Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The Nicene Creed has provided a standard statement of Christian beliefs that is used in many Christian communities. It could be seen as a basis for the ‘sacred cosmos’ in which Christian believers may locate themselves and find meaning in life. Interviews with 44 Australian church attenders during 2024 and 2025, revealed that the general tone by which faith is presented is more important to them than its detail. The majority of attenders spoke of small groups, either within or outside of their churches, being most significant in providing them with meaning in life. Meaning arose primarily in social contexts where individuals felt that they were valued and where they in turn could contribute value. Perhaps Constantine’s initial assessment of the Arian controversy as being ‘too abstruse’ for most people is correct. St. Paul reminds us that our knowledge ‘will pass’, but love remains, and it is in loving and supportive relationships that most people find meaning.
Source: Journal of Contemporary Ministry
Language: English
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Deakin University
OpenAlex ID: W7214875243