First clue

By John Cole

FIRST CLUE

The Nicene Creed

"We believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church"

Christians down the ages have affirmed in the Creed that we belong to a particular kind of Church:

	HOLY - because it is set apart in a special relationship with God;
	CATHOLIC - meaning ‘universal’, ‘all-embracing’, ‘non-sectarian’ rather than expressing one particular theological viewpoint - thus indicating the proper relationship of Christ's disciples with each other;
	APOSTOLIC - because it has work to do with God in relation to the rest of God’s world;
	ONE - when it allows the Holy Spirit of God to blend all these aspects of its being into a unified sacramental expression of God at work in his world.

The role of the Holy Spirit should be no surprise. The preceding affirmation in the Creed is

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life."

It is this life-giving power of the Holy Spirit which transforms the bare bones of a church organisation or any group of Christian disciples into a living fellowship which God can use.

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