Creeds of the Church

"The only intelligible sense that progress or advance can have among men, is that we have a definite vision, and that we wish to make the whole world like that vision.... Progress should mean that we are always changing the world to suit the vision. Progress does mean (just now) that we are always changing the vision." -- G.K. Chesterton

A Creed is the rock to which the Church clings and which sets forth the bases of its teaching and vision for both its adherents and for all who come to it seeking the way to true, everlasting life.  A church without a creed, is a church without a vision, having no faith to confess.

The term creed comes from the Latin word credo which means "I believe." Thus in its simplest terms a creed is a statement or confession of faith. 

According to the Random House/ Webster's Dictionary a creed is:

"an authoritative statement of the chief articles of Christian belief." It is a confession of faith set forth for use by the public and is considered by its framers to be that which is necessary for salvation and/or for the spiritual well-being of the church.

At Baptism in the PNCC the Priest, and the child's sponsors recite the Apostles Creed as they approach the Baptismal Font.  It is a public declaration of faith on behalf of the child to be Baptized. 

At Confirmation, the confirmands recite the Apostles Creed as part of their public 'Declaration of the Confirmed.'

Every Sunday the congregation recites the Nicene Creed as a public declaration of our personal faith, beginning with "I believe." 

The Church recognizes the four (4) ecumenical creeds.  These creeds are those which are held in common by the Greek, Latin, and Evangelical Protestant Churches. These four commonly held ecumenical creeds are: the Apostles' Creed; the Nicene Creed; the Athanasian Creed, and the Chalcedonian Creed. The beliefs of the Polish National Catholic Church are also spelled out and documented in The Confession of Faith of the Polish National Catholic Church adopted in 1914 (click here...)

Apostles Creed Nicene Creed Athanasian Creed Chalcedonian Creed

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 Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven; and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from where he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

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; by 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 sits 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 in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the Prophets.

And 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.

1. Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic Faith:

2. Which Faith except every one keep whole and undefiled: without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.

3. And the Catholic Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;

4. Neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.

5. For there is one Person of the Father: another of the Son: and another of the Holy Ghost.

6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.

7. Such as the Father is: such is the Son: and such is the Holy Ghost.

8. The Father uncreated: the Son uncreated: and the Holy Ghost uncreated.

9. The Father incomprehensible: the Son incomprehensible: and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible.

10. The Father eternal: the Son eternal: and the Holy Ghost eternal. 11. And yet they are not three eternals: but one eternal.

12. As also there are not three uncreated: nor three incomprehensibles, but one uncreated: and one incomprehensible.

13. So likewise the Father is Almighty: the Son Almighty: and the Holy Ghost Almighty.

14. And yet there are not three Almighties: but one Almighty.

15. So the Father is God: the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost is God.

16. And yet they are not three Gods: but one God.

17. So likewise the Father is Lord: the Son Lord: and the Holy Ghost Lord.

18. And yet not three Lords: but one Lord.

19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity: to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord:

20. So are we forbidden by the Catholic Religion: to say, There be three Gods, or three Lords.

21. The Father is made of none: neither created, nor begotten.

22. The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor created: but begotten.

23. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten: but proceeding.

24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers: one Son, not three Sons: one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.

25. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another: none is greater, or less than another.

26. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal.

27. So that in all things, as aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshiped.

28. He therefore that will be saved, must thus think of the Trinity.

29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that he also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

30. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess: that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man;

31. God, of the Substance of the Father; begotten before the worlds: and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the world.

32. Perfect God: and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul. and human flesh subsisting.

33. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead: and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood.

34. Who although he be God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ.

35. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh: but by taking of the Manhood into God.

36. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance: but by unity of Person.

37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man: so God and Man is one Christ;

38. Who suffered for our salvation: descended into hell: rose again the third day from the dead.

39. He ascended into heaven, he sits on the right hand of the Father God Almighty.

40. From where he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies;

42. And shall give account for their own works.

43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting: and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire.

44. this is the Catholic Faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved.

We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.