18th November 2025

The Nicene Creed ends in the way the Bible ends (see header scripture) with the word ‘Amen’. It is a word that is said by Christians so frequently and with which we are so familiar that it might easily slip our notice. Yet, this word is packed with profound meaning, and ancient heritage. ‘Amen’ is a word of Hebrew origin and comes from a root meaning ‘to be firm’ or ‘confirmed’, ‘to be reliable’, ‘to be faithful’. Common English translations of ‘Amen’ include ‘verily’, ‘truly’, ‘let it be so’. ¹  It was used to affirm the truthfulness of a statement or a promise. For example, when Moses spoke to the people, they answered with ‘Amen’ to show their agreement and commitment (Deuteronomy 27:15-26).

Jesus put the word ‘Amen’ at the beginning of everything important he said, in fact he used the word twice, variously translated ‘Verily, verily’ in the KJV, or ‘Very truly’ in the NIVUK (John 5:24). On this practice Richard Rohr comments, ‘I believe [Jesus] is seconding the motion: ‘Amen’ to what he has first heard from God, and a second ‘Amen’ to the authority with which he holds and passes on that same message to us.’ ² The apostle Paul closed many of his letters with this word, binding his words with a seal of truth (1 Corinthians 16:24; Galatians 6:18), and in time the tradition of saying ‘Amen’ at the end of a prayer, as a sign of affirmation, developed. 

Using the word ‘Amen’ at the end of our prayers is not simply a neat, formulaic way to close our prayers, rather we are expressing our faith: we are saying, ‘I believe this to be true’, or ‘I trust in what has been spoken’. It is, therefore, a fitting way for the Creed, which frequently uses the phrase, ‘We believe’, to conclude.

But there is more to ‘Amen’ than agreement or belief. It is also a word of commitment. When we conclude our prayers, and our confession of the Creed with ‘Amen’, we are pledging ourselves to live by what has been spoken. It is not just passive assent: it is an active commitment to walk in the truth just declared. In our collective worship, when ‘Amen’ is spoken together at the end of a public prayer or after reciting the Creed, it unites us as a Christian community. It is a word that brings us together, affirming that we share the same convictions, the same prayers, the same reliance on God. When the congregation responds, ‘Amen’, it is the voice of the people, echoing in unity and faith – a unity and faith that is grounded and centred in Jesus, who is ‘…the Amen, the faithful and true witness…’ (Revelation 3:14). 

So, as we come to the end of our reflections on the Nicene Creed, let us not let ‘Amen’ become a mere formality or a habit spoken without thought. Instead, let it be a word that stirs our hearts and reminds us of the foundation of our faith. Let us say it with conviction, with hope, and with love, knowing that when we say ‘Amen’, we are echoing the promises of God and joining in his faithfulness.

May all God’s people say, ‘Amen’ as we conclude with a prayer that Thomas Torrance offers at the end of his book, The Trinitarian Faith:

¹  en.wikipedia.org Amen /Etymology
²  Rohr, Richard, Amen: Always listening, 2020.
³  Torrance, T.F.  The Trinitarian Faith, p 340.

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead 
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:  
wordoflife@gracecom.church