尼西亞信經 (The Nicene Creed )

尼西亞信經是在西元325年第一次召開的教會議會中制定的。當時亞利烏（Arius，256～336）及其理論在教會中造成分裂，他主張聖子為聖父所造，因此與聖父不同本質。此說被亞歷山大的主教定為異端，但後來卻因他的口才與政治長才，得蒙亞城之外地區的支援，而造成兩派的對立。羅馬皇帝君士坦丁（Constantine）深恐教會會因此分裂，於是在325年尼西亞這個地方召開會議，深盼在神學觀點上取得共識。議會共有318位主教參加，除了少數幾位來自西方教會之外，其餘皆是說希臘語的東方教會代表，而這其中又分為安提阿的亞利烏派，亞歷山大的正統派及由歷史家優西比烏（Eusebius.260～340）所領導的中間派。當亞利烏派的代表優西比烏（非歷史家）提出其信仰論點時，立即受到強烈的否定，且被定為異端；於是在皇帝的特使侯休斯（Hosius of Cordova）的領導之下，完成了尼西亞信經，並經所有主教的簽名表示接納。此信經被送到帝國各處，是第一個具有權威又普遍的信仰告白。

尼西亞信經很明顯的是反對亞利烏的神學：子是「從真神而來的真神」，雖是生出的，卻是「從父而來」，而「非受造」；而且子是「從父的本體而來」，並且「與父本體相同」，都是針對亞利烏派錯誤而提出的。

此信經與今日教會使用的尼西亞信經並不完全相同，後者較前者為長，且不包含一些尼西亞信經中重要的用語。為何有此演變，則無人知曉了！

尼西亞信經

阿門

The Nicene Creed

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