ARK The Creed and Core Beliefs 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (381 AD) expanded the Nicene Creed by adding fuller teaching on:
- The nature of Christ's resurrection
- The Holy Spirit, the Church, baptism, and eternal life (Correct answer)
- The virgin birth of Jesus
- The papal authority of Rome
Correct answer: The Holy Spirit, the Church, baptism, and eternal life
The First Council of Constantinople (381 AD) expanded the original Nicene Creed (325) with fuller pneumatology (the Holy Spirit 'proceeds from the Father') and ecclesiology.
The Nicene Creed of 325 AD focused on Christology (against Arius). The Council of Constantinople (381 AD) expanded it to address Pneumatomachian denial of the Spirit's divinity, adding that the Holy Spirit 'proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified.' The Western Church later added 'and the Son' (filioque), which became a major point of division with the East. The resulting Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed is the Creed recited at Mass today.
Question 2: The article of the Creed that states 'I believe in the communion of saints' refers to:
- Receiving Holy Communion
- The spiritual union and mutual support among all members of the Church — living, dying, and dead (Correct answer)
- The gathering of Christians for worship
- The authority of bishops
Correct answer: The spiritual union and mutual support among all members of the Church — living, dying, and dead
The communion of saints encompasses the entire Church: the Church triumphant (saints in heaven), the Church suffering (souls in purgatory), and the Church militant (living Christians on earth).
Communio sanctorum (communion of saints) has two related meanings: (1) participation in holy things (sancta) — the Eucharist and sacraments; (2) communion among holy persons (sancti) across death's boundary. The doctrine grounds intercessory prayer for the dead (purgatory), invocation of saints, and the celebration of saints' feasts. The 'three states of the Church' (triumphant/suffering/militant) describe the one communion spanning life, death, and final glory.
Question 3: What does the Creed's phrase 'I believe in the holy catholic church' mean by 'catholic'?
- Roman Catholic under the pope's authority
- Universal — the whole church throughout time and space (Correct answer)
- The original apostolic church
- Orthodox in doctrine
Correct answer: Universal — the whole church throughout time and space
'Catholic' (Greek katholikos) in the Creed means universal — the whole Church in its fullness, not limited by geography, ethnicity, or time.
Ignatius of Antioch (c. 107 AD) first used katholike ekklesia ('catholic church') to describe the church as a whole, the universal communion. In the Nicene Creed's context, 'holy catholic church' refers to the one, complete, universal church — not exclusively the Roman Catholic institution. Protestant, Anglican, and Orthodox churches affirm this article in the Creed while interpreting 'catholic' as 'universal.' The four marks (one, holy, catholic, apostolic) are considered properties of the true church.
Question 4: The Creed's statement 'he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father' draws primarily on:
- Isaiah 6
- Psalm 110:1 and Acts 1:9-11 (Correct answer)
- Ezekiel 1
- Daniel 12
Correct answer: Psalm 110:1 and Acts 1:9-11
The Ascension imagery (Acts 1:9-11) and session 'at the right hand' (Ps 110:1 — most quoted OT verse in NT) are combined in this Creedal article.
Psalm 110:1: 'The LORD says to my lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' This verse is quoted or alluded to more than any other OT text in the NT (Matt 22:44; Acts 2:34; Heb 1:13). Combined with the Ascension narrative of Acts 1:9-11, it grounds the Creedal article. 'Right hand' in ancient Near Eastern culture signified supreme honor and authority. The session in heaven grounds Christ's ongoing intercession (Heb 7:25; Rom 8:34).
Question 5: The phrase 'born of the Virgin Mary' in the Creed affirms which doctrine?
- Mary's perpetual virginity throughout her life
- The full humanity of Christ through real human birth from a human mother (Correct answer)
- Mary's Immaculate Conception
- The Assumption of Mary
Correct answer: The full humanity of Christ through real human birth from a human mother
The Creed's affirmation that Jesus was 'born of the Virgin Mary' primarily affirms Christ's full humanity — his genuine entry into human existence through birth from a human mother.
The Creed's mention of Mary primarily serves Christological purposes: it affirms that Christ genuinely became human (contra Docetism, which denied real incarnation). The virgin birth (conceived by the Holy Spirit) affirms his divine origin; born of Mary affirms his human reality. The Theotokos (Mother of God) title, defined at Ephesus (431), was likewise primarily Christological: if Mary bore Christ, and Christ is God, then she bore God. Marian doctrine developed from these Christological foundations.
Question 6: In the Apostles' Creed, the phrase 'he descended into hell' (or 'descended to the dead') refers to:
- Christ's suffering on the cross
- Christ going to the realm of the dead between his death and resurrection (Correct answer)
- The eternal punishment of the damned
- Christ's temptation in the desert
Correct answer: Christ going to the realm of the dead between his death and resurrection
The descent to the dead (Sheol/Hades) affirms that Christ truly died and went to the realm of the dead, traditionally interpreted as Christ proclaiming salvation to those who died before his coming.
The Apostles' Creed states 'descendit ad inferos' (he descended to the lower regions/hell). This affirms Christ's full death experience. 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 4:6 mention Christ preaching to 'spirits in prison' and 'the dead.' Catholic tradition interprets this as Christ liberating the righteous dead who lived before the Incarnation (the 'harrowing of hell' depicted in iconography). The CCC (632-637) teaches this affirms Christ's complete solidarity with the dead.
ARK The Creed and Core Beliefs 2
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (381 AD) expanded the Nicene Creed by adding fuller teaching on: