A Journey Through the Creed
On Tuesday evening (October 4, 2025), parishioners of St. Sarkis Church gathered in Pagoumian Hall for the third and final lecture in the series “The Power of We Believe,” led by Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian. The session focused on the Nicene Creed's closing section, exploring the role of the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, the meaning of baptism, and the promise of eternal life.
Fr. Nareg began by reading the final portion of the Creed as it is recited in the Armenian Divine Liturgy:
“We also believe in the Holy Spirit, the uncreated and the perfect… We also believe in one universal and apostolic Holy Church, in one baptism, in repentance and the remission and forgiveness of sins, in the resurrection of the dead, in the everlasting judgment of souls and bodies, in the kingdom of heaven and eternal life.”
This, he explained, marks a spiritual movement—from the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Spirit—culminating in the mystery of the Church and eternal life.
The Breath of God: Understanding the Holy Spirit
Fr. Nareg guided participants through the scriptural foundation of the Holy Spirit, beginning with the Book of Genesis:
“The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
He noted that in Hebrew, the same word (ruach) means both wind and spirit, emphasizing the divine breath present at creation. The Spirit, he said, is not a late arrival in the New Testament but has been active since the beginning, empowering prophets, kings, and the faithful throughout history.
Drawing from both Testaments, Fr. Nareg traced how the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets of Israel, descended upon Jesus at his baptism, and filled the disciples at Pentecost. “The Spirit overshadows Mary and the Church is born at Pentecost,” he explained. “What began with the incarnation continues through the life of the Church.”
He introduced the Greek root of enthusiasm—literally “possessed by God”—to describe how the Spirit animates believers: “The Holy Spirit is divine enthusiasm. When we are filled with the Spirit, we are alive with God within.”
Gifts of the Spirit and the Need for Renewal
Referencing St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Fr. Nareg reflected on the diversity of spiritual gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, discernment, and leadership, all given “for the common good.” These gifts, he reminded, lose meaning if they serve only personal pride rather than the community.
He also offered a heartfelt critique of the Church’s need for ongoing doctrinal development. “When we close the doors and windows to the Spirit, we stop growing,” he said, lamenting that the Armenian Church has not canonized a saint in over five centuries. “That is not because the Spirit has stopped working, but because we have stopped listening.”
The Holy Spirit and the Church: One, Holy, Universal, and Apostolic
Turning to the Creed’s statement on the Church, Fr. Nareg described it as “the body of Christ, an organism, not an organization.” The Holy Spirit, he said, gathers and unites the faithful, just as it once reversed the scattering at Babel.
He unpacked the four “marks” of the Church:
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One – United by the Spirit, even amid human diversity.
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Holy – Made holy through the sacraments, the channels of divine grace.
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Universal (Catholic) – Open to all peoples and cultures.
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Apostolic – Rooted in the faith of the apostles and called to mission.
“Being apostolic,” he emphasized, “does not only mean we were founded on the apostles, it means we must act as apostles, teaching the faith and sharing the Gospel. Otherwise, the Church becomes a social club.”
Baptism, Repentance, and the Hope of Resurrection
The discussion then turned to baptism, “the grafting of the believer onto Christ.” Using a vivid image from his childhood in Kessab, Fr. Nareg compared baptism to grafting a fruitful branch onto a wild tree: “Our nature changes, we become fruitful through Christ.” He reminded attendees that baptism is received once, as the beginning of the Christian journey, while repentance and confession renew the soul throughout life.
Finally, he addressed the Creed’s closing affirmation of “the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” Far from a somber conclusion, he said, this is the source of Christian hope: “Death does not end life, it opens us to eternal communion with God.”
A Call to Be Enthusiastic—Possessed by God
Concluding the series, Fr. Nareg invited parishioners to rediscover their faith with “divine enthusiasm.” He reminded them that the Holy Spirit continues to inspire, guide, and sanctify the Church even today:
“Whenever the Holy Spirit is present, God’s voice is heard. For us to hear that voice, we must invite the Spirit within us.”
As the evening ended, the participants joined together to recite the Havadamk—the Nicene Creed—as both prayer and proclamation, affirming once more the power of “We Believe.”