Apostles' Creed vs Nicene Creed: Differences in History and Worship
The Apostles' Creed is the shorter Western baptismal creed, while the Nicene Creed is the longer statement from the ancient ecumenical councils of 325 and 381. At Find A Prayer, we write for readers sorting through these historical texts for personal prayer, liturgical participation, and catechetical study. Both creeds proclaim the foundational truths of historical Christianity, yet each carries its own distinct place in corporate worship and private devotion. Both creeds confess faith in one God in three persons.
They declare the birth of Jesus of the Virgin Mary, his crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, his resurrection, and his ascension into heaven. Both confess the Holy Spirit, one holy catholic and apostolic Church, where the word catholic means universal, along with the forgiveness of sins and the life of the world to come. These affirmations establish the shared ground between the two texts. The practical differences emerge in their specific wording, their historical backgrounds, and how churches use them today.
The Apostles' Creed functions primarily in Western liturgies, baptismal rites, and personal prayers such as the Rosary. The Nicene Creed serves as the common profession of faith recited during Sunday worship across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and other Christian congregations.
The Apostles' Creed in Western Liturgy and Prayer
The Apostles' Creed is a concise statement of faith divided into three parts concerning God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. An old tradition says the twelve apostles composed it. Historians trace the text to the older baptismal creed of Rome.
The present wording of the text dates to around the eighth century. It remains rooted in the life of the Western Latin Church. Several phrases appear uniquely in this creed.
It includes the confession that Jesus descended to the dead, rendered in some translations as into hell. It also contains the phrases the communion of saints and the resurrection of the body, closing with life everlasting. These clauses give the text its distinctive character in Christian instruction.
The Apostles' Creed is used mainly in baptism liturgies and personal devotion. In Catholic practice, it serves as the usual opening for the Rosary. The Roman Missal permits this substitution of the Apostles' Creed in place of the Nicene Creed at Mass, particularly in Lent and Easter time.
The Apostles' Creed is also used at Masses with children, where a shorter text aids participation. Eastern Orthodox liturgy does not use the Apostles' Creed.
The Nicene Creed and Ecumenical Council History
The Nicene Creed in use today is the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, formulated at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 and expanded at the First Council of Constantinople in 381. The council of 325 met to address the teaching of Arianism, which asserted that the Son was a created being. The resulting text defines the Son as begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, translating the Greek word homoousios. The text was expanded at the council of 381 to say more about the Holy Spirit.
It calls the Spirit the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, and who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. The Nicene Creed is recited at Sunday Mass in the Catholic Church and in the Sunday liturgies of Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and many other churches. The original Greek text begins with the words We believe. The Catholic Mass text in English begins with the words I believe.
In the Western Latin tradition, the text includes the Filioque, the phrase and the Son, after stating that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. Orthodox churches recite the creed without the Filioque.
Core Theological Distinctions and Phrasing Differences
The two creeds share substantial doctrinal ground while maintaining distinct phrasing throughout their articles. Both confess one God, the virgin birth of Jesus, his suffering under Pontius Pilate, his resurrection, and his future coming to judge the living and the dead. Both affirm one holy catholic and apostolic Church, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. In both texts, catholic means universal rather than denoting a specific institutional denomination.
The primary difference lies in the level of doctrinal detail regarding the Trinity. The Apostles' Creed confesses Jesus Christ as God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. The Nicene Creed provides a much more detailed defense of Christ's divinity. It affirms that Jesus is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, and of one substance with the Father, statements formulated against Arianism.
A similar contrast appears in the article on the Holy Spirit. The Apostles' Creed states simply, I believe in the Holy Spirit. The Nicene Creed expands this confession to identify the Spirit as the Lord and giver of life, who spoke through the prophets. Regarding the afterlife, the Apostles' Creed speaks of the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
The Nicene Creed concludes by looking forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Liturgical Use in Public Worship and Private Devotion
Churches assign each creed to specific settings based on liturgical tradition. The Nicene Creed serves as the standard weekly profession of faith during Sunday worship. In the Catholic Church, the congregation recites the Nicene Creed after the homily at Sunday Mass.
It holds the same central position in the Sunday Eucharistic liturgies of Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran congregations. The Apostles' Creed appears in settings connected to Christian initiation and personal prayer. Western churches have historically used it during the administration of baptism, questioning candidates or their sponsors with its three Trinitarian sections.
The Roman Missal allows pastors to substitute the Apostles' Creed for the Nicene Creed at Sunday Mass, especially during Lent and Easter time. Masses with children also use the Apostles' Creed, where a shorter text aids participation. Devotional life also shapes how believers encounter these texts.
Roman Catholics recite the Apostles' Creed as the usual opening prayer while holding the crucifix on the Rosary. Eastern Orthodox liturgy does not use the Apostles' Creed, and Orthodox churches recite the Nicene Creed without the Filioque.
Who This Comparison Does Not Serve
This comparison does not serve readers looking for a theological evaluation that declares one ancient creed superior to the other. Both texts belong to historic Christian orthodoxy, and churches have treasured both for centuries. This guide also does not serve individuals looking for detailed internal rules for independent non-denominational congregations.
While the Nicene Creed is recited in Anglican, Lutheran, and many other churches' liturgies, local practices vary widely outside liturgical bodies. Which creed a given congregation uses varies, so ask your pastor about how your local church approaches historical creeds. Those seeking guidance on non-creedal congregations should ask their pastor.
What Would Change This Recommendation
A reader's selection of a creed depends on the specific context of worship or study. If your primary focus is private devotional prayer, the recitation of the Rosary, or preparing for baptism in a Western church tradition, the Apostles' Creed is the natural text to memorize and recite.
Its three-part structure and brief clauses make it especially suitable for personal reflection and catechetical study. If your priority shifts toward participating in Sunday morning liturgy, ecumenical dialogue with Eastern Christianity, or studying the historical defense of Christ's divinity against Arianism, the Nicene Creed becomes the necessary text.
Apostles' Creed vs Nicene Creed: at a glance
| Factor | Apostles' Creed | Nicene Creed |
|---|---|---|
| Historical origin | Rests on the older Roman baptismal creed, with present wording from about the eighth century | Formulated at the First Council of Nicaea (325) and expanded at Constantinople (381) |
| Geographic use | Used mainly in the Western Latin Church; Eastern Orthodox liturgy does not use it | Used worldwide across Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions |
| Trinitarian formulation | Concise three-part structure on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit | Extended text clarifying the Son's divinity against Arianism and elaborating on the Spirit |
| Liturgical placement | Baptism liturgies, Masses with children, Masses in Lent and Easter time, and the Rosary | The standard profession of faith recited during Sunday Mass and main Sunday liturgies |
| Clause on the afterlife | Includes 'the resurrection of the body' and 'life everlasting' | Includes 'the resurrection of the dead' and 'the life of the world to come' |
| The Filioque clause | Does not contain the Filioque clause | Contains 'and the Son' in the Western Latin text; recited without it in Orthodox churches |
| Distinctive phrases | 'He descended to the dead' (or 'into hell') and 'the communion of saints' | 'Begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father' and 'giver of life' |
Verdict: Apostles' Creed vs Nicene Creed
Choose the Apostles' Creed if you want a concise summary of faith for personal devotion, baptismal preparation, or the recitation of the Rosary in the Western tradition. Choose the Nicene Creed if you are preparing for Sunday liturgical worship in Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, or Anglican congregations, or if you want to study the formal Trinitarian theology of the fourth-century councils. For those looking to deepen their daily devotional life with historic Christian prayers, read our guide to the Apostles' Creed text and history to begin praying with these ancient words.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed?
The Apostles' Creed is a shorter, three-part Western baptismal creed whose present wording dates to about the eighth century, while the Nicene Creed is a longer statement produced by the councils of Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople in 381. The Nicene Creed contains detailed language defending the divinity of Jesus Christ against Arianism, including the phrase 'of one substance with the Father.' It also provides a longer section on the Holy Spirit. The Apostles' Creed contains unique phrases such as 'he descended to the dead' and 'the communion of saints.' The Nicene Creed is the standard creed recited during Sunday worship across Catholic, Orthodox, and liturgical Protestant churches.
Which creed is older?
The exact wording of the Nicene Creed is older than the present wording of the Apostles' Creed. The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed was fixed at the councils of Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople in 381. The present text of the Apostles' Creed reached its stable form later, around the eighth century, although it developed from an older Roman baptismal creed that was used in the early Western church. While church tradition associated the Apostles' Creed with the original twelve apostles, historical records show that the Nicene Creed's official conciliar phrasing was established several centuries before the Apostles' Creed received its final wording.
Did the apostles write the Apostles' Creed?
No, the twelve apostles did not write the Apostles' Creed. An old tradition claimed that each of the twelve apostles composed a portion of the text before departing on their missionary journeys, but modern historical research has shown that this account is legendary. Historians trace the origins of the Apostles' Creed to the ancient baptismal creed used in Rome. Over centuries of liturgical use in the Western Church, this baptismal confession underwent gradual revisions and expansions until its present wording became fixed around the eighth century. The creed is named for the apostles because it summarizes the apostolic faith rather than because of their authorship.
Which creed is said at Mass?
The Nicene Creed is the standard creed recited during Sunday Mass and solemn celebrations in the Catholic Church. The congregation professes it aloud following the homily. However, the Roman Missal permits the substitution of the Apostles' Creed in place of the Nicene Creed, particularly during the liturgical seasons of Lent and Easter time. The Apostles' Creed is also used at Masses with children, where a shorter text aids participation. On regular Sundays throughout the rest of the liturgical year, the Nicene Creed remains the customary profession of faith recited by the assembly.
Why does the Nicene Creed say 'of one substance with the Father'?
The Nicene Creed includes the phrase 'of one substance with the Father' to counter the teaching of Arianism. The creed answers Arianism, which asserted that the Son was a created being rather than fully divine. Meeting at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the assembled bishops adopted the Greek term homoousios, translated into English as 'of one substance' or 'consubstantial.'
What is the Filioque in the Nicene Creed?
The Filioque is a Latin term meaning 'and the Son' that was added to the Western text of the Nicene Creed. The original Greek creed approved at the Council of Constantinople in 381 stated that the Holy Spirit proceeds 'from the Father.' Over time, the Western Latin Church added the Filioque, so that the text reads that the Holy Spirit proceeds 'from the Father and the Son.' Eastern Orthodox churches recite the creed without the Filioque, maintaining the original wording of the council of 381. The addition has been a major point of theological discussion between Eastern and Western Christianity.
Do Protestants use the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed?
Many Protestant denominations use both the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is recited in Anglican, Lutheran, and many other churches' liturgies during regular Sunday services. In more independent or non-denominational evangelical Protestant congregations, formal creedal recitation is less common. Which creed a given congregation uses varies, so ask your pastor to learn how your local church approaches historical creeds.
Which creed is used in the Rosary?
The Apostles' Creed is used in the Rosary. In Roman Catholic devotional practice, the recitation of the Apostles' Creed serves as the usual opening prayer. A person praying the Rosary holds the crucifix attached to the rosary beads and recites the Apostles' Creed before moving to the initial beads to pray the Our Father, Hail Marys, and the Glory Be. The Nicene Creed is not used during the Rosary, since the Apostles' Creed is the usual opening of the Rosary.