The Nicene Creed - line by line

[Radagast]

I haven't read the baptismal liturgy

I was fortunate enough to attend an Orthodox baptism recently.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I like that picture. At the risk of detailing my thread (but we're almost finished) ... I went looking for my FAVORITE baby baptism picture, but I can't seem to find it in my computer, or on Facebook where I thought I posted it, or on my Pinterest. It's completely disappeared though. And it was awesome - baby coming up splashing out of the water, arms outstretched, looked like he was about to fly! Something about the way the baby looked always makes me smile. I hope I find it again.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

I would like also to post Luther's flood prayer which remains part of our Baptismal rite to this day. Luther's great knowledge of old and new Testament Scripture shines through in this prayer expounding both Law and Gospel as we Lutherans do so well.

Our current rite also contains a renunciation of "the devil and all his works"; and the traditional baptismal exorcism rite is included as an option in our rite as well.

Here they are:

Almighty eternal God, who according to thy righteous judgment did condemn the unbelieving world through the flood and in Your great mercy did preserve believing Noah and his family, and Who did drown hardhearted Pharaoh with all his host in the Red Sea and did lead Your people Israel through the same on dry ground, thereby prefiguring this bath of Your baptism, and who through the baptism of Your dear Child, our Lord Jesus Christ, hast consecrated and set apart the Jordan and all water as a salutary flood and rich and full washing away of sins: We pray through the same groundless mercy that You will graciously behold this N. and bless him (her) with true faith in the spirit so that by means of this saving flood all that has been born in him from Adam and which he himself has added thereto may be drowned in him and engulfed, and that he may be sundered from the number of the unbelieving, preserved dry and secure in the holy ark or Christendom, serve Your name at all times fervent in spirit and joyful in hope, so that with all believers he may be made worthy to attain eternal life according to Your promise; through Jesus Chris our lord. Amen.


Therefore, miserable devil, acknowledge your judgment and give glory to the true and living God, give glory to His Son Jesus Christ and to the Holy Ghost, and depart from this N., N., His servant; for God and our Lord Jesus Christ has of His goodness called him to His holy grace and blessing, and to the fountain of baptisms so that you may never dare to disturb this sign of the holy cross + which we make on his (her) forehead; through Him who comes again to judge, and lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.


So hearken now, miserable devil, adjured by the name of the eternal God and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and depart trembling and groaning, conquered together with your hatred, so that you shal have nothing to do with the servant of God who now seeks that which is heavenly and renounces you and your world, and shall live in blessed immortality. Give glory therefore now to the Holy Ghost who comes and descends from the loftiest castle of heaven in order to destroy your deceit and treachery, and having cleansed the heart with the divine fountain, to make it ready, a holy temple and dwelling of God, so that this servant of God, freed from all guilt of former sin, may always give thanks to the eternal God and praise his name forever and ever. Amen.

The usual vows follow, and then the baptism by the trinitarian formula.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I would like also to post Luther's flood prayer which remains part of our Baptismal rite to this day. Luther's great knowledge of old and new Testament Scripture shines through in this prayer expounding both Law and Gospel as we Lutherans do so well.

Our current rite also contains a renunciation of "the devil and all his works"; and the traditional baptismal exorcism rite is included as an option in our rite as well.

Here they are:

The usual vows follow, and then the baptism by the trinitarian formula.

Thank you, Mark. I like that one as well.

I'm starting to think some of the baptisms I have heard, people got "cheated". It was usually just a statement about buried/resurrected in the likeness of Christ, and in the Name of either the Trinity, or Jesus.

I am enjoying reading these. Thanks again.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Baptism as seen from the standpoint in Jesus.
Before the dove, as the Spirit, descended upon Christ,
He had already been born of the Holy Spirit.

Viewing what we call the experience of baptism into the new creation;
it can be seen that Jesus was born from above, the uncorrupted seed,
from the Spirit and not of man.
( as are we when we become the new creation )
His condition was that of the first begotten Son of God that we all are adopted into.
At our baptism we are dead when we immerse into the water and
we come up again resurrected to the new life that is found in Christ.

Luke 1:35
35 And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore also the holy thing which is born will be called
the Son of God.

So at the time of Christ's baptism He already had the Spirit of God within Him.
He had already recieved the breath of life at His birth.
While in our case, our baptism is our rebirth.

When Jesus was baptised in water it was for His ministry.
The Holy Spirit came upon Him. (It was already within Him at birth.)
Prophesy was fulfilled by His baptism as an anointment to the King of Kings

Isa 61:
The Year of the Lord's Favor
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Isa 42
The Lord's Chosen Servant
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Psalm 45
7 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

 

[~Anastasia~]

And so we come to the end ...

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Creator 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 ages;

Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten,
not created, of one essence with the Father
through Whom all things were made.

Who for us men and for our salvation
came down from heaven and was incarnate
of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became man.

He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,
and suffered and was buried;

And He rose on the third day,
according to the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;

And He will come again with glory to judge the living
and dead. His kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Creator of life,
Who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], Who together with the
Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who
spoke through the prophets.

In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the age to come.

Amen.

 

[Radagast]

I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the age to come.

MAHALIA JACKSON DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE - YouTube

"Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna lay down my sword and shield
Down by the riverside,
Study war no more...

Gonna put on my long white robe
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna put on my long white robe
Down by the riverside,
Study war no more...

Gonna meet all my friends been gone
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
Gonna meet all my friends been gone
Down by the riverside,
Study war no more..."

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the age to come.

Amen.

1 Cor 15
11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. The Risen Christ, Our Hope


12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. The Last Enemy Destroyed


20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.

For I know that my redeemer lives and that together our dead bodies shall arise, awaken and sing in the dew of the morning sun and walk in the gift of fullness and the newness of life in He who has conquered all.

 

[Architeuthus]

A good thread.

 

[Truly1999]

The version you use is slightly different to the one I'm used to, but it's still a pleasure to read.

The whole church I first attended used to sing the Nicene Creed, the priest as loud as was needed, the congregation a little feeble, almost as though they were trespassing on holy ground. I sang at a normal volume.

It took me on a journey - as part of Sunday Eucharist - from feeling humble, to being humble and proud!

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Luther paraphrased the creed for choral singing; we do ocassionally sing it (in English), but the original German sounds better.

 

[Truly1999]

Laughing Out Loud, unfortunately I don't know German, but the English version I'm used to is more flowery, more embellished. Recently, I attended a "Sung Eucharist" where a modern version was said not sung. Singing the creed helped me remember it better, plus I loved the changes in emphasis and volume, humble and quiet, for instance, where you sing of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, and then louder, triumphant, 'But on the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures, And ascended into Heaven, And sitteth at the right hand of the Father...' It was a truly emotional and spiritual experience!

 

[~Anastasia~]

I loved the changes in emphasis and volume, humble and quiet, for instance, where you sing of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, and then louder, triumphant, 'But on the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures, And ascended into Heaven, And sitteth at the right hand of the Father...' It was a truly emotional and spiritual experience!

We speak the Creed in our Church, and people do tend to emphasize certain parts ... But I can see how a sung version could draw a person into it.

Then again, I appreciate both aspects. There is an understanding too of rather than being led in emotions, sometimes things are purposely done flatly in Church, so as to allow a person's focus and heart to be where they are best for them, between them and God, and not disturbing that.

I do think I could appreciate both, in proper context.

 

[Truly1999]

We speak the Creed in our Church, and people do tend to emphasize certain parts ... But I can see how a sung version could draw a person into it.

Then again, I appreciate both aspects. There is an understanding too of rather than being led in emotions, sometimes things are purposely done flatly in Church, so as to allow a person's focus and heart to be where they are best for them, between them and God, and not disturbing that.

I do think I could appreciate both, in proper context.

Sadly, the church where I gave my life to Jesus in 1986 recently closed its doors. People no longer meet there for Sunday worship. I moved away in the 1990s and visited often, whenever I visited my parents who live nearby. Even though it was a traditional church, it is a modern building and embraced modern worship too. It was the heart and soul of the community, with close links to local schools and community groups. It now only has a Wednesday morning Holy Communion service - it's time and day suggests it is aimed at the remaining retired church members. The local schools remain open and are full each year. The surrounding community is packed with young families. There's still a need to keep young people engaged in constructive activities. The harvest is there, but there are no harvest workers to bring in the harvest. No more Nicene Creed - no more declaration of faith in this community. It was the only viable, sustainable church, but the church members were poor and could not keep up their payments to the Bishop. Now the community has been abandoned and the focus is on the more wealthy neighbouring church.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Sadly, the church where I gave my life to Jesus in 1986 recently closed its doors. People no longer meet there for Sunday worship. I moved away in the 1990s and visited often, whenever I visited my parents who live nearby. Even though it was a traditional church, it is a modern building and embraced modern worship too. It was the heart and soul of the community, with close links to local schools and community groups. It now only has a Wednesday morning Holy Communion service - it's time and day suggests it is aimed at the remaining retired church members. The local schools remain open and are full each year. The surrounding community is packed with young families. There's still a need to keep young people engaged in constructive activities. The harvest is there, but there are no harvest workers to bring in the harvest. No more Nicene Creed - no more declaration of faith in this community. It was the only viable, sustainable church, but the church members were poor and could not keep up their payments to the Bishop. Now the community has been abandoned and the focus is on the more wealthy neighbouring church.

Sad indeed.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Laughing Out Loud, unfortunately I don't know German, but the English version I'm used to is more flowery, more embellished. Recently, I attended a "Sung Eucharist" where a modern version was said not sung. Singing the creed helped me remember it better, plus I loved the changes in emphasis and volume, humble and quiet, for instance, where you sing of Jesus' crucifixion and burial, and then louder, triumphant, 'But on the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures, And ascended into Heaven, And sitteth at the right hand of the Father...' It was a truly emotional and spiritual experience!

Luther always considered the Te Deum a "4th Creed". This is our setting from Matins, and you will note that in this setting, when confessing a belief in Christ's humiliation that the key switches from Major to Minor, then back to Major for the conclusion.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Sadly, the church where I gave my life to Jesus in 1986 recently closed its doors. People no longer meet there for Sunday worship. I moved away in the 1990s and visited often, whenever I visited my parents who live nearby. Even though it was a traditional church, it is a modern building and embraced modern worship too. It was the heart and soul of the community, with close links to local schools and community groups. It now only has a Wednesday morning Holy Communion service - it's time and day suggests it is aimed at the remaining retired church members. The local schools remain open and are full each year. The surrounding community is packed with young families. There's still a need to keep young people engaged in constructive activities. The harvest is there, but there are no harvest workers to bring in the harvest. No more Nicene Creed - no more declaration of faith in this community. It was the only viable, sustainable church, but the church members were poor and could not keep up their payments to the Bishop. Now the community has been abandoned and the focus is on the more wealthy neighbouring church.

Yes, that is very sad. I don't know what to say about that.