Jaroslav Pelikan said that, "Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living and Tradition is the living faith of the dead."
Creeds and creedalism have tended to scare Protestants and especially Baptists. Our tradition has taught us that we find truth in the person of Christ who is communicated to us through Scripture. While holding this to be true we also believe that the historical church has given us a gift by having difficult conversations and confessing the truths that affirm the tenets of Christian faith.

The Nicene Creed then, is a summary of our faith. It both gives us a foundation to stand on and a direction to move. The creed does not stifle our ability to do theology and have meaningful conversations about faith, while it does remind us of where we have been and what has already been said. The creed empowers us to be creative without being heretical.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only 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 of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. 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, 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.