381 (Nicaea Creed Updated)

On 24 November 380, Theodosius expelled Demophilus, the last Arian bishop of Constantinople.

In January 381, Theodosius closed Arian chapels which resulted in a riot by the citizens.

The First Council of Constantinople

In July 381, the First Council of Constantinople expanded the Nicaea Creed to address Arianism disputes.

Text removed from the original Nicaea Creed is struck out and text added is bold italics.

The updated Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed is:

  • 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 that is of the essence of the Father 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, both the things in heaven and on earth,
    • Who, for us men 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 sits on the right hand of the Father; and
    • He shall come again, with glory, to judge 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 proceeds from the Father and the Son;
    • who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified;
    • who spoke by the prophets; and 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.

— Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed

Note that the Anathemas section was also removed which used to be:

The catholic and apostolic church condemns those who say concerning the Son of God that “there was a time when he was not” or “he did not exist before he was begotten” or “he came to be from nothing” or who claim that he is of another subsistence or essence, or a creation, or changeable, or alterable.

— Original Nicaea Creed

The removal was not a sign that the Church had changed its mind about Arianism; rather, it was a result of the Creed’s changing function:

  • It was felt that a positive statement of faith was more appropriate for worship than a list of condemnations.
  • By 381 AD, new heresies had emerged regarding the Holy Spirit.
  • The phrase "whose kingdom shall have no end" was added to specifically counter a different heresy (Marcellianism), effectively replacing the need for the older, bulky anathema list at the end.
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