Until the middle of the twentieth century, creeds and confessions were important to American Baptists, and they are important to us at Cornerstone. Orthodox creeds unite us to the biblical beliefs shared by all Christians throughout church history.

For the past few years, we have recited the Nicene Creed. One thing about which we may be unaware is that there are many variations of any creed that has come to us from ancient tongues. Translating from one language to another is never a word-for-word correspondence. There is no “pure” version. Words are chosen to reflect what the original stated as well as make the text readable, much like a Bible translation or the translation of any selection of text from one language to another.

There is a new website teaching the Nicene Creed that has been developed by The Nicene Creed Project, led by Dr. Matthew Barrett, professor of systematic theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and editor of Credo magazine. You can find it at https://thenicenecreed.org. The version of the Nicene Creed there is a really good version, and the site is especially helpful. Twelve short videos, 3–8 minutes each, provide succinct overviews to various points of the creed. Other pages on the site go into more depth.

To aid clarity and congregational recitation, we are going to transition to this version of the Nicene Creed during our morning worship services. Long sentences are divided into somewhat shorter ones, and, hopefully, clarity and understanding will be enhanced.

Here is the “new” version:

A word about congregational recitation: it is helpful if we pause at the commas and not read through them as though they were not there. Sometimes commas are placed to provide emphasis for particular words or phrases. For instance, look at the first sentence in the version above: “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.” If we read straight through the latter half—“Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.” Grammatically, we do not have to have any commas. The commas aid reflection: God is the maker of heaven and earth—he is the maker of all that is—he is the maker of both the visible and the invisible.

For reference, here is the version that we have been reciting: 

I believe in one God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of the same essence as the Father; by whom him all things were made.

Who, for us and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father, and he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom will never end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins; and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life in the world to come. Amen.

The truths that the Nicene Creed communicates are thoroughly biblical and, consequently, beautiful. May we continue not only to recite this ancient creed but also to cherish its truths in our own hearts and minds.