Roots of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Roots of the
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

The Sacred Creeds
(Nicene, Apostles', Modern & Korean)

Nicene Creed
Possibly the most influential creed ever formulated was the NICENE CREED, adopted by the Council of Nicacea in the year AD 325. It put a formal end to the violent dispute between certain theologians over the relationship of Jesus to God by accepting the doctrine of the Trinity. It drew the dividing line between Orthodoxy and Heresy, thereby enabling the Church to protect the unity of the Church.

[Minister:] Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

[Minister and People:] I believe in one God: the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried, and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory; to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with, the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed is similar in form being, in fact, a shorter version of the Nicene Creed. The Creed points up belief in the Trinity, Immaculate Conception of Jesus and the resurrection of the flesh. It is the summary of the gospels and constitutes the common confession of the Christian Church concerning the Triune God and His Word.

[Minister:] Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

[Minister and People:] I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, the third day He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick 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 Korean Creed
The Methodists of Korea, discouraged by the slow progress toward union of Methodist bodies in America in 1928, appealed to the two respective General Conferences of The Mother Churches (1928 and 1930) for permission to organize an autonomous church. A constitution was drafted and a new creed, the KOREAN CREED, was written:

[Minister:] Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the one true Church, apostolic and universal, whose holy faith let us now declare.

[Minister and People:] We believe in the one God, Maker and Rules of all things, Father of all men, the Source of all goodness and beauty, all truth and love.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, our Teacher, Example, and Redeemer, the Savior of the world.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, God present with us for guidance, for comfort, and for strength.

We believe in the forgiveness of sins, in the life and love and prayer, and in grace equal to every need.

We believe in the word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments as the sufficient rule both of faith and of practice.

We believe in the Church as the fellowship for worship and for service of all who are united to the living Lord.

We believe in the Kingdom of God as the divine rule in human society, and in the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God.

We believe in the final triumph of righteousness, and in the life everlasting. Amen.

A Modern Affirmation
In later days, other formulations of the faith have emerged and have secured a widening circle of use in the teaching and worshipping program of the Church. One such creed is the MODERN AFFIRMATION.

[Minister:] Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the one true Church, apostolic and universal, whose holy faith let us now declare.

[Minister and People:] We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power and love, whose mercy is over all His works, and whose will is ever directed to His children's good.

We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the Gift of the Father's unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.

We believe in the Holy Spirit and the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need.

We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth. Amen.