Christianity is the largest religion in the world, and one of the essential parts of Christianity is Creed. A Creed is like a document of Christians’ belief and faith in Christianity.
Creeds are estimated to be over 150 in number in Christianity, but the top Christianity Creeds are the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed. Apostles Creed is the oldest ever Creed to exist in Christianity.
Nicene Creed is the second oldest Creed which came into existence almost 100 years after Apostles Creed.
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Key Differences –
Apostles Creed –
- Apostles Creed is the first and oldest Christian Creed.
- Some believe it is written by the Apostles, whereas others consider it a younger version of the Old Roman Creed.
- It came into existence during the second century.
- It has lesser details than the Nicene Creed.
- It uses the Latin language.
Nicene Creed –
- Nicene Creed is the second older Christian Creed.
- It was written by a Christian Church Council of Nicaea.
- It came into existence in 325 A.D.
- It has a more detailed description than the Apostles Creed.
- It uses the Greek language.
Comparison Between Apostles Creed And Nicene Creed
| Parameter | Apostles Creed | Nicene Creed |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The most popular and oldest Christian Creed. | The second most popular and second oldest Christian Creed. |
| Existence | It is believed to be formed during the second century. | It is believed to be formed in 325 A.D. |
| Written by | There is no perfect answer on who wrote the Apostles Creed, but some people believe it to be written by the Apostles themselves, while others consider it a younger version of the Old Roman Creed. | It was authored by Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria of the Council of Nicaea. |
| Language | It uses the Latin language. | It uses the Greek language. |
| Length | It is shorter compared to the Nicene Creed. | It is longer compared to the Apostles Creed. |
| Detailing | It contains more details as compared with the Nicene Creed. | It contains lesser details as compared with the Apostles Creed. |
| Usage | It is widely used during Baptism (a Christian ceremony when someone joins Christianity.) | It is widely used during Easter and Lent time. |
| Addressing of followers | It uses “I” when followers recite the Apostles Creed. | It uses “We” when followers recite the Nicene Creed. |
Major Differences Between Apostles Creed And Nicene Creed
To understand the differences between the Apostles and Nicene Creed, it is essential first to understand what a Creed is.
What exactly is a Creed?
Creed originated from the Latin word “Credo,” which means “I believe.” A Creed is like the scripture that denotes one’s belief and faith in a religion. There are more than a hundred and fifty (150) creeds in Christianity, with Apostles and Nicene being the most popular.
Creeds not only represent one’s faith in God but also teach the people who have recently joined a religion the importance of faith in God and help them to achieve that faith and belief.
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The most popular Christian Creeds –
- Apostles Creed
- Nicene Creed
- Athanasian Creed
- Chalcedonian Definition
- Didache
- Baptismal Creed of Jerusalem
- Westminster Confession of Faith
- London Baptist Confession of Faith
- Augsburg Confession of Faith
- Cannons of Dort
What exactly is the Apostles Creed?
Apostles Creed is the first and the oldest yet widely used Christian Creed, which has been existing since the second century. It is believed to be written by the Apostles, but many believe it is invalid.
However, some believe it is a version of the Old Roman Creed. This Creed is mainly used during the Baptism ceremony. This ceremony is conducted when someone wants to join Christianity. This Creed uses the term “I” to appoint the followers instead of “We.”
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Features of Apostles Creed –
- It is the oldest Christian Creed.
- It came into existence during the second century.
- It was written in the Latin language.
- It is widely used during the ceremony of Baptism.
- It uses “I” instead of “We.”
What exactly is the Nicene Creed?
Nicene Creed is the second most popular Creed in Christianity. It came into existence after the Apostle’s Creed. Unlike the Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed was formed by a church council, namely the council of Nicaea, during the 325 A.D.
Since it was formed in Nicaea, thus, it is known as the Nicene Creed. This Creed is related to the death of Jesus Christ; therefore, it is widely used during Lent and Easter. This Creed uses “We” instead of “I” to denote the Christian followers.
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Features of Nicene Creed –
- It is the second oldest Christian Creed which came into existence almost a hundred years after the Apostles Creed.
- It came into existence in 325 A.D.
- It was written in the Greek language.
- The Lent and Easter season makes vigorous use of the Nicene Creed.
- It uses “We” instead of “I.”
Contrast Between Apostles Creed And Nicene Creed
Origin Of The Word
- Apostles Creed – The word Apostle originated from the Greek word “Apostolos,” which means “messenger,” which originated from another Greek word, “Apostellein,” which means “send forth.”
- Nicene Creed – The word Nicene originated from
Meaning
- Apostles Creed – The oldest and the most popular Christian Creed
- Nicene Creed – The second oldest Christian Creed was formed a hundred years later than the Apostles Creed.
Existence
- Apostles Creed – It was during the second century when Apostles Creed came into existence.
- Nicene Creed – It was during the 325 A.D. when Nicene Creed came into existence.
Formed By
- Apostles Creed – Some believe it was the Apostles who wrote the Apostles Creed, while some belief it to be a younger version of the Old Roman Creed.
- Nicene Creed – Nicene Creed was formed by a church council, precisely the Nicaea Council. It is believed that in the council, Pope Athanasius I of Alexandra authored the Nicene Creed.
Language
- Apostles Creed – It makes use of the Latin language.
- Nicene Creed – It makes use of the Greek language.
Usage
- Apostles Creed – The Christian ceremony of Baptism widely uses Apostles Creed.
- Nicene Creed – The Lent and Easter occasion primarily uses Nicene Creed.
Addressing Followers
- Apostles Creed – To address the followers, the Apostles Creed uses the term “I” instead of “We.”
- Nicene Creed – To address the followers, Nicene Creed uses “We” instead of “I.”
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~ The Apostles Creed ~
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there, he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
~ The Nicene Creed ~
We believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him, all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered and was buried.
The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
He ascended to heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory
to judge the living and the dead.
His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life.
He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.
He spoke through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We affirm one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and to living in the world to come. Amen.
Length
- Apostles Creed – Apostles Creed is shorter than the Nicene Creed.
- Nicene Creed – Nicene Creed is longer than the Apostles Creed.
Detailing
- Apostles Creed – Apostles Creed has less detail than the Nicene Creed.
- Nicene Creed – Nicene Creed is very detailed than the Apostles Creed.
Conclusion
Creed is simply a script or a prayer that denotes one’s faith and beliefs in God. Creeds are essential to Christianity, especially the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed.
Apostles and Nicene Creed are two of the oldest and most widely used Creeds, which have similarities and differences. Unfortunately, both the terms sound like synonyms and are used interchangeably many times.
The major difference between the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed is that the former is used during Baptism while the latter has been linked with Jesus Christ and is used during Lent and Easter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is a Creed?
A Creed can be described as holy scripture or prayer that usually represents an individual’s faith and love towards God. Creeds are also used to teach about one’s religion to those who have recently joined it.
There are over 100 creeds in Christianity, and the most popular ones are the Apostles and Nicene Creed.
Q2. Who wrote the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed?
In the case of the Apostles Creed, there is no confirmed answer on who wrote the Apostles Creed.
Although some people believe the Apostles initially reported it while others consider it to be a younger version of the Old Roman Creed.
In the case of the Nicene Creed, it was initially written by the council of the Nicaea Church, precisely by Pope Athanasius I of Alexandra.
Q3. What are the major differences between the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed?
The major differences between the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed are –
1. The apostle’s Creed was formed earlier, while Nicene Creed was developed later.
2. The apostle’s Creed carries a rough description, whereas the Nicene Creed carries a detailed description.
3. Apostles Creed uses the term “I,” while Nicene Creed uses the word “We.”
4. The apostle’s Creed is used during the joining ceremony of Christianity, i.e., Baptism, whereas Nicene Creed is used during Lent and Easter.
5. The apostle’s Creed was initially written in Latin, while Nicene Creed was originally written in Greek.
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