1,700 Years of the Nicene Creed: Clarity, Unity, and Worship

This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD – one of the most significant gatherings in church history. The council was convened by Emperor Constantine in Nicea (Turkey), on 20 May 325 AD. 

While we don’t have a precise date for when the Nicene Creed itself was formally adopted during the council, it was approved toward the end of the proceedings, likely in late June 325 AD, with 25 June often cited in traditional sources (though not universally agreed upon).

A creed isn’t just a checklist of doctrines; it’s a unifying declaration. In a world of countless opinions and interpretations, the Nicene Creed draws a line around the essentials – not to exclude, but to anchor. It helps Christians across traditions affirm together: We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God… true God from true God.

Creeds give voice to what can be said with confidence – what Scripture reveals clearly and sufficiently. But they also mark the boundary where our words stop and worship begins. When the Creed says that Jesus is “begotten, not made,” it helps us resist both speculation and simplification. God’s nature is revealed, not invented – and remains, in many ways, a holy mystery. 

As the Eastern Orthodox tradition reminds us: “God is not a concept or a theory; He is a person to be encountered.” The Creed leads us to that encounter. It guards us from error, but its deeper purpose is to draw us into awe. Knowing God involves more than just knowing more about God. God is encountered in relationship and worship, as well as in truths he reveals about himself through his Son and his word.   

So this anniversary isn’t just a chance to remember a historic meeting – it’s a chance to re-centre ourselves on Christ. To recite the Creed not as dusty tradition, but as a living confession. In saying it, we join the global and historic church in declaring what is true, and worshipping the One who is truth itself.