Marianne Micks, in her book about the Nicene Creed, Loving the Questions, reminds us that every Sunday hundreds of thousands of Christians in churches around the world stand and use the ancient words of this creed to reaffirm our faith. It is a statement of Christian faith. It tells our story. This statement tells who we are and what we hold most dear. We are as Micks puts it, “describing in summary form the One in whom Christians put their trust. In the process we are using a language hallowed by some seventeen hundred years of use-hallowed and handicapped by that history (p.2).” We struggle with the relevance of using this Creed or not. Maybe there needs to be some updating of its language. Or some think it is just a dull repititon of some old document—something to be gotten through. The Creed was originally used to find out heretics. We don’t use this document for that reason much anymore.

I would challenge you to read the Creed with an open eye, ear and heart this Easter Season. Use the Creed as a lesson plan. “We believe” are the opening words of the Creed. Ask you,” Do I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen? “Micks challenges us not to “parrot the right answer. That is not what being a thinking Christian is about. It is about asking questions, polishing the questions, and honing them until they are a sharp expression of what you wonder about (p. 5).” So again challenge yourself with this Creed we say every Sunday.

The Church’s hope for you has been for you to have a “holy Lent.” Use the Nicene Creed to be the basis for your rejoicing during Eastertide. Questions help us go deeper and come closer to the One we “glorify and worship.”

Peace, Jane+