This year we mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.). At the request of the Emperor Constantine more than 250 bishops gathered at Nicaea to make some decisions about practical matters such as the date for celebrating Easter and above all to clarify what was the faith of the christians. The main achievement of the Council was the Nicene Creed which was slightly modified at the Council of Constantinople, and which we still use today. Naturally local churches already had their own faith formula but some controversy had risen about Christ either being the Son of God, sharing the being of God, or, as the theologian Arius put it, simply being a gifted and graced human being, but not God.. The assembly decreed that the church’s faith be expressed in the Nicene Creed, expressing their traditional belief in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Since then Christians have regularly said or sung the Creed in public worship and prayed the Doxology at the beginning or end of prayer; hymns very often end with a doxology – a custom promoted among others by Sts Hilary of Poitiers and Ambrose of Milan.
Some examples of music:
1 Glory to the Father – words, score, audio
2 Glory to the Father – words, score, audio pending
3 1 Glory to the Father – words, score and audio pending
4 In the name of the Father – words, score, audio
5 In the name of God the Father – words, score, audio, and short movie
6 Glory be to God who has shown us the light – words, score, audio pending
7 We believe in God the Father – words, ; audio
8 Great God, be near me
9 Firmly I Believe and Truly
10 The Easter Creed
1 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
Glory to (1) in key of C – Full Score
Glory to (2) Sib 6 1st – Full Score
Music (c) St Mungo Music; recorded by TheSt Mungo Singers
2 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
Glory to (2) Sib 6 1st – Full Score
Glory to (3) in D – Full Score
————————————————
3 Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
————————————————
4 In the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit
now and forever. Amen.
In the Name of the Father Sib 6 1stSATB – Full Score
5 In the name of God the Father, in the name of God the Son,
in the name of God the Holy Spirit, in the name of God.
In the name of God the Father, in the name of God the Son,
in the name of God the Holy Spirit, in the name of God.
score:
in-the-name
audio:
short movie
In the name 2025 – Small
6 Glory be to God who has shown us the light
Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from sadness to joy.
Lead me from death to immortality.
Glory be to God who has shown us the light
Glory be to God who has shown us the light
score:
Entry Glory be to God
7 We believe in God the Father
We believe in God, the Father; we believe in God the Son;
We believe in God, the Spirit; One in three, yet three in one.
One in three, yet three in one.
We believe that God has spoken in our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
He has sent his Holy Spirit, calling us to share his life.
Calling us to share his life.
We adore and bless the Father, we adore and bless the Son,
We adore and bless the Spirit; One in three, yet three in one.
One in three, yet three in one.
We Believe: Words (c) 1998 Pam Murray music (c) Gerry Fitzpatrick
————————————
8 Firmly I Believe and Truly
Firmly I believe and truly God is three and God I one,
And I next acknowledge duly manhood taken by the Son.
And I trust and hope most fully in that manhood crucified;
and each thought and deed unruly do to death as he has died.
Simply to his grace and wholly light and life and strength belong:
And I love supremely solely , him the holy, him the strong.
And I hold in veneration, for the love o him alone.
Holy Church, as his creation, and her teachings as his own.
Adoration aye be given, with and through th’angelic host
To the God of earth and heaven, Father, Son andHoly Ghost.
Firmly I Believe : Words by St John Henry Newman
9 Great God, be near me
Great God be near me, Great God be near me
Great God, be near me. Great God, be near me.
Fire of the Spirit, purify me.
Great God, be near me; Great God, be near me.
Light of the Son, surround me.
Great God, be near me; Great God, be near me.
Wisdom of the Father, speak to me.
Great God, be near me; Great God, be near me.
Strength of God within me.
Great God, be near me; Great God, be near me.
Great God be near me: Words & music (c) Catherine Walker
