Earlier formulations of faith after the New Testament era:
• Ignatius, bishop of church in Antioch circa AD 115
• Justin Martyr, Christian apologist and philosopher circa AD 165
• Irenaeus, bishop of church in Lyons, circa AD 120-202
• Tertullian, priest in North Africa, circa AD 145-220
• Hippolytus, bishop of church in Rome, circa AD 200-236

Origins of the Nicene Creed:
• Written at a church council in AD 325 at Nicea with 318 bishops convened by Emperor Constantine
• Council was convened to deal with “Arian controversy” (Nicholas punching Arius!)
• Refined in AD 381 at Constantinople with 150 bishops under Emperor Theodosius I
• Creed and canon belong together (codifying; boundaries for reading Scripture)

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.