Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

Our Statement of Belief

The Creed of the Church, composed by the Church Councils of Nicaea (A.D. 325) and Constantinople 1 (381 A.D.), is the basic statement of what we believe as Orthodox Catholic Christians. The Fathers of the councils wished to create a precise, complete, and simple statement of the Christian Faith so that believers would recognize any opinions which contradicted the Orthodox teachings of the Church. False teaching was found in many places, even within the clergy and hierarchy of the Faith itself, therefore the formulated Creed protected believers from accepting something which was patently false, or heretical.

To protect the Creed's validity, the early Fathers believed that what was taught must be supported by Holy Scripture. The following Scriptural references show where statements of the Creed may be found in the Holy Bible, as lived in the Tradition of the Church.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty ... Gen. 17:1-8; Deut. 6:4; Matthew 6:9

Maker of heaven and earth ...Gen. 1:1-31; Job 38:1-30

And of all things visible and invisible ...Col. 1:15-16; John 1:3

And in one Lord Jesus Christ ...John 20:28; Acts 16:31; John 3:16

The Only-begotten Son of God ...Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:17; John 1:1

Begotten of the Father before all ages ...John 1:1-2, 8:58; Col. 1:16; Phil. 2:6

Light of Light ...John 1:1-9

True God of true God ...John 16:27-28; John 1:1-2

Begotten, not made ...John 1:1-2, 16:28

Of one essence with the Father ...John 14:10-11, 17:22-23

By Whom all things were made ...John 1:3-10, Col. 1:16

Who for us men and our salvation ...Luke 2:30; John 3:16; 1 John 4:14; 1 Tim. 2:5-6

Came down from heaven ...John 3:13, 31; John 6:12-38

And was incarnate of the Holy Spirit ...Luke 1:35

And the Virgin Mary ...Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35-46

And became man ...John 1:14; Phil. 2:6-8, Heb. 2:14-17

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate ...Matthew 27:24-31

And suffered and was buried ...Mark 15:16-46

He arose again on the third day according to the Scriptures ...1 Cor. 15:3-4; Luke 24:1-12; Matthew 12:38-40; Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:16-19

And ascended into heaven ...Luke 24:50-53; Mark 16:16-19

And sits at the right hand of the Father ...Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20

And shall come again with glory ...Psalm 72:9-19; Isaiah 40:5

To judge the living and the dead ...Rev. 20:11-15; Acts 10:42

Whose Kingdom shall have no end ...Psalm 145:13; John 3:16; John 6:40-47

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord ...Gen. 1:2; Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:1-4

The Giver of Life ...John 15:26; John 14:16-17; Rom. 8:2; Gal. 6:8

Who proceeds from the Father ...John 15:26

Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified ...Luke 10:22; Matthew 3:17; John 4:24

Who spoke by the prophets ...Acts 2 17:18; 2 Peter 1:21

I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church ...1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 2:19-22; 4:11-16; 2 Thess. 2:15; 1 Tim. 3:1-15

I confess one baptism for the remission of sins ...Matthew 3:16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38, 8:36-40; Eph. 4:5

I look for the resurrection of the dead ...1 Cor. 15:12-58

And the life of the world to come ...Rom. 8:17-25; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Peter 3:13

Amen.

From The Orthodox Church A to Z by Fr. George Grube, Pages 5-7.