The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed was written by the early Church and adopted (in a slightly different version) by the Church Council at Nicæa in AD 325 and appears in its present form by the Council at Chalcedon in AD 451. It has remained in use since that time. It is an essential part of the doctrine and liturgy of the Lutheran and Episcopal Churches. The Episcopal Church requires its usage at every Eucharist on Sundays and Major Feasts (except when the Apostles' Creed is used as the Baptismal Creed). The Lutheran Church gives the option of the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed, suggesting the Nicene Creed as the more festive or solemn of the two.
The Nicene Creed was thus not based upon the Apostles' Creed (which did not yet exist), but upon the baptismal creeds used in the churches in various places -- which were not all exactly the same, but were remarkably similar. The statements chosen at Nicea were carefully formulated to exclude the Arian heresy and the elaborations at I Constantinople (the Second Ecumenical), which brought the Nicene to its final form, were chosen to clarify the deity of the Holy Spirit and to exclude the Apollinarian and Marcellian heresies. This Creed, and that of Chalcedon, is the only creeds that came out of the Ecumenical Councils. The Nicene Creed is the Creed of Christendom, accepted by the Orthodox Church, by Rome, and by those aspects of Protestantism that are willing to accept creeds at all (text from various web sites).
Core Doctrine- One God
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
Core Doctrine- Deity of Jesus Christ
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.
Core Doctrine- Atoning Work of Christ
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.
Core Doctrine- The Trinity
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son, 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.
Core Doctrine- Salvation by Grace
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
Core Doctrine- Bodily Resurrection
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
