How do I explain "The Father" in the Nicene Creed

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I along with a few others were asked to teach the RCIA program this year at my parish. After a loooooooong period of thinking and prayer and the fact that I can’t say NO to our pastor I accepted. Little did I know that it was going to be such a challenge…

To bring you up date this week we’re discussing the Nicene Creed, and I was asked to explain “Who is the Father”. I appreciate any info or guidance anyone can offer.

Sandra 🙂
 
The Catechism is actually your friend here. The Creed is actually part of the structure of the current catechism with each part of the Creed broken down. The full Creed is covered in Part 1 - Section 2 (CCC 185 - 1065). If you are talking about the Father in relationship to the Creed then it is the first article that goes:

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

This is covered in Part 1 - Section 2 - Chapter 1 (CCC 198 - 421). Each part is further broken down. For example the fatherhood of God is covered in CCC 232 - 267 and his almightiness (?) in CCC 268 - 278. You could start with the “In Brief” sections if that would help.
 
sandramtz said:
I along with a few others were asked to teach the RCIA program this year at my parish. After a loooooooong period of thinking and prayer and the fact that I can’t say NO to our pastor I accepted. Little did I know that it was going to be such a challenge…

To bring you up date this week we’re discussing the Nicene Creed, and I was asked to explain “Who is the Father”. I appreciate any info or guidance anyone can offer.

Sandra 🙂
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All informed and practicing Christians accept the TRUTH of God being a Trinity

The Trinity consist of three “persons”, Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Mt 3: 13–17 has them all in One place at the SAME time

[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him. [14] But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me? [15] And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.[16] And Jesus [GOD THE SON] being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, [GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT] and coming upon him. [17] And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.[GOD THE FATHER]

There are a GREAT many individual references in the NT for each of them

Here’s a site you can add to your Desktop to make your task easier

**http://drbo.org/ **

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are:

CO-Equal &
Co-Eternal

What One knows they all know

What One Desires they all desire and so on

Three God’s BUT only One Perfect Divine Nature which each of them have in it;s entirety { perhaps the greatest MYSTERY of our Catholic Faith}

Only Jesus, the Son has two natures: his always present Perfect Divine Nature & and his perfect human nature which he sacrificed for us upon the Cross. {He retained though his human Soul}

As a now retired teacher of RCIA and other Catholic apologetic’s, and catechesis, for 20+ years, I can help you. Please look for a Private message from me 👍

God Bless you and thanks for answering God’s call!

PRAY much

Patrick {PJM} here on this FORUM
 
The Father is God and source of the triune Godhead. He is the first person of the Trinity, the one from whom the Son is begotten and the Spirit proceeds.🙂

When the NT refers to “God,” it is usually the Father that is being referred to.

I echo the recommendations to go back to the Nicene Creed. 👍
 
Zabdi_Premjit said:
The Father is God and source of the triune Godhead. He is the first person of the Trinity, the one from whom the Son is begotten and the Spirit proceeds.🙂

When the NT refers to “God,” it is usually the Father that is being referred to.

I echo the recommendations to go back to the Nicene Creed. 👍
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NO dear friend that is incorrect {in UNDERSTANDING} 🙂

The Trinity is:
Co-EQUAL &
Co-Eternal

Mt. 3:13-17
"[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him. [14] But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me? [15] And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.[16] And Jesus {GOD THE “SON”}being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove [GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT}, and coming upon him. [17] And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.{GOD THE FATHER}

John 10:30
I and the Father are one.

John 17:22
And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one:

Explanation****

I, having a bit of an understanding of your LDS beliefs; it seems prudent to Clarify the ACTUAL MEANING OF John 17:22
  1. It does NOT mean that we “too ARE gods”
  2. The “ONE” here references just One set of Faith beliefs as nothing else is even a possibility even for GOD.{ a UNITY of Faith-beliefs}👍
Here is Haydock’s commentary on thos passage:

Ver. 21. Christ does pray that his disciples may be one, as he and his heavenly Father are one;** not that the unity may resemble the unity of persons in the divinity, **by a perfect and exact likeness; but only as far as it is possible for men to imitate the perfections of God, as when he says, “Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxxxi. in Joan.)

Ver. 22. The glory which thou gavest me, I have given to them. St. Chrysostom expounds this of the power of working miracles: St. Augustine rather understands the glory of heaven, which he had given, prepared, and designed to give them in heaven. This seems to be the sense by the 24th verse, where he says, Father, I will that where I am, they also whom thou hast given me, may be with me. (Witham)

God Bless you
Patrick
 
PJM said:
NO dear friend that is incorrect {in UNDERSTANDING} 🙂

The Trinity is:
Co-EQUAL &
Co-Eternal

Mt. 3:13-17
"[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him. [14] But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me? [15] And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.[16] And Jesus {GOD THE “SON”}being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove [GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT}, and coming upon him. [17] And behold a voice from heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.{GOD THE FATHER}

John 10:30
I and the Father are one.

John 17:22
And the glory which thou hast given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, as we also are one:

Explanation****

I, having a bit of an understanding of your LDS beliefs; it seems prudent to Clarify the ACTUAL MEANING OF John 17:22
  1. It does NOT mean that we “too ARE gods”
  2. The “ONE” here references just One set of Faith beliefs as nothing else is even a possibility even for GOD.{ a UNITY of Faith-beliefs}👍
Here is Haydock’s commentary on thos passage:

Ver. 21. Christ does pray that his disciples may be one, as he and his heavenly Father are one;** not that the unity may resemble the unity of persons in the divinity, **by a perfect and exact likeness; but only as far as it is possible for men to imitate the perfections of God, as when he says, “Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxxxi. in Joan.)

Ver. 22. The glory which thou gavest me, I have given to them. St. Chrysostom expounds this of the power of working miracles: St. Augustine rather understands the glory of heaven, which he had given, prepared, and designed to give them in heaven. This seems to be the sense by the 24th verse, where he says, Father, I will that where I am, they also whom thou hast given me, may be with me. (Witham)

God Bless you
Patrick
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I am not LDS; I don’t know why you’d assume that I am. :confused:

What I stated in my post was completely orthodox, and nothing I stated is contrary to the verses you quoted.
 
I would suggest you begin with stating that, God our Father is mystery. We will never fully comprehend who He is since we ourselves are so limited, not to mention sinners.

Therefore, humility is the proper approach to God.

Perhaps the following is also helpful.

Christian theology vs. Pagan theology
Code: 
             To understand why                  we pray “Our Father” and not “Our Mother”
consider:
Code: 
             Christianity does                  not teach that God the Father is male, but rather that He is                  pure spirit without sex. We refer to Him in masculine terms                  because He was revealed to us by the Son in that manner.                   Besides that, referring to the godhead in feminine terms is                  consistent with pagan theology, but it does not fit with                  Christianity. For example, Hindus believe that all creation is                  part of god. They view the world as being created out of the                  very substance of god.

             The Latin                  derivation for  “mother”  is   “mater”  (think of maternal                  etc.)    It means origin, source, or the substance out of which                  something is made. Also see the derivation for  “matter.”   Both                  words   “mother”   and  “matter”  come from the same word.  If                  we had a  Mother god, as pagans do, then that would imply that                  we are made out of the same substance of that god.  Hence we                  would be gods ourselves.   

             However,                  Christians have a God who is Father.  His creation is something                  outside of Himself.  And the male and female symbolism tell us                  something about God and who He is and who we are.  Unlike                  pagans, God transcends the universe. He is not part of it.  And                  Divine revelation tells us about our relationship with God by                  describing Him as the Groom and the Church as the bride.
God is eternal. His creation, the world, is not. The latter has a beginning.

Gender is a lot more than just a set of sex organs.
.
 
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