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In a reflection on the Nicene Creed, Archbishop John Wilson explains that “knowing and understanding what we believe is crucial for our faith”

In a video reflection on the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Archbishop John Wilson said the Council’s “remarkable moment of unity” which led to the approval of the Nicene Creed, continues to have relevance for our faith today.

Archbishop John explains that:

“knowing and understanding what we believe is crucial for our faith. It ensures we can build deep and meaningful relationships with God, but it also helps us to guide our families and friends in the faith too.”

This is why the Creed, which continues to be recited at every Sunday Mass, is so important, the Archbishop stated. This is because by “uniting in the same confession of faith” we are brought “together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we can assert our faith, united as members of the Mystical Body of Christ”.

In his reflection, Archbishop John runs through the key aspects of the Creed, explains what they mean and why they are important for our Catholic faith.

Placing particular emphasis on the profession of our belief in the “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God”, the Archbishop of Southwark said the confirmation that Jesus is “true God from true God” is crucial because: “these words confirm that the Lord Jesus Christ is fully God, with the same divinity as the Father”.

Archbishop John highlights the historic context for this part of the Creed, “historically, some people had denied Jesus was truly God” he said, which is “why it is so important for us to say these words which are the very heart of our faith: that we know and believe the Lord Jesus is God”.

On the Incarnation, Archbishop John said that “by the Word taking on flesh, the Son of God becomes like us and we became reconciled with God the Father”. The reason the Lord Jesus became man, Archbishop John said, was for:

“a very simple reason: love. It is because of God’s love for us that the Father sent his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”.

It is because of this loving action, the Archbishop said, that we can know of God’s love for us. He added:

“Jesus knows each of us. He loves each one of us. This is why he became man. This is why he carried the burden of our sins, so that through him we can know and be sure of God’s love.

Concluding his message, Archbishop John called on us all to “continue to profess our belief in God the Father, in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit”. He said:

“Let us be witnesses to the Creed and profess our love of the Lord Jesus in the hope that others may come to know his truth and his love.”

You can watch the full video on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/rcsouthwark1.

Archbishop John’s reflection

Dear friends,

This year is the 1700^th anniversary of the first great Ecumenical Council, the Council of Nicaea.

From the very beginning of the Church, bishops have met together to discuss key issues to help guide the faith. This continues today, with the recent Synod on Synodality in Rome.

In the first centuries, these councils often included Bishops from the West and the East. They were significant moments of Christian unity.

And that is exactly what the Council of Nicaea sought to achieve – to preserve Christian unity.

At the time, there were denials of the full divinity of the Lord Jesus. People were casting doubts on whether Jesus was ‘consubstantial’ – whether he was of the same essence with the Father and they denied  that he was God.

In a remarkable moment of unity, the Council of Nicaea unanimously approved the Nicene-Creed, which we still recite today at every Sunday Mass.

And it is the Creed which I want to talk about today.

The Creed

What is a Creed? A creed is a summary of faith – a profession of a belief.

From the day of our Baptism, we entrust our life to the Church to teach us about our faith so we can enter into communion with God – who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In Latin, credo means “I believe” – which is how we start the Creed in Latin.

And knowing and understanding what we believe is crucial for our faith. It ensures we can build deep and meaningful relationships with God, but it also helps us to guide our families and friends in the faith too. 

And that is why uniting in the same confession of faith – in the form of the Creed – is so important. It brings us together, with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we can assert our faith – united and as members of the Mystical Body of Christ.

I believe in One God

Starting our profession of faith rightly begins with “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty”. God is first and last, the beginning and the end – so it is right we start with him.

Everything depends on God – so when we profess our faith – we need to be clear that it is in him we believe and on him that we depend.

I believe in One Lord Jesus Christ

We then move to professing our belief “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God”. In this part of the Creed, we affirm that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, that he is “True God from True God”. That he is “begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father”.

This is really important as these words confirm that the Lord Jesus Christ is fully God – with the same divinity as the Father. Historically, some people had denied that Jesus was truly God – which is why it is so important for us to say these words, which are at the very heart of our faith: that we know and believe the Lord Jesus is God.

By the Holy Spirit was incarnate

After professing our faith in the Lord Jesus, we move to the incarnation. In his loving action, by the Word taking on Flesh – the Son of God becomes like us – we became reconciled with God, the Father.

The Lord Jesus became man for a very simple reason: love. It is because of the love of God for us, that the Father sent his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 

Because of this loving action, we can know of God’s love. Jesus knows each one of us, he loves each one of us. This is why he became man, this is why he carried the burden of our sins – so that through him we can know and be sure of God’s love. 

Jesus suffered, was crucified, died, buried and rose again

Once we’ve recited the incarnation, we then move to the Paschal mystery, the Easter mystery – of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is at the centre of our faith – through his life, death and resurrection God’s plan for our salvation was fulfilled. Within this part of the Creed, we point to the Scriptures – because the resurrection of the Lord Jesus fulfilled promises of the Old Testament and the promises He made too.

In dying for us, Christ liberated us from our sin. His Resurrection not only reveals the truth of Jesus’ divinity, but it also provides for us new life. He died and rose again, so that in the Lord Jesus we too can rise to new life in him.

I believe in the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the next part of the Creed. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity – along with the Father and the Son. The Trinity is one God, three persons distinct, but one in nature.

The Holy Spirit is fundamental to our faith – without the Holy Spirit we would neither have knowledge of our faith, nor could we say that Jesus is Lord.

What the Creed helps us to understand is that the work of the Lord Jesus to save us is a joint mission with Him and the Holy Spirit. When Jesus completes his redemptive sacrifice on earth, Christ pours out the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Church. By sending the Holy Spirit, the Church – which is the Body of Christ – became sanctified and charged with the mission of announcing the Good News and bearing witness to the loving, redemption of Christ.

One Holy Catholic Church

We now move to the final part of the Creed, which professes that the Church is “one, holy, catholic and apostolic”. The Church possesses these characteristics – these marks – because of the Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, who makes His Church – his Body: one, holy, catholic and apostolic.

It is through the Lord Jesus, that the Church is united as one Body.

It is through the Lord Jesus, that the Church is holy – because he sacrificed himself to sanctify her.

Catholic means universal and the Catholic Church is universal, she has been sent by the Lord Jesus to reach all peoples – and that is why she is made up of people from around the whole world, all coming together to profess one faith.

Finally, the Church is apostolic because the Lord Jesus gave the apostle Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and through his successors, the Church has remained in communion with the Lord.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The Church is ultimately one, holy, catholic, and apostolic in her deepest and ultimate identity, because it is in her that "the Kingdom of heaven" the "Reign of God" already exists and will be fulfilled at the end of time.”

Conclusion

As ever with prayers, we end the Creed with Amen. Amen here is a repetition of the words we uttered at the very beginning: ‘I believe’. By reciting the Creed, we are professing our belief – giving our Amen. Belief in God, in his teaching and in his truth.

The Creed, Pope Francis said, “represents a summons to all Churches and Ecclesial Communities to persevere on the path to visible unity and in the quest of finding ways to respond fully to the prayer of the Lord Jesus “that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me””.

So this year, as we celebrate the anniversary of the Creed, let us continue to profess our belief in God the Father, in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit.

And let us be witnesses to the Creed and profess of our love of the Lord Jesus, in the hope that others may come to know his truth and his love as one united voice, in the one, holy and apostolic Catholic Church.

May God bless you and may he keep you.

Amen