This experience breaks down the Creed into its core beliefs. Forged at the Councils of Nicaea (325 AD) and Constantinople (381 AD), the Creed is the definitive statement of Christian faith, unifying believers for centuries. You will be guided through its four main sections:
Part I: Belief in God the Father
Part II: Belief in Jesus Christ, the Son
Part III: Belief in the Holy Spirit
Part IV: Belief in the Church and Life to Come
The Foundation of Faith
Our entire faith rests upon this first principle: the existence of one, true God who is both the all-powerful Creator and our loving Father. This section explores the nature of God as the origin of all things.
To profess belief in "one God" is a radical statement. It sets our faith apart from ancient polytheism and modern ideologies that compete for our ultimate allegiance. It means there is a single, unified, and coherent source of all truth, beauty, and existence. This unity of God is the bedrock upon which the mystery of the Trinity is built.
Calling God "Father" reveals the nature of our relationship with Him. It's a term of intimate love and trust. He is not a detached cosmic force, but a person who provides, protects, and guides. The title "Almighty" is not about brute force, but about His absolute power to bring good out of everything, even suffering, for the sake of His children.
God is the "maker of heaven and earth," the uncaused cause of all that exists. This includes the vast, physical universe we can see ("visible") and the entire spiritual reality we cannot—the angels, the saints, and our own immortal souls ("invisible"). Everything has its origin in His loving thought, and everything finds its ultimate purpose in Him.
The Heart of Salvation
The Creed now moves to its central figure: Jesus Christ. This is the longest part because it details the historical, world-changing events of our salvation—how God Himself entered His creation to save it.
The Creed insists that Jesus is not a prophet, a demigod, or a creation. He is "consubstantial with the Father"—meaning He shares the very same divine essence. Like light from a source of light, He is "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God." This is the core mystery: the second person of the Trinity has always existed, co-eternal with the Father.
The Incarnation is the moment God entered human history. The divine Word "became man." Why? "For us men and for our salvation." He took on our human nature—our joys, our struggles, our mortality—to build a bridge between humanity and God that had been broken by sin. This is the ultimate act of humility and love.
The crucifixion was not a myth, but a brutal, historical event under Pontius Pilate. Jesus's death was real. He fully experienced human suffering and mortality. This was not a tragic accident, but the ultimate, intentional sacrifice—a perfect offering of love made "for our sake" to atone for our sins and demonstrate the depths of God's mercy.
The Resurrection is the single most important event in history and the bedrock of Christian faith. On the third day, Jesus rose, body and soul. This was not a ghost or a resuscitated corpse; it was the definitive victory over sin and death itself. It is the proof of His divinity and the source of our hope for eternal life.
Christ's Ascension into Heaven marks His return to glory, where He is "seated at the right hand of the Father," a position of ultimate honor and authority. But His story is not over. We believe He will come again in glory at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, establishing His eternal kingdom where justice and peace will reign forever.
The Life of the Church
The work of salvation is continued in the world through the third person of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit. He is the active presence of God within the Church and in the hearts of believers.
The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force or an energy; He is the "Lord," a distinct, divine Person. He is the love that flows eternally between the Father and the Son. As the third person of the Blessed Trinity, He is fully and completely God, sharing the same divine nature.
Because the Holy Spirit is God, He is worthy of the same worship. He is "adored and glorified" right alongside the Father and the Son. There is no hierarchy of importance within the Trinity; there is a perfect communion of three co-equal, co-eternal Persons in one God.
The Spirit is the "giver of life." He "spoke through the prophets" in the Old Testament, empowered the Apostles at Pentecost, and continues to be the soul of the Church. He is the one who guides us into truth, convicts us of sin, and gives us the grace to live a holy life.
The Journey of Hope
The Creed concludes by looking at the consequences of our faith: the community of believers Christ left on earth and the ultimate hope we share for what lies beyond this life.
We profess a belief in a Church that is One in its unified faith and leadership; Holy in its founder and its mission to sanctify; Catholic, meaning universal and for all people; and Apostolic, tracing its authority in an unbroken line back to the Apostles themselves. This is the visible family of God on earth.
Our entry point into this family is "one Baptism." This sacrament is far more than a symbol; it is the spiritual rebirth that washes away original sin, makes us children of God, and incorporates us into the Body of Christ. It is the first step on the lifelong journey of faith and conversion.
Our hope extends beyond the immortality of the soul. We look forward to the "resurrection of the body." At the end of time, God will raise our mortal bodies and transform them into glorified bodies, reunited with our souls. This affirms the goodness of our physical bodies and the promise of a complete, transformed existence in the new creation.
The Creed ends with our ultimate destination: "the life of the world to come." This is eternal life, a state of perfect, unending joy in communion with the Trinity. By saying "Amen," we stake our lives on this promise. It is our firm and faithful "So be it," a personal seal on this entire declaration of faith.
To say "Amen" is to say "I believe." It is our personal "yes" to the story of salvation. It is an act of trust, a declaration of hope, and a commitment to live according to these truths. May this Creed be not just words we recite, but the faith we live by.
Return to Main Page