At Jesus the Good Shepherd, we join with Christians around the world and since the early church who summarize what we believe in the words of the Nicene Creed.
The early Christian Church was attacked by many individuals and groups who created new teachings (heresies) that are not in agreement with Tradition and Scripture. In 325 A.D. the Roman Emperor, St. Constantine, called Bishops from around the world and Archbishops from the five great cities of the Christian world, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem and Rome, to combat this false teaching.
The 318 Bishops who gathered in the city of Nicea, for the First Ecumenical Council, were in unanimous agreement about the teaching of the church, summarized in the words of the Nicene Creed. This was not new teaching, but the faith that was once-delivered to the saints.
Because of false teaching about the Holy Spirit, the Bishops of the world gathered again in 381 A.D. in Constantinople for the Second Ecumenical Council and revised the Nicene Creed to include the last paragraph affirming the Holy Spirit as a full member of the Trinity.
As Anglicans, we affirm that we are not a denomination. We are a branch of the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We have no teaching that is our own, but we affirm the faith that was once-delivered and has been taught Always (since the Apostles), Everywhere (Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Rome) and by Everyone (the Fathers of the Church).
The 318 Bishops who gathered in the city of Nicea, for the First Ecumenical Council, were in unanimous agreement about the teaching of the church, summarized in the words of the Nicene Creed. This was not new teaching, but the faith that was once-delivered to the saints.
Because of false teaching about the Holy Spirit, the Bishops of the world gathered again in 381 A.D. in Constantinople for the Second Ecumenical Council and revised the Nicene Creed to include the last paragraph affirming the Holy Spirit as a full member of the Trinity.
As Anglicans, we affirm that we are not a denomination. We are a branch of the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We have no teaching that is our own, but we affirm the faith that was once-delivered and has been taught Always (since the Apostles), Everywhere (Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Rome) and by Everyone (the Fathers of the Church).
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Definition of the Union of the Divine
and Human Natures in the Person of Christ
Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D., Act V
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body, of one
substance (homoousios) with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer (Theotokos); one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the
distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the Fathers has handed down
to us.
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body, of one
substance (homoousios) with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer (Theotokos); one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the
distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the Fathers has handed down
to us.