The following creeds are the historic creeds of the Christian Church which the Anglican Church affirms and Christians have always believed in all places and times. The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed are used within our regular worship and summarize the Christian faith in accordance with the Scriptures. The Athanasian Creed is a further explanation of the life of the Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus. While it is rarely used in public worship, it expands our understanding of what we claim in the other two creeds.

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.
He 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 the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten 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,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit
and 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,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshiped and glorified,
who 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. Amen.

The Athanasian Creed

Whosoever will be saved, *
before all things it is necessary
that he hold the Catholic Faith.
Which Faith except everyone do keep
whole and undefiled, *
without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.
And the Catholic Faith is this: *
That we worship one God in Trinity,
and Trinity in Unity,
Neither confounding the Persons, *
nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father,
another of the Son, *
and another of the Holy Ghost.
But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, is all one, *
the Glory equal, the Majesty co-eternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, *
and such is the Holy Ghost.
The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate, *
and the Holy Ghost uncreate.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, *
and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.
The Father eternal, the Son eternal, *
and the Holy Ghost eternal.
And yet they are not three eternals, *
but one eternal.
As also there are not three incomprehensibles,
nor three uncreated, *
but one uncreated, and one incomprehensible.
So likewise the Father is Almighty,
the Son Almighty, *
and the Holy Ghost Almighty.
And yet they are not three Almighties, *
but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, *
and the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet they are not three Gods, *
but one God.
So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, *
and the Holy Ghost Lord.
And yet not three Lords, *
but one Lord.
For like as we are compelled by the
Christian verity *
to acknowledge every Person by himself to be
both God and Lord,
So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion, *
to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.
The Father is made of none, *
neither created, nor begotten.
The Son is of the Father alone, *
not made, nor created, but begotten.
The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, *
neither made, nor created, nor begotten,
but proceeding.
So there is one Father, not three Fathers;
one Son, not three Sons; *
one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; *
none is greater, or less than another;
But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together *
and co-equal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, *
the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity
is to be worshipped.
He therefore that will be saved *
must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation *
that he also believe rightly the
Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the right Faith is, that we believe
and confess, *
that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
is God and Man;
God, of the Substance of the Father,
begotten before the worlds; *
and Man, of the Substance of his Mother,
born in the world;
Perfect God and perfect Man, *
of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting;
Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; *
and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.
Who, although he be God and Man, *
yet he is not two, but one Christ;
One, not by conversion of the Godhead
into flesh, *
but by taking of the Manhood into God;
One altogether; not by confusion of Substance, *
but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, *
so God and Man is one Christ;
Who suffered for our salvation, *
descended into hell, rose again the
third day from the dead.
He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand
of the Father, God Almighty, *
from whence he shall come to judge the
quick and the dead.
At whose coming all men shall rise again
with their bodies *
and shall give account for their own works.
And they that have done good shall go
into life everlasting; *
and they that have done evil into
everlasting fire.
This is the Catholic Faith, *
which except a man believe faithfully,
he cannot be saved.