Creator and Maker

[andrewagill]

I’m not sure if this is the right forum, but it does concern something that takes place in the Liturgy, so I think this is the right place. Does it belong in apologetics?

In the Apostles’ Creed, we profess I believe in God, the Father almighty, **creator** of heaven and earth,'' but in the Nicene creed, we profess We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.’’

I’m certainly willing to call Him creator and maker, but I’m not sure what the distinction is. I always thought the distinction was made for people who would falsely claim that God created the world out of pre-existing matter, rather than making it out of nothing, but that would be something I would expect to see in the Catechism.

This Lent, I’m continuing my process of reading through the Bible and the catechisms, in order, so that I can better order my faith. Right now, I’m in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, and just got on to the second article of the creed, and don’t recall any explanation of this. Is it in the documents of the council of Nicea?

 

[Spirithound]

I’m certainly willing to call Him creator and maker, but I’m not sure what the distinction is. I always thought the distinction was made for people who would falsely claim that God created the world out of pre-existing matter, rather than making it out of nothing, but that would be something I would expect to see in the Catechism.

This Lent, I’m continuing my process of reading through the Bible and the catechisms, in order, so that I can better order my faith. Right now, I’m in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, and just got on to the second article of the creed, and don’t recall any explanation of this. Is it in the documents of the council of Nicea?

I have also heard that distinction, however, if Nicea calls God “the Maker”, then it must be just as valid as “the Creator”

I’ll make a short search for the documents of Nicea I, but honestly, I doubt anything other than the canons has survived.

EDIT: Update: It’s true, we only have the Creed, the Canons, and the Synodal Decree. In reality there never were any official acts besides these. But the accounts of Eusebius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret, and Rufinus may be considered as very important sources of historical information, as well as some data preserved by St. Athanasius, and a history of the Council of Nicaea written in Greek in the fifth century by Gelasius of Cyzicus.

newadvent.org/cathen/11044a.htm