The Creed is a set of beliefs that unites the Christian Church. Unity in the Church concerning their core views and practices has been an issue for hundreds of years. In the 4th century, the Church was faced with the task of reconciling the belief that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all God with the commitment to monotheism. There were many different methods to dealing with this issue, so the Council of Nicea met in 325 to decide the correct approach. They then created the first draft of the Nicene Creed which was later finalized at the Council of Constantinople in 381. Much like in the 4th century, the Christian churches of today across always in agreement with one another. There are many different practices and the Church is quickly becoming more individualistic. The Creed therefore provides unity and gives the churches a set of basic beliefs and practices to follow. It speaks of two specific practices, baptism and the forgiveness of sins. Additionally, this unity helps to establish the Christian Church across the world. If the Church can clearly state its ideas, then this makes its presence much stronger and helps it to gain more followers. This allows for a distinction to be made between Christianity and other religions.
Additionally, the Creed guides Christians in their worship of God and the reading of the Scriptures. There is a division amongst Christians on how to interpret the Scriptures. The Fundamentalists believe that the Scripture is accurate on every point while the Modernists say that it is inaccurate on most points. On the other hand, Creedal Christians have found a middle ground by viewing the Scriptures as a tool for learning and enhancing their spirituality.
Finally, the Creed is comprised of many powerful statements. It gives the world a meaning by telling of its origin. There is no other document that can tell the world about itself. Also, the Creed can be applied to everyone. God is the God of all people, and he created all of humanity.
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