66. What is the Creed?
The Creed is an exposition, in few but precise words, of that doctrine which all Christians are bound to believe.
67. What are the words, of this exposition?
They are as follows:
1. I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;
2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made;
3. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Ghost, and of the Virgin Mary, and was made man;
4. And was crucified for us, under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried;
5. And rose again the third day according to the Scripture;
6. And ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;
7. And he shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
8. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets.
9. I believe one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
10. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
11. I look for the resurrection of the dead;
12. And the life of the world to come. Amen.
68. From whom have we this exposition of the faith?
From the Fathers of the first and second œcumenical Councils.
69. What is an œcumenical Council?
An assembly of the Pastors and Doctors of the Catholic Church of Christ, as far as possible, from the whole world, for the confirmation of true doctrine and holy discipline among Christians.
70. How many œcumenical Councils have there been?
Seven: 1, Of Nicæa; 2, Of Constantinople; 3, Of Ephesus; 4, Of Chalcedon; 5, The second of Constantinople; 6, The third of Constantinople; 7, The second of Nicæa.
71. Whence is the rule for assembling Councils?
From the example of the Apostles, who held a Council in Jerusalem. Acts xv. This is grounded also upon the words of Jesus Christ himself, which give to the decisions of the Church such weight that whosoever disobeys them is left deprived of grace as a heathen. But the mean, by which the œcumenical Church utters her decisions, is an œcumenical Council.
Tell it unto the Church; but if he neglect to hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Matt. xviii. 17.
72. What were the particular occasions for assembling the first and second œcumenical Councils, at which the Creed was defined?
The first was held for the confirmation of the true doctrine respecting the Son of God, against the error of Arius, who thought unworthily of the Son of God; the second, for the confirmation of the true doctrine respecting the Holy Ghost, against Macedonius, who thought unworthily of the Holy Ghost.
73. Is it long ago that these Councils were held?
The first was held in the year 325 from the birth of Christ; the second in 381.
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