The Creed of Faith
The Main Idea of the Lecture
The lecture explains the Christian Creed of Faith accepted by the Church and clarifies its historical roots from the Council of Nicaea and later the addition of the part concerning the Holy Spirit in the Council of Constantinople.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the Creed contains the essential doctrines of Christianity such as the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, redemption, the resurrection, and the second coming.
First: The Meaning of Faith
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that faith is not merely an intellectual idea or theoretical belief, but rather a deep inner conviction of the heart.
Faith rises above the mind but does not contradict it, as the mind may fail to understand the details but still accepts the truth revealed by divine revelation.
He gives examples from daily life to explain that humans accept many things without knowing their full details, such as scientific phenomena or modern communication methods. Likewise, in faith a person accepts divine truths even if all their mysteries are not fully understood.
Second: The Simplicity of Faith
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III indicates that true faith requires simplicity of heart and purity of thought.
A child often possesses simple faith without doubts. Therefore, a person is called to approach God with the same simple faith that accepts truth without fruitless argument.
Third: Faith in One God
The Creed affirms that Christianity believes in one God, a doctrine established since the Old Testament.
The Holy Scriptures clearly declare the oneness of God, which also appears in the New Testament.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the oneness of God is also a logical truth, because the existence of more than one god contradicts the complete attributes of divinity such as absolute power and universal creation.
Fourth: The Mystery of the Holy Trinity
The Creed explains that God is one in essence but Trinity in hypostases: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
This Trinity is not three gods but one God.
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III confirms that the Christian Trinity is completely different from pagan concepts because it is not based on physical relations or multiple gods, but it is a divine mystery beyond human understanding.
Fifth: God the Creator, Pantocrator
The Creed proclaims that God is the Creator of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
God created the world from nothing and He alone possesses absolute power.
God is also the Pantocrator, meaning that He knows everything and governs all creation, the visible and the hidden, even the thoughts and inner intentions.
Sixth: Faith in Christ
The Creed declares faith in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God.
Christ is the Savior who came to redeem the world from sin, and He is the only Son from the essence and divine nature of the Father.
Through faith in Christ and the holy anointing, believers become temples of the Holy Spirit and are called Christians.
The Spiritual Message of the Lecture
The main message of the lecture is that Christian faith is built upon divine truths revealed to the Church, and that this faith is not merely intellectual knowledge but a spiritual life based on trust in God and union with Him through faith in Christ.
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