As the early Church grew and some began to stray from the Way of
Christ and His Apostles, Councils were held of all the Bishops of the
Church to confirm the Apostolic Tradition. The first example of this is
found in Acts 15. There were seven Great and Holy Ecumenical Councils in
the first 8 centuries of the Church. The Orthodox Church looks to the
teaching of these seven Ecumenical Councils as the standard for
preserving the Faith.
The Creed, also called the "Symbol of Faith", was
formulated by the Apostolic Fathers at the first two councils held in
Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381). The Creed preserves the nuggets
of Truth which make up the Apostolic Christian Faith:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth,
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten,
begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of
true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom
all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation came down
from Heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and
suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according
to the scriptures, and ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right
hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the
living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end;
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds
from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is both
worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets;
In One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one
baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the
dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.