The Symbol of Faith
First Council of Constantinople (A.D. 381)
Content
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father; by Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.
And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;
And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets.
In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Background & Context
The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (A.D. 381) is a statement of Christian faith that was formulated at the First Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381. It expanded upon the original Creed of Nicaea (325 A.D.) to address the Arian controversy and clarify the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
Historical Background
- 325 A.D.: Original Creed of Nicaea addressed Arianism
- 381 A.D.: Expanded at Constantinople to include the Holy Spirit
- Controversy: Fought against Arian teachings that denied Christ's full divinity
This creed remains the most widely accepted statement of Christian faith across Orthodox, Catholic, and many Protestant churches, serving as a foundational confession of the Trinity and the Incarnation.