It's not whether you have a creed or not, just which. "No creed but Christ." This claim tries to remove the mess of doctrinal controversy. After all, doesn't everyone know that "doctrine divides"? But would avoiding creeds and confessions really clear away confusion? What do you believe about Jesus? Was he really God? The answers to these important questions make a creed, even if it's poorly worded or false. Creeds are unavoidable. As the church's first "official" ecumenical creed, the Nicene Creed has protected and shaped the life of God's people for centuries. L. Charles Jackson's popular study walks readers through every line of the creed, highlighting its history and contemporary application, and revealing its grounding in Scripture. It shows us a Nicene Creed that is pastoral, practical, and personal. L. Charles Jackson is pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio, and a Ph.D. student at the University of Leicester, England. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Dayton (M.A.) and Reformed Theological Seminary (M.A.). He and his wife, Connie, have six children.