WCC NEWS: WCC offers online journey through the Nicene Creed

The World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Faith and Order is offering an online course, “Introduction to Nicaea – The 1700th Anniversary of the Nicene Creed,” that invites deeper study of the Nicene Creed and the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. Henco Van Der Westhuizen, who serves as a consultant for the WCC Commission on Faith and Order, took time to answer questions about course, which is open to all. Henco Van Der Westhuizen, consultant for the WCC Commission on Faith and Order. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 22 September 2025 Please, tell us about the online course? Van Der Westhuizen: This course invites participants into a journey through one of the most enduring and unifying texts in Christian history: the Nicene Creed. Commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325), and preparing for the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order in Wadi El Natrun (2025), the course offers theological, historical, and ecumenical perspectives on the creed’s meaning, legacy, and continuing relevance for the global church.   What is the main focus of the course? Van Der Westhuizen: Far from being a static formula, the Nicene Creed is presented here as a living confession - a shared theological grammar that invites the church into deeper communion and faithful witness. Through rich readings, engaging lectures, and guided reflections, this course encourages participants not only to understand the creed, but to confess it forward.   Please, describe the six modules. Van Der Westhuizen: Over six modules, learners will explore the: Historical context and theological conflicts that gave rise to the Council of Nicaea and its creed. Key terms, concepts, and debates of Nicene theology, including homoousios, the Trinity, and Christology. How the creed was received, contested, and developed - especially at Constantinople (381) and in later councils. The role of the Nicene Creed in ecumenical dialogue and the quest for visible church unity. Contemporary interpretations of the creed in light of social, ethical, and ecological concerns. How the creed can serve the church today - as worship, as formation, and as a call to communion.   Who can attend? Van Der Westhuizen: This course is open to anyone with a heart and mind for the church. It will be especially meaningful for ecumenical leaders and theologians who want to reflect deeply on the creed and its call to unity; students of theology, church history, and ecumenism who wish to strengthen their studies with a global perspective; those preparing for the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order in Wadi al Natrun; and truly, all who long to explore what Christian confession means today, and how the creed can bring us closer together as one church.   How to register? Van Der Westhuizen: To register, send your details (email, first and last names) to: faithandorder325@wcc-coe.org  See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland