I Believe: The Nicene Creed

by Pauline Baynes (Editor)

An illustrated presentation of the well-known Christian profession of faith. Includes brief background information.

Genres: Picture Books, Christian, Childrens, Theology, Catholic, Nonfiction, Church History

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

Pauline Diana Baynes was an English book illustrator, whose work encompassed more than 100 books, notably those by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Pauline is probably best known for her illustrations in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. She was also J.R.R. Tolkien's chosen illustrator: her drawings appear in Farmer Giles of Ham, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Smith of Wootton Major, Tree and Leaf, and after Tolkien's death the poem Bilbo's Last Song.

Pauline Baynes began her career with little formal training. After spending her early years in India, where her father was commissioner in Agra, she and her elder sister came to England for their schooling. When their father retired, their parents settled near Farnham in Surrey and Pauline, as the unmarried daughter, found herself looking after them during the day and trying to illustrate at night.

Pauline attended the Slade School of Fine Art, where her sister was completing a diploma course, but after only a year she volunteered to work for the Ministry of Defence, painting camouflage. However, since her kind of attention to detail and accuracy were skills essential for map-making, she was soon transferred to another department to draw maps. This experience was very helpful when she later drew maps of Narnia for Jack, and of Middle-earth for his friend J.R.R. Tolkien.

Over the years Pauline Baynes created many new illustrations for use on book jackets, as well as colouring the original illustrations. In 1989, she made a series of full-page colour paintings for two books, one called The Land of Narnia, and the other a beautiful, deluxe version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

She was awarded the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 1968 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to children's illustration.

Reviews

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely marvelous way to present the Nicene Creed to children. I love Baynes's meaning-drenched illustrations, which are also fun and creative, faithful to the medieval forms that inspired her. I just love it! Eerdmans, please, bring this book back in print.

Many thanks to Dominika for the recommendation!

[Melissa Swistek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrated book containing the text of the Nicene Creed. One star removed for the inclusion of the filioque.

[Chandler Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent work from Pauline Baynes. Baynes is the artist who worked on Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia books as well as some illustrations of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books. If you loved her artwork from those books, then you’ll love this little resource as she shows her love for ancient manuscripts. This book contains the Nicene Creed. Each page has a confession from the creed accompanied by Baynes’s amazing artwork that depicts the statements of the creed or other biblical events. This book is a fun and refreshing tool for memorizing the Nicene Creed.

[Michele Thrailkill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a picture book. The book basically breaks the Nicene Creed into phrases and includes a picture on each page. Some pictures are better conversation starter points than others. I had hoped it would explore the creed some for children but it is just the text.

[Trey Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly beautifully illustrated!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous book! So thankful I randomly found it when searching for books on St. John Mary Vianney.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations!

[Aletheia Ubben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The text of this children's book maintains all the simplicity and majesty of the Creed - no dumbing down or cartoonizing - and, while it's not a picture-book, the accompanying illuminations provide a great opportunity to discuss the implications of these ancient statements of faith. I'm thankful that we Christians can continue to use the Nicene Creed to teach our children the essentials truths of our faith!
(Aletheia's review: "Mom's voice got a little shaky when she explained the pages to me.")

[kate and lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the text of the Nicene Creed, illustrated by Pauline Baynes, who also illustrated the Chronicles of Narnia and much of Tolkein’s work. It’s fabulous! The illustrations fit the text really well, and my kids have learned the creed through repeated readings. I know that the visuals of the illustrations helped them to understand the meanings even as smaller children.

[Jude Morrissey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply gorgeous book. It is just the Nicene Creed, but illustrated by Pauline Baynes, who also did the original illustrations for The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Bright and colorful, the book is laid out like an Anglo-Saxon illuminated manuscript.

[Magda]

I'd want to find out whether this creed includes the filioque and the "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic"—an amazon.com reviewer brought the latter into question.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in this mostly because of the illustrator, and the illustrations are really beautiful.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Medieval-esque illustrations set to the text of the Nicene Creed from the classic prayer book.