERED FOR OUR SALVATION, DESCENDED INTO HELL, ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY
FROM THE DEAD.
HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, HE SITTETH ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER, GOD
ALMIGHTY, FROM WHENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD.
AT WHOSE COMING ALL MEN SHALL RISE AGAIN WITH THEIR BODIES AND SHALL GIVE
ACCOUNT OF THEIR OWN WORKS.
AND THEY THAT HAVE DONE GOOD SHALL GO INTO LIFE EVERLASTING; AND THEY THAT HAVE
DONE EVIL INTO EVERLASTING FIRE.
THIS IS THE CATHOLIC FAITH, WHICH EXCEPT A MAN BELIEVE FAITHFULLY, HE CANNOT BE SAVED.
ADDRESS COMMENTS AND/QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PAGE TO Msgr. MARTIN
OR
Revised 15 APRIL 2008