Proposal for discussion on Tuesday, June 2 -
Quote from terri_f on May 27, 2026, 1:22 pmAt the May 2, Women’s Group Breakfast meeting a question was raised about the use of language found in the New Zealand Prayer book. It was agreed we would work on a proposal initiated by Chris and Linda agreed to work on it as well. The following is the result of their work and what we hope to discuss with others on Tuesday, June 2.
Replacing the Nicene Creed with the New Zealand Creed
A Proposal for our Congregation
May 2026
Summary
We (the Women's Group) propose that our congregation use the New Zealand Creed instead of the Nicene Creed during Sunday worship. The Nicene Creed was written in the year 325 AD to settle the theological paradox of the incarnation. However, its rhetorical emphasis and its male-centered language effectively obscure Christ's example of God's infinite self-giving love. Alternatively, the New Zealand Creed speaks about God and Jesus in ways that are directly connected to how we actually live as Christians today, and it does so without creating a gendered, abstract philosophical framework. It is more welcoming to people who are new to faith; it is far more true to Jesus' message, in its elevation of ethics over orthodoxy, and it will create more engagement in our worship together.
Why We Should Consider This Change
What Is the Nicene Creed?
The Nicene Creed comes from the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The Roman Emperor Constantine called together bishops from all over the empire to settle a big argument about who Jesus was. They wrote down what they decided Jesus must be—the same kind of being as God the Father, existing forever, and so on. The creed was designed to have one correct answer that everyone had to agree with, or face punishment.
Four Concerns with the Nicene Creed
1: It Focuses on Philosophy, Not Jesus' Life
The Nicene Creed spends a lot of time explaining complicated ideas about Jesus' nature: that he is eternally begotten of the Father and of one substance with the Father. But Jesus himself never taught this. When Jesus taught, he talked about loving your neighbor, forgiving others, taking care of poor people, and welcoming those left out by society. The creed almost completely ignores all of this. Instead of asking 'What did Jesus do?' the creed asks 'What is Jesus made of?' Those are very different questions, and Jesus cared much more about the first one.
2: Not Inclusive
The Nicene Creed uses only male language and male ideas about God. It talks about God as Father and uses 'he' and 'him' throughout. This happened because it was written by men in a male-dominated society. But many theologians today, especially women and feminist theologians, point out that God is not actually male. The Bible itself talks about God in female ways too—God is sometimes described as Wisdom, or as the Holy Spirit (a word that is feminine in Hebrew), or as a mother hen gathering her chicks. When we only use male words for God, we lose these important images. We also send a message to women in the church: 'You do not fully belong here.' That goes against Jesus' welcome to everyone.
3: It Was Designed as a Test, Not an Invitation
When the Nicene Creed was written, it was meant to be a loyalty oath. If you did not believe and recite exactly the right philosophical ideas, you were considered a heretic and cast out. Today, when we ask people to stand up and recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday, we are (even if we do not mean to) asking them to pass a test. A person might be new to church, or they might be struggling with faith, or they might simply think in a different way than philosophy allows. When they are asked to recite words about Jesus' substance and eternal nature, they might feel confused, excluded, or dishonest. That is not what church should do. Church should say: 'Welcome. You belong here. Let us explore faith together.' The creed, as it stands, can feel like a barrier instead of a door.
4: It Was Made for Power, Not Truth
The Nicene Creed was made by the Roman Emperor and bishops who wanted to create one official belief that everyone had to follow. This was not really about seeking truth together. It was about control. If we look at history, we see that the creed was used to punish people who believed differently—even people whose faith was deep and genuine. Today, the Anglican Church (which we belong to) is known for being thoughtful and open to different ways of thinking. We believe people can be faithful Christians even if they disagree on some theological details. Insisting that everyone recite the Nicene Creed every week works against this value.
What Is the New Zealand Creed?
The New Zealand Prayer Book was created in 1989 by the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia. The creed in that book is sometimes called the New Zealand Creed. It was made much more recently than the Nicene Creed, and by church leaders who were thinking about how to speak to modern people and how to include everyone in Christian faith.
The Full Text of the New Zealand Creed:
You, O God, are supreme and holy.
You create our world and give us life.
Your purpose overarches everything we do.
You have always been with us.
You are God.
You, O God, are infinitely generous,
good beyond all measure.
You came to us before we came to you.
You have revealed and proved
Your love for us in Jesus Christ,
Who lived and died and rose again.
You are God.
You, O God, are Holy Spirit.
You empower us to be your gospel in the world.
You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.
You are our God.
We worship You.
Amen.
How Is the New Zealand Creed Different?
Nicene Creed
New Zealand Creed
The Nicene Creed focuses on complicated ideas about who Jesus is (his nature, his substance, when he was born).
The New Zealand Creed focuses on what God has done for us: creating the world, loving us, and empowering us to serve others.
It uses mostly male language: "Father," "he," "him."
It uses "You" throughout, which includes everyone and does not put God in a male box.
It asks: "Do you believe the right theological ideas?"
It asks: "Do you trust God and want to live as part of God's loving community?"
It focuses on Jesus' divine nature (was he really God?).
It focuses on Jesus' life, death, and resurrection—and what that means for how we live now.
It can feel distant and hard to understand.
It speaks in language that ordinary people can understand and pray.
It says: "You must believe this or you are not Christian."
It says: "This is what we trust together. This is how we commit to live."
Why This Matters for Our Congregation
- It makes worship more welcoming. When someone new walks in and we ask them to stand and recite a creed from late Antiquity, it can feel like they are joining a club with strange rules. The New Zealand Creed feels more like an invitation and less like a test.
- It is truer to Jesus' message. Jesus taught about how to live—how to love, forgive, serve the poor, and welcome everyone. The New Zealand Creed points to Jesus' life and resurrection. That is what the Gospel is really about.
- It includes women and all people. By using "You" instead of "he," we make clear that God is not male, and that everyone—women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities—fully belongs in this community.
- It honors our Anglican tradition. The Anglican Church has always believed in being thoughtful, open, and willing to grow in understanding. This change shows we take that seriously.
- It helps us live our faith better. The New Zealand Creed ends with "You empower us to be your gospel in the world." That means our faith is not just about believing right things—it is about doing right things, serving others, and being part of God's healing work in the world.
How Can We Make This Change?
Step 1: Learn and Discuss (Weeks 1-4)
We will offer adult education classes on Sunday mornings to talk about creeds, why they matter, and why we might want to make this change. We will look at the history, the theology, and what other churches are doing. We will answer questions. Everyone will have a chance to share their thoughts and concerns.
Step 2: Try It Out (Weeks 5-8)
For four weeks, we will use the New Zealand Creed in worship at the Reconciliation Service instead of the Nicene Creed. People can experience how it feels to pray these words together. After each service, we will have a simple comment card: 'What did you notice? What did you like? What did you miss?'
Step 3: Gather Feedback and Decide (Week 9)
We will look at what people wrote and said. The leadership team will listen carefully. We will talk about whether this change should become permanent, or whether we should use both creeds on different Sundays, or what makes sense for our community.
Some Questions People Ask
Q: Won't this break us away from the rest of the Anglican Church?
No. The New Zealand Prayer Book is an official book in the Anglican Church. Other Anglican churches have made similar changes. The Episcopal Church allows individual congregations to make choices about their worship. We are not leaving the church; we are expressing our faith in a way that fits our community.
Q: But the Nicene Creed is ancient and important!
It is important historically. But the church has always changed and grown. The Nicene Creed itself was a change from earlier forms of Christian belief. The Gospel (Jesus' message) does not change, but how we express it can and should evolve as we learn more and as times change. Using the New Zealand Creed does not erase the history of the Nicene Creed; it builds on it.
Q: What if some people really like the Nicene Creed and want to keep using it?
We hear that. If many people feel strongly about it, we could use the Nicene Creed on some Sundays and the New Zealand Creed on others. Or we could keep a few Nicene Sundays each year. We want everyone to feel welcome, and we are not trying to erase the past. But we also want to move toward something that serves our whole community better.
Q: Isn't this just "woke" politics in the church?
No. Feminist theology and liberation theology have been developed by serious scholars over fifty years. This is not new or trendy—it is the fruit of deep thinking. And the concern about including women and all people in worship is not political—it is Christian. Jesus welcomed everyone. The church should too.
Q: Will changing the creed change our theology?
No. Our basic beliefs stay the same: God loves us, Jesus came to save us, the Holy Spirit empowers us. But the New Zealand Creed helps us see these truths more clearly by focusing on God's action in the world rather than on philosophical puzzles. We are not changing what we believe; we are finding clearer words for it.
Our Recommendation
We recommend that our congregation begin using the New Zealand Creed in our Sunday worship, starting with the four-week trial period described above. This change reflects our desire to be an inclusive, welcoming, theologically thoughtful community. It honors Jesus' message. It includes women and all people. And it helps us focus on what matters most: living the Gospel in the world.
This is not a departure from our Anglican faith. It is a deepening of it—a move toward making our worship more faithful to Jesus, more honest about God's nature, and more welcoming to all people.
Sources and Further Reading
- Church of England Liturgical Commission. "Gendered Language in Liturgy." Report to General Synod, 2023.
- Johnson, Elizabeth A. She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse. Crossroad, 1992.
- New Zealand Anglican Church. A New Zealand Prayer Book: He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa. Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia, 1989.
- O'Donnell, Karen. "Can a Feminist Say the Nicene Creed?" Academic Research Paper, 2025.
- Procter-Smith, Marjorie. In Her Own Rite: Constructing Feminist Liturgical Tradition. Routledge, 1990.
- Ramshaw, Gail. God beyond Gender: Feminist Christian God-Language. Fortress Press, 1995.
- Sölle, Dorothee. Theology for the Third Millennium: Experience and Interpretation. Trinity Press International, 1990.
- Episcopal Church. Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church. Church Publishing, 2007.
At the May 2, Women’s Group Breakfast meeting a question was raised about the use of language found in the New Zealand Prayer book. It was agreed we would work on a proposal initiated by Chris and Linda agreed to work on it as well. The following is the result of their work and what we hope to discuss with others on Tuesday, June 2.
Replacing the Nicene Creed with the New Zealand Creed
A Proposal for our Congregation
May 2026
Summary
We (the Women's Group) propose that our congregation use the New Zealand Creed instead of the Nicene Creed during Sunday worship. The Nicene Creed was written in the year 325 AD to settle the theological paradox of the incarnation. However, its rhetorical emphasis and its male-centered language effectively obscure Christ's example of God's infinite self-giving love. Alternatively, the New Zealand Creed speaks about God and Jesus in ways that are directly connected to how we actually live as Christians today, and it does so without creating a gendered, abstract philosophical framework. It is more welcoming to people who are new to faith; it is far more true to Jesus' message, in its elevation of ethics over orthodoxy, and it will create more engagement in our worship together.
Why We Should Consider This Change
What Is the Nicene Creed?
The Nicene Creed comes from the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The Roman Emperor Constantine called together bishops from all over the empire to settle a big argument about who Jesus was. They wrote down what they decided Jesus must be—the same kind of being as God the Father, existing forever, and so on. The creed was designed to have one correct answer that everyone had to agree with, or face punishment.
Four Concerns with the Nicene Creed
1: It Focuses on Philosophy, Not Jesus' Life
The Nicene Creed spends a lot of time explaining complicated ideas about Jesus' nature: that he is eternally begotten of the Father and of one substance with the Father. But Jesus himself never taught this. When Jesus taught, he talked about loving your neighbor, forgiving others, taking care of poor people, and welcoming those left out by society. The creed almost completely ignores all of this. Instead of asking 'What did Jesus do?' the creed asks 'What is Jesus made of?' Those are very different questions, and Jesus cared much more about the first one.
2: Not Inclusive
The Nicene Creed uses only male language and male ideas about God. It talks about God as Father and uses 'he' and 'him' throughout. This happened because it was written by men in a male-dominated society. But many theologians today, especially women and feminist theologians, point out that God is not actually male. The Bible itself talks about God in female ways too—God is sometimes described as Wisdom, or as the Holy Spirit (a word that is feminine in Hebrew), or as a mother hen gathering her chicks. When we only use male words for God, we lose these important images. We also send a message to women in the church: 'You do not fully belong here.' That goes against Jesus' welcome to everyone.
3: It Was Designed as a Test, Not an Invitation
When the Nicene Creed was written, it was meant to be a loyalty oath. If you did not believe and recite exactly the right philosophical ideas, you were considered a heretic and cast out. Today, when we ask people to stand up and recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday, we are (even if we do not mean to) asking them to pass a test. A person might be new to church, or they might be struggling with faith, or they might simply think in a different way than philosophy allows. When they are asked to recite words about Jesus' substance and eternal nature, they might feel confused, excluded, or dishonest. That is not what church should do. Church should say: 'Welcome. You belong here. Let us explore faith together.' The creed, as it stands, can feel like a barrier instead of a door.
4: It Was Made for Power, Not Truth
The Nicene Creed was made by the Roman Emperor and bishops who wanted to create one official belief that everyone had to follow. This was not really about seeking truth together. It was about control. If we look at history, we see that the creed was used to punish people who believed differently—even people whose faith was deep and genuine. Today, the Anglican Church (which we belong to) is known for being thoughtful and open to different ways of thinking. We believe people can be faithful Christians even if they disagree on some theological details. Insisting that everyone recite the Nicene Creed every week works against this value.
What Is the New Zealand Creed?
The New Zealand Prayer Book was created in 1989 by the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia. The creed in that book is sometimes called the New Zealand Creed. It was made much more recently than the Nicene Creed, and by church leaders who were thinking about how to speak to modern people and how to include everyone in Christian faith.
The Full Text of the New Zealand Creed:
You, O God, are supreme and holy.
You create our world and give us life.
Your purpose overarches everything we do.
You have always been with us.
You are God.
You, O God, are infinitely generous,
good beyond all measure.
You came to us before we came to you.
You have revealed and proved
Your love for us in Jesus Christ,
Who lived and died and rose again.
You are God.
You, O God, are Holy Spirit.
You empower us to be your gospel in the world.
You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.
You are our God.
We worship You.
Amen.
How Is the New Zealand Creed Different?
|
Nicene Creed |
New Zealand Creed |
|
The Nicene Creed focuses on complicated ideas about who Jesus is (his nature, his substance, when he was born). |
The New Zealand Creed focuses on what God has done for us: creating the world, loving us, and empowering us to serve others. |
|
It uses mostly male language: "Father," "he," "him." |
It uses "You" throughout, which includes everyone and does not put God in a male box. |
|
It asks: "Do you believe the right theological ideas?" |
It asks: "Do you trust God and want to live as part of God's loving community?" |
|
It focuses on Jesus' divine nature (was he really God?). |
It focuses on Jesus' life, death, and resurrection—and what that means for how we live now. |
|
It can feel distant and hard to understand. |
It speaks in language that ordinary people can understand and pray. |
|
It says: "You must believe this or you are not Christian." |
It says: "This is what we trust together. This is how we commit to live." |
Why This Matters for Our Congregation
- It makes worship more welcoming. When someone new walks in and we ask them to stand and recite a creed from late Antiquity, it can feel like they are joining a club with strange rules. The New Zealand Creed feels more like an invitation and less like a test.
- It is truer to Jesus' message. Jesus taught about how to live—how to love, forgive, serve the poor, and welcome everyone. The New Zealand Creed points to Jesus' life and resurrection. That is what the Gospel is really about.
- It includes women and all people. By using "You" instead of "he," we make clear that God is not male, and that everyone—women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities—fully belongs in this community.
- It honors our Anglican tradition. The Anglican Church has always believed in being thoughtful, open, and willing to grow in understanding. This change shows we take that seriously.
- It helps us live our faith better. The New Zealand Creed ends with "You empower us to be your gospel in the world." That means our faith is not just about believing right things—it is about doing right things, serving others, and being part of God's healing work in the world.
How Can We Make This Change?
Step 1: Learn and Discuss (Weeks 1-4)
We will offer adult education classes on Sunday mornings to talk about creeds, why they matter, and why we might want to make this change. We will look at the history, the theology, and what other churches are doing. We will answer questions. Everyone will have a chance to share their thoughts and concerns.
Step 2: Try It Out (Weeks 5-8)
For four weeks, we will use the New Zealand Creed in worship at the Reconciliation Service instead of the Nicene Creed. People can experience how it feels to pray these words together. After each service, we will have a simple comment card: 'What did you notice? What did you like? What did you miss?'
Step 3: Gather Feedback and Decide (Week 9)
We will look at what people wrote and said. The leadership team will listen carefully. We will talk about whether this change should become permanent, or whether we should use both creeds on different Sundays, or what makes sense for our community.
Some Questions People Ask
Q: Won't this break us away from the rest of the Anglican Church?
No. The New Zealand Prayer Book is an official book in the Anglican Church. Other Anglican churches have made similar changes. The Episcopal Church allows individual congregations to make choices about their worship. We are not leaving the church; we are expressing our faith in a way that fits our community.
Q: But the Nicene Creed is ancient and important!
It is important historically. But the church has always changed and grown. The Nicene Creed itself was a change from earlier forms of Christian belief. The Gospel (Jesus' message) does not change, but how we express it can and should evolve as we learn more and as times change. Using the New Zealand Creed does not erase the history of the Nicene Creed; it builds on it.
Q: What if some people really like the Nicene Creed and want to keep using it?
We hear that. If many people feel strongly about it, we could use the Nicene Creed on some Sundays and the New Zealand Creed on others. Or we could keep a few Nicene Sundays each year. We want everyone to feel welcome, and we are not trying to erase the past. But we also want to move toward something that serves our whole community better.
Q: Isn't this just "woke" politics in the church?
No. Feminist theology and liberation theology have been developed by serious scholars over fifty years. This is not new or trendy—it is the fruit of deep thinking. And the concern about including women and all people in worship is not political—it is Christian. Jesus welcomed everyone. The church should too.
Q: Will changing the creed change our theology?
No. Our basic beliefs stay the same: God loves us, Jesus came to save us, the Holy Spirit empowers us. But the New Zealand Creed helps us see these truths more clearly by focusing on God's action in the world rather than on philosophical puzzles. We are not changing what we believe; we are finding clearer words for it.
Our Recommendation
We recommend that our congregation begin using the New Zealand Creed in our Sunday worship, starting with the four-week trial period described above. This change reflects our desire to be an inclusive, welcoming, theologically thoughtful community. It honors Jesus' message. It includes women and all people. And it helps us focus on what matters most: living the Gospel in the world.
This is not a departure from our Anglican faith. It is a deepening of it—a move toward making our worship more faithful to Jesus, more honest about God's nature, and more welcoming to all people.
Sources and Further Reading
- Church of England Liturgical Commission. "Gendered Language in Liturgy." Report to General Synod, 2023.
- Johnson, Elizabeth A. She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse. Crossroad, 1992.
- New Zealand Anglican Church. A New Zealand Prayer Book: He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa. Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia, 1989.
- O'Donnell, Karen. "Can a Feminist Say the Nicene Creed?" Academic Research Paper, 2025.
- Procter-Smith, Marjorie. In Her Own Rite: Constructing Feminist Liturgical Tradition. Routledge, 1990.
- Ramshaw, Gail. God beyond Gender: Feminist Christian God-Language. Fortress Press, 1995.
- Sölle, Dorothee. Theology for the Third Millennium: Experience and Interpretation. Trinity Press International, 1990.
- Episcopal Church. Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church. Church Publishing, 2007.
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