Finding Our Way Home: Recovering Christian Credibility in an Age of Confusion and Corruption

Pastor Packiam (The Resilient Pastor) argues in this wide-ranging analysis that the Nicene Creed, a confession of faith that was codified by the Council of Nicaea in fourth century Constantinople, can serve as a reminder of core Christian principles at a time of declining trust in the Western church. Unpacking the creed stanza by stanza, he contends that the mention of “one holy catholic and apostolic Church” suggests that Christianity is spiritually and globally “bigger than what we see” (67% of Christians currently live in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania, he notes, a number that’s likely to rise to 77% by 2050). Elsewhere, he discusses how the creed’s framing of “God as the Maker” and source of ultimate meaning counters the modern notion that individuals should “create... their own” purpose, which he contends fosters unfulfilling forms of self-obsession. He then invites churchgoers to find their “way home” by adopting key Christian values like fostering community, hospitality, and love. Throughout, Packiam creatively interweaves detailed scriptural analysis with anecdotes from popular culture and his own life (he recalls how growing up in a Pentecostal church with “tambourines... and tongue-talkers” helped him understand the embodied nature of the Holy Spirit, which is often understood as a nebulous force but is characterized in the creed as a literal “giver of life”). It’s an impassioned call to rejuvenate Christianity by returning to its roots. (Mar.)