Quotes & Sayings


We, and creation itself, actualize the possibilities of the God who sustains the world, towards becoming in the world in a fuller, more deeper way. - R.E. Slater

There is urgency in coming to see the world as a web of interrelated processes of which we are integral parts, so that all of our choices and actions have [consequential effects upon] the world around us. - Process Metaphysician Alfred North Whitehead

Kurt Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem says (i) all closed systems are unprovable within themselves and, that (ii) all open systems are rightly understood as incomplete. - R.E. Slater

The most true thing about you is what God has said to you in Christ, "You are My Beloved." - Tripp Fuller

The God among us is the God who refuses to be God without us, so great is God's Love. - Tripp Fuller

According to some Christian outlooks we were made for another world. Perhaps, rather, we were made for this world to recreate, reclaim, redeem, and renew unto God's future aspiration by the power of His Spirit. - R.E. Slater

Our eschatological ethos is to love. To stand with those who are oppressed. To stand against those who are oppressing. It is that simple. Love is our only calling and Christian Hope. - R.E. Slater

Secularization theory has been massively falsified. We don't live in an age of secularity. We live in an age of explosive, pervasive religiosity... an age of religious pluralism. - Peter L. Berger

Exploring the edge of life and faith in a post-everything world. - Todd Littleton

I don't need another reason to believe, your love is all around for me to see. – Anon

Thou art our need; and in giving us more of thyself thou givest us all. - Khalil Gibran, Prayer XXIII

Be careful what you pretend to be. You become what you pretend to be. - Kurt Vonnegut

Religious beliefs, far from being primary, are often shaped and adjusted by our social goals. - Jim Forest

We become who we are by what we believe and can justify. - R.E. Slater

People, even more than things, need to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. – Anon

Certainly, God's love has made fools of us all. - R.E. Slater

An apocalyptic Christian faith doesn't wait for Jesus to come, but for Jesus to become in our midst. - R.E. Slater

Christian belief in God begins with the cross and resurrection of Jesus, not with rational apologetics. - Eberhard Jüngel, Jürgen Moltmann

Our knowledge of God is through the 'I-Thou' encounter, not in finding God at the end of a syllogism or argument. There is a grave danger in any Christian treatment of God as an object. The God of Jesus Christ and Scripture is irreducibly subject and never made as an object, a force, a power, or a principle that can be manipulated. - Emil Brunner

“Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” means "I will be that who I have yet to become." - God (Ex 3.14) or, conversely, “I AM who I AM Becoming.”

Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. - Thomas Merton

The church is God's world-changing social experiment of bringing unlikes and differents to the Eucharist/Communion table to share life with one another as a new kind of family. When this happens, we show to the world what love, justice, peace, reconciliation, and life together is designed by God to be. The church is God's show-and-tell for the world to see how God wants us to live as a blended, global, polypluralistic family united with one will, by one Lord, and baptized by one Spirit. – Anon

The cross that is planted at the heart of the history of the world cannot be uprooted. - Jacques Ellul

The Unity in whose loving presence the universe unfolds is inside each person as a call to welcome the stranger, protect animals and the earth, respect the dignity of each person, think new thoughts, and help bring about ecological civilizations. - John Cobb & Farhan A. Shah

If you board the wrong train it is of no use running along the corridors of the train in the other direction. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God's justice is restorative rather than punitive; His discipline is merciful rather than punishing; His power is made perfect in weakness; and His grace is sufficient for all. – Anon

Our little [biblical] systems have their day; they have their day and cease to be. They are but broken lights of Thee, and Thou, O God art more than they. - Alfred Lord Tennyson

We can’t control God; God is uncontrollable. God can’t control us; God’s love is uncontrolling! - Thomas Jay Oord

Life in perspective but always in process... as we are relational beings in process to one another, so life events are in process in relation to each event... as God is to Self, is to world, is to us... like Father, like sons and daughters, like events... life in process yet always in perspective. - R.E. Slater

To promote societal transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework which includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace. - The Earth Charter Mission Statement

Christian humanism is the belief that human freedom, individual conscience, and unencumbered rational inquiry are compatible with the practice of Christianity or even intrinsic in its doctrine. It represents a philosophical union of Christian faith and classical humanist principles. - Scott Postma

It is never wise to have a self-appointed religious institution determine a nation's moral code. The opportunities for moral compromise and failure are high; the moral codes and creeds assuredly racist, discriminatory, or subjectively and religiously defined; and the pronouncement of inhumanitarian political objectives quite predictable. - R.E. Slater

God's love must both center and define the Christian faith and all religious or human faiths seeking human and ecological balance in worlds of subtraction, harm, tragedy, and evil. - R.E. Slater

In Whitehead’s process ontology, we can think of the experiential ground of reality as an eternal pulse whereby what is objectively public in one moment becomes subjectively prehended in the next, and whereby the subject that emerges from its feelings then perishes into public expression as an object (or “superject”) aiming for novelty. There is a rhythm of Being between object and subject, not an ontological division. This rhythm powers the creative growth of the universe from one occasion of experience to the next. This is the Whiteheadian mantra: “The many become one and are increased by one.” - Matthew Segall

Without Love there is no Truth. And True Truth is always Loving. There is no dichotomy between these terms but only seamless integration. This is the premier centering focus of a Processual Theology of Love. - R.E. Slater

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Note: Generally I do not respond to commentary. I may read the comments but wish to reserve my time to write (or write from the comments I read). Instead, I'd like to see our community help one another and in the helping encourage and exhort each of us towards Christian love in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. - re slater

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Brian Abasciano’s response to a review of his book on Romans 9-11

Why I'm More Afraid of White Picket Fences Than Gangs


Laura Ziesel
April 16, 2012

I live in a modest apartment in a modest apartment complex in a modest American town. That's one way to say it. Others might say that we live on a rough block in a rough American town. But when they say that, I laugh and judge them. That might sound harsh, but it's the truth. My husband and I have both seen rough neighborhoods, domestic and abroad, and ours is not one of them.
The local park in our "dangerous" neighborhood. Yeah, it's terrifying!
Admittedly, our neighborhood is low on the socio-economic ladder. We do have poverty, single- or absent-parent homes, and some recorded gang activity. Occasionally we see a smash and grab. I'm sure quite a few of my neighbors are illegal immigrants because the police are avoided like the plague. And probably more to the point for many people who make negative observations about our neighborhood, most people who live here are nonWhite and don't speak English at home.
 
We love it. Truly. I could list the reasons why I think my neighbors rock and why this is a home I am proud of, but that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about how Christians decide where they should and shouldn't live.
 
In my experience, Christians often make decisions about where they'll reside in the same way nonChristians do. They think about their finances, their desire for space or land or artistry or community, the quality of the education system, their reputation, and their health and safety. I understand this. I've now made five major moves in my life and I see why all of these things are important; these are the natural concerns a person would have when deciding where to live (if they get to decide).
 
But I'm sad that Christians don't often consider more.
 
My husband and I are both in grad school at a Christian university just across the street from where we live. It would make sense that we live where we live. But unfortunately, revelations of our neighborhood of choice have not always been met with, "Oh, why yes, of course you live there." Even from Christians, we often get more of an incredulous response, implicitly and sometimes explicitly saying, "Really? You know how dangerous it is, right?"
 
To be blunt, this makes me irate. On one hand, I become irate because the danger of my neighborhood is so incredibly blown-out-of-proportion that it is comical. But on a deeper level, I become irate because Christians seem to have welcomed the human tendency to flee from discomfort and danger. What if my neighborhood was actually a dangerous place? Should we go somewhere safer?
 
I've written before about The Rise of Christianity and the impact it had on me in college. Perhaps the most vivid image that book left me with had to do with towns that were stricken by the plague during early Christianity. Apparently, once the plague hit a town, healthy residents fled for safety and the towns were left with only the ill and the dead. However, while everyone else was fleeing these plague-stricken towns, Christians were the ones who went toward the danger instead of away from it. They seemed stupid and reckless, but they moved against the flow to care for the sick.
 
To me, the image of Christians moving toward a probable death-sentence while nonChristians fled those towns is one of the single most moving images from my faith. We are people of courage, people who have no fear in sickness or death, people who have hope and want to share it at all costs with the world.
 
Or, we're supposed to be.
 
Even if my neighborhood was truly dangerous, I would hope that my Christian brothers and sisters would be the first to understand my place of residence, or better yet, to move in next to me.
 
Instead, I fear we've decided that where we live should be safe and that we'll only visit rough neighborhoods in groups on service projects or missions trips. We've decided that fleeing from danger is sensible and natural; we've let self-preservation determine our values. We've decided that our children shouldn't ever feel unsafe or uncomfortable, but we've failed to think of the millions of children around the world who know no other alternative. Maybe we sponsor one or two of those children (and that's good!), but we are thankful that we don't have to put ourselves in danger to help them. Our safety is found in our white picket fences and our retirement accounts rather than in the promises of the Maker of the universe.
 
The Maker of the universe, people! Why are we so blind to the influence of our fear?
 
Repeatedly throughout Scripture, God tells his people, "Do not fear... do not fear." But when we sit in a realtor's office to talk about the zip codes we'll look for housing in, are we moving forward in courage or are we shrinking back in fear?
 
As Christians, we should have more than Darwinian survival instincts guiding our decisions about which neighborhood we will be investing our time, money, and resources into. We should be people whose values are shaped by our faith in the Creator God who sent His Son toward the danger instead of away from it. We should be people who move into the neighborhood when everyone else is moving out.
 
 
_________
 
 
 
There are so many additional things to say about this topic...
  • It begs for discussion about the false sense of safety found in many affluent American towns.
  •  
  • It begs for discussion about what it means to move into a neighborhood in need without trying to play the savior.
  •  
  • It begs for discussion about physical poverty versus spiritual poverty, which is found aplenty in Stepford, USA.
  •  
  • It begs for discussion about responsible parenthood and love of our children. I get it, but for now I'm stopping here.
 
 
 
 

Monday, May 14, 2012

Nameless Women of the Bible


Life-Giving Widow
http://www.jrdkirk.com/2012/05/11/life-giving-widow/

by J.R. Daniel Kirk
May 11, 2012
Comments

The Freely-Given Life.

On several occasions I’ve reflected on the nameless woman who anoints Jesus in Mark 14. She is unique in that Jesus promises that her deed of burial-preparation / anointing will be told everywhere the gospel is proclaimed.

Why remember her?

It seems that she alone, of all the characters in the story, has held together “anointed one” with “the one who must die.”

Another word of approbation is given to a woman a couple chapters before. She, too, is nameless.

It is the widow who gives her own 2 cents.

Her presence here is double-edged, without a doubt.

The scribes have just been accused of devouring widows houses. Enter the widow. Behold how she has put in her whole livelihood.

Check that.

She has put in her whole life (ὅλον τὸν βίον αὐτῆς).

Why would Jesus draw attention to this one person, of all the people in the gospel, and point to her as an example of discipleship? Why is she the great positive example who puts to shame all the others who are giving to God’s work?

Perhaps because in giving her life she has executed faithfully the sacrifice that Jesus lauds in ch. 8:
After calling the crowd together with his disciples, Jesus said to them, All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me and because of the good news will save them. (Mark 8:34-36, CEB)
She has given her life. She has not clung to it.

Unlike the rich man who cannot part with his wares, and unlike these rich who give from the overflow, she has given all.

Yes, she is consumed by the scribes who devour widows’ houses. But then again, such forces lay behind Jesus’ own cross as well.




The Value of Asking Difficult Questions & Disturbing the Comfortable to Wrestle Afresh


Questions and Answers
http://www.jrdkirk.com/2012/05/12/questions-and-answers/

by J.R. Daniel Kirk
May 12, 2012
Comments

AI love writing about theological things for folks who aren’t academic professionals. One of the great benefits of being a New Testament professor is that there are thousands upon thousands of pastors and lay people who are interested in the ideas and capable of having insightful conversations about them.

But I discovered something.

I really only like writing about theological things for normal people when I get to set the rules. When I have to adapt to someone else’s idea of what it means to talk to normal people, I’m not so happy about it.

I should have clued into this a long time ago.

Once I was interviewing for a position at a church. They asked me what sort of curriculum I’d use for Sunday School. My answer was basically: I’ve got a seminary degree and a Ph.D.–I’ll use the Bible and other books people have written and make my own. They weren’t so happy with that.

But to the point for today.
When you are preaching and/or teaching and/or leading folks in your faith community, to what extent do you see your task as providing direction through difficult issues? And to what extent do you see your task as raising questions for them to wrestle with?
This week I was revising something I had put together for a “popular” audience. I was revising it under the direction of the editors / readers whose first comment was this:
Author: Please rewrite the introduction. Think of writing it for Sunday school classes – not to raise questions but to provide orientation.
My first (and enduring) response to this in my heart was: “Please tell me what church you go to, because I do not want to attend such a Sunday school!”

But there’s a both/and here. I know it. In fact, I see one of my most important roles as a professor and writer as one of providing direction for asking the right, difficult questions.

It’s more important for me to raise the issues surrounding who might or might not have written a book of the Bible, and allow you to be disturbed, comforted, or otherwise engaged with the issues as you read.

It’s more important for me to highlight the difficulties entailed in signing off on household codes than to provide an explanation for why a NT writer might have made them all better by introducing Jesus into them.

The direction I can give, the value I can bring to the process, is often to disturb the comfortable and cause us to wrestle afresh with the text. I’m less concerned that people will be troubled by issues and more concerned that they will fail to be troubled by important difficulties that have the power to transform our understanding of what the Bible is and how we faithfully live out the narrative contained there.

Just as I was grumping about having to turn my vintage Kirk piece into tame “Sunday School” material, I saw a friends link to this:




It’s a promo video for a new Sunday-School-like material.

At one point, a person in the video says, “I think Animate will spark conversations for adults because we’re not spoon-feeding them the answers.”

Bingo. Christian education for adults.

Ok, so it’s not one or the other. (Either questions or answers.) But still…

Having laid out my own proclivities (and, knowing that I’m more of a provocateur than answer-giver!), I truly would like to hear from you:
  • When you preach or teach or lead, how do you think through how much direction to give and how much you raise salient, even difficult or impossible questions?
  • When you’re in a group such as a Bible study or Sunday School class, to what extent to you hope the person will be giving direction, and to what extent provoking difficult questions?
  • To what extent do you imagine that it’s the leader’s job to direct you–into difficult / impossible questions?!

I’d love to have good conversation about this.

(And, that Animate series looks great–though don’t ask me what “electric, carbonated space,” is!)



* * * * * * * * * * * * * *



For More on the Animate Series - 

Introducing Animate's "Faith Formation Series"
for Adults, Teens, and Kids by Sparkhouse









Sunday, May 13, 2012

Equal Rights for Gay Marriage and How It Affects Christian Ethos Rightly or Wrongly

“Fundamentalism” of the Left
Very interesting! I had forgotten that Bush advocated that. The one area where you and I may disagree is whether churches and synagogues (etc.) need to see a civil union license before performing a marriage ceremony. I don’t think so. The two things should be disengaged entirely. The government should have no say in what persons churches and synagogues (etc.) marry and churches and synagogues (etc.) should not care about the government’s decisions about civil unions.


Daniel W says:
Perhaps all legal domestic unions between two consenting adults should be called “civil unions” instead of “marriages” at the state and federal levels. What is considered a “marriage” should be left to churches and other religious organizations. Each religious organization should be able to decide which individuals they consider to be married in God’s eyes. Obviously, the state should really have no part in that. On this issue, I prefer the model of some European nations, in which church marriage and state marriages are separate. In France, if an elderly woman would lose her deceased husband’s pension by becoming legally remarried, she can still get remarried before God in a church without going to the courthouse to procure a legal marriage.

rogereolson says:
I have publicly agreed with that and taken a lot of flack for it–including from baptists who would be horrified if the government started deciding which persons are “really” ordained (which was the case in some European countries until recently). I am completely clueless as to the distinction between ordination and marriage when it comes to church and state. Until a century to two centuries ago marriage was always a religious institution. Government only got into the “business” of issuing marriage licenses for the non-religious and to prevent certain persons from being married. We need to take separation of church and state to the next logical level.


Bev Mitchell says:
Roger, You remind us, ”Not long ago I wrote a column advocating civil unions for any two adults. I argued that “marriage,” being a religious institution, should be left to churches, synagogues and other religious organizations. I was vilified by people on both sides of the homosexuality debate. For many gay rights advocates, that’s not enough. For many anti-gay activists that’s too big a concession.”

How did I miss this? You make exactly the right point – thanks for having stated it so boldly, and stick to your guns! We Christians rightly celebrate Christian marriage – a marriage before the Judeo-Christian God which seeks the blessing of that same God. How can non-believers honestly celebrate this kind of marriage? Why would they want to? However, and beyond where you may wish to go, if the word ‘marriage’ has become irreversibly universal (religious, civil, Vegas etc.), so be it. An adjective may well be required and ‘Christian marriage’ should do just fine. Perhaps we should make this small change and get over it!

I know this will sound like giving in to many. However, we already have all kinds of marriages that make no reference whatever to religion of any kind, let alone The Christian kind. There appears to be little outcry about calling them marriages. How, logically, does the gay issue make any difference. Why fuss now after the horse is well out of the barn and headed for the next county?

rogereolson says:
I would prefer to call what the government licenses “civil unions.” I am often inclined to stick to the original meanings of words when it’s too late. :) I suspect we agree on the basic issue. I blogged about it way back near the beginning of this blog and I wrote a column about it in the local newspaper. I received harsh e-mails criticizing me for my suggestion. Even some baptists still want our governments deciding about Christian marriage. My question to them is why they don’t want our governments deciding about valid ordinations, baptisms, etc. “Marriage” is a sacrament (in the broadest sense), not a civil institution. In my opinion, churches and synagogues (etc.) should decide whom to marry without government interference or even knowledge. If the couple wants the protection of a civil union, they can add that.


Bev Mitchell says:
Roger, Yes, we do fundamentally agree. We also share the tendency, even strong desire, to insist on keeping the meaning of a word after the majority have arrived at a quite different meaning, or worse, many meanings. It reminds me of a book I used to own, but can no longer find, entitled “Good English, and Other Lost Causes”. And yes, marriage is a sacrament – that is, what we do, what we say and what we mean, as believers before the Lord are indeed sacramental. The word ‘marriage’ used to summarize these sacramental acts nicely. I am simply concerned that it no longer does – indeed, as you say, it has been stolen from the faithful. But, the theft occurred many moons ago, and, I think, largely without complaint from the ‘owners’.

It would be wonderful if the state would keep its hands off of the Church’s sacraments. But do we also want people of other faiths, with other sacraments to leave our Christian word alone? Is it indeed a solely a Christian word? Is it reasonable to complain loudly now, especially based on one issue that has so many confusing overtones? Is it reasonable to re-claim sole ownership, after all these decades of neglect?

I’m mostly full of questions today, it seems, but here is another that you are far better equipped to answer than many. While marriage is clearly a sacrament for Christians, what is it considered to be, by Muslims for Muslims, by Buddhists for Buddhists, Jews for Jews etc.?

rogereolson says:
To the best of my knowledge all religions have some form of what we call marriage. I have no objection to them performing those ceremonies and observing those institutions. Christians will call ours marriage whatever they call theirs.

Government should offer any two people the opportunity of civil union for specific legal purposes–sharing of property, having the right to visit the other one in hospital and (as assigned by his or her partner) make life and death decisions for him or her, etc., etc. All the rights and privileges of what the government now calls “marriage” would go to civil unions but without any of the religious connotations and without any implications for sex.

Laws against abuse would stand. (For example, adults would not be allowed to enter into civil unions with minors. Parents would still have special rights over their children, etc.) However, any two consenting adults could form a civil union solely (in the government’s eyes) for financial purposes and for purposes of decision making. Everything gay people want when they demand the right to marry would be given them in civil unions. They could call their civil union “marriage” or whatever they want to call it. The government would only issue a civil union license which would permit them to file income tax returns jointly, own property jointly, inherit common property without taxation, etc.

Churches and other religious organizations would decide without government interference who is married (or whatever they call their arrangement that we call a sacrament). For example, a church might decide it will not recognize gay civil unions as true marriages or it might require a civil union license to marry people (or not), etc., etc. A gay couple can become married by finding a church that will perform that ceremony and declare them married (which would only be valid for churches that recognize it as valid). Or they can simply have a civil union and call it marriage, but they could not expect everyone to recognize their civil union as marriage. The two are entirely separate arrangements–one civil and one religious.


Steve Dal says:
Roger, You simply cannot raise any gay issue now without being seen as an ‘anti-gay activist’. The end. Its past discussion now and rational debate over the various aspects of the issue. Even in the ‘church’.

rogereolson says:
Or, I might add, without being seen as a “gay activist” or “pro-gay.” As with abortion, the middle ground is missing and even vilified when you try to work it out.


Rick Frueh says:
For every verse about the sin of homosexual behavior there are twenty about greed and hedonism. The only reason I am against abortion or believe homosexual behavior is sinful is because I was born again. I do find it quite curious that a church full of divorce and adultery finds those sins redemptive-ready, while gay sin provides a wonderful platform to trot out our pristine Biblical credentials. (sarcasm alert) Since I endorse orthodox divorce between a man and a woman, and orthodox adultery between a man and a woman. Perhaps a constitutional amendment supporting that?

rogereolson says:

Friday, May 11, 2012

Historical Timelines of the Bible


Main Events in Biblical History
http://www.bible-history.com/rome/RomeTimeline__Biblical_History.htm

HISTORICAL TIME CHART (Biblical and Historical)

Biblical dating follows that of several scholars esp. Whitcomb and Boyer. Some dates are uncertain. There is also some overlap, especially in the case of the judges and the kings.


B.C.

2090 Abraham called by God

2067 Isaac born

2007 Jacob born

1992 Abraham dies

1944 Isaac dies

1877 Jacob arrives in Egypt

1860 Jacob dies in Egypt

1806 Joseph dies in Egypt

1730 Hyksos invasion of Egypt; Hebrews bondage begins.

1728 Hammurabi of Sumer born

1570 Hyksos expelled from Egypt; Amose I founds 18th dynasty

1548 Amenhotep I becomes pharaoh of Egypt

1548 Hebrew midwives ordered to destroy all Hebrew male children

1528 Thutmose I becomes pharaoh;

1528 All newborn Hebrew males are to be cast into the Nile

1525 Moses born

1510 Thutmose II becomes pharaoh

1504 Hatshepsut becomes pharaoh

1487 Moses flees Egypt

1483 Thutmose III becomes pharaoh

1483 The great oppression of the Hebrews begins

1450 Amenhotep II becomes pharaoh

1447 The Exodus begins

1446 The Tabernacle constructed

1423 Thutmose IV becomes pharaoh

1410 Amenhotep III becomes pharaoh

1407 Moses dies; Joshua conquers Canaan

1400 Conquest of Canaan completed

1377 Akhnaton becomes pharaoh; inaugurates monotheistic reforms

1375 Othniel becomes judge

1319 Ehud becomes judge

1318 Rameses I founds the 19th dynasty in Egypt

1240 Deborah and Barak judge Israel

1194 Gideon becomes judge

1167 Eli born

1155 Abimelech usurps power in Israel

1152 Tola becomes judge

1131 Jair becomes judge

1109 Eli becomes priest

1105 Samuel born

1089 Jephthah becomes judge

1083 Ibzan becomes judge

1071 Elon becomes judge; Samson becomes judge

1069 Samuel begins to minister

1066 Abdon becomes judge

1043 Saul becomes king

1011 Saul and Jonathan slain; David becomes king of Judah

1004 David becomes king over all Israel

971 Solomon ascends the throne

966 Solomon begins to build the Temple in Jerusalem

945 Sheshhonk ( Shishak) becomes pharaoh of Egypt

931 Rehoboam becomes king of Israel and Judah

931 Jeroboam rebels; sets Up a rival kingdom in the north

913 Abijam becomes king of Judah

911 Asa becomes king of Judah

910 Nadab becomes king of Israel

909 Bausha becomes king of Israel

890 Benhadad becomes king of Syria

886 Elah becomes king of Israel; Zimri becomes king of Israel

885 Tibni becomes king of Israel

883 Ashurbanipal II becomes king of Assyria

880 Omri becomes king of Israel

874 Ahab becomes king of Israel

873 Jehoshaphat becomes king of Judah

859 Shalmaneser III becomes king of Assyria

858 Elijah begins to prophesy

853 Ahaziah becomes king of Israel ;

853 Jehoram becomes king of Judah

852 Joram becomes king of Israel

852 Elisha begins to prophesy

841 Jehu becomes king of Israel

841 Ahaziah becomes king of Judah

841 Athaliah seizes the throne of Judah

841 Hazael becomes king of Syria

835 Joash becomes king of Judah

830 Joel prophecies

814 Jehoahaz becomes king of Israel

801 Benhadad II becomes king of Syria

798 Jehoash becomes king of Israel

796 Amaziah becomes king of Judah

790 Uzziah becomes co-regent of Judah

783 Shalmaneser IV becomes king of Assyria

783 Jonah begins his ministry

782 Jeroboam II becomes king of Israel

776 Olympic games begin in Greece

767 Uzziah becomes full king of Judah

764 Amos begins to prophesy

755 Hosea begins to prophesy

753 Rome founded; Zechariah becomes king of Israel

752 Shallum becomes king of Israel

752 Menahem becomes king of Israel

745 Tiglath-pileser III becomes king of Assyria

742 Pekahiah becomes king of Israel

740 Pekah becomes king of Israel

739 Uzziah dies; Isaiah begins to prophesy

739 Jotham becomes king of Judah

736 Micah begins to prophesy

735 Ahaz becomes king of Judah

732 Hoshea becomes king of Israel

727 Shalmaneser IV becomes king of Assyria

722 Sargon II becomes king of Assyria Samaria falls;

722 The ten tribes of Israel go into captivity

715 Hezekiah becomes king of Judah

705 Sennacherib becomes king of Assyria

701 Judah invaded by the Assyrians

686 Manasseh becomes king of Judah

681 Esarhaddon becomes king of Assyria

669 Ashurbanipal becomes king of Assyria

660 Zoroaster born

648 Nahum predicts the fall of Nineveh

642 Amon becomes king of Judah

640 Josiah becomes king of Judah

634 Zephaniah begins to prophesy

627 Jeremiah begins to prophesy

626 Nabopolasser becomes king of Babylon

622 Revival in Judah

619 Habakkuk begins to prophesy

612 Nineveh falls

609 Neco II becomes pharaoh of Egypt

609 Jehoahaz becomes king of Judah

609 Jehoiakim becomes king of Judah

605 Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon

605 The Babylonians invade Judah Daniel begins to prophesy

597 Jehoachin becomes king of Judah

597 Zedekiah becomes king of Judah

593 Ezekiel begins to prophesy

586 The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Temple

586 The Jews deported to Babylon

586 Gedaliah becomes governor of Jerusalem

586 The rabbis preempt the priests as the holders of divine truth

563 Buddhism founded by Siddhartha

553 Belshazzar becomes regent in Babylon

550 Cyrus becomes king of Persia

550 The temple of Artemis erected at Ephesus

550 Confucius begins to teach

539 Babylon falls to the Medes and Persians

539 Darius the Mede rules in Babylon

538 Zerubbabel and Joshua lead a small party back to Palestine

536 The Temple started in Jerusalem

530 Cambyses becomes king of Persia

521 Smerdis becomes king of Persia

521 Darius I Hystapses becomes king of Persia

520 Zechariah begins to prophesy

520 Haggai begins to prophesy

520 Construction of the Jerusalem Temple resumed

516 The Temple completed

509 The Roman Republic founded

486 Xerxes becomes king of Persia

484 Herodotus the historian born

480 The Greeks defeat Xerxes at Salamis

479 The Greeks defeat Xerxes at Thermopalye

478 Esther becomes queen of Persia

478 Esther saves the Jews of the empire from extermination

473 The Feast of Purim started

469 Socrates born

464 Artaxerxes Longimanus becomes king of Persia

458 Ezra takes a small contingent of Jews back to Palestine

447 The building of the Parthenon commenced

445 Nehemiah takes a small contingent of Jews back to Palestine

443 Nehemiah and Ezra read the Scriptures to the Jews

443 The beginnings of the Midrash; the Sopherim (Scribes) flourish

436 Malachi begins to prophesy

423 Darius II becomes king of Persia

404 Artaxerxes II becomes king of Persia

400 The Midrash begins to develop

399 Socrates condemned to death

359 Artaxerxes III becomes king of Persia

359 Philip becomes king of Macedonia

342 Epicurius teaches his philosophy

336 Darius III Codomannus becomes king of Persia

336 Alexander the Great becomes king of Greece

335 Aristotle teaches at Athens

333 The Battle of Issus fought; Alexander defeats the Persians

333 Alexander takes Egypt

332 Alexander destroys Tyre

331 Alexander seizes Babylon

330 Darius III of Persia slain

329 Alexander marries Roxana in a symbolic gesture of uniting East and West

327 Alexander invades India

323 Alexander claims to be the son of Zeus

323 Alexander dies

323 Alexander's empire divided between his four chief generals

323 Ptolemy I Soter takes Egypt

320 Ptolemy I seizes Palestine

311 Seleucus I Nicator takes Babylon

300 Rome becomes a major world power in the western Mediterranean

300 Seleucus I adds Syria to his realm

285 Ptolemy II Philadelphius becomes king of Egypt

285 Between 285 and 130 the Septuagint translated

280 Antiochus I Soter becomes king of Syria

276 The first Syro-Egyptian war begins

275 Ptolemy of Egypt invades Syria

274 Hinduism codified in India

264 Rome's first Punic war against Carthage begins

261 Antiochus II Theos (the God) becomes king of Syria

260 The second Syro-Egyptian war begins

252 Antiochus II marries Bernice, daughter of Ptolemy II

250 The Parthian kingdom founded

246 Seleucus II Callinicus becomes king of Syria

246 Ptolemy III Euergetes becomes king of Egypt

246 The third Syro-Egyptian war begins

245 Ptolemy invades Syria

240 Seleucus invades Egypt

223 Antiochus III (the Great) becomes king of Syria

221 Ptolemy IV Philopater becomes king of Egypt

221 The fourth Syro-Egyptian war begins

219 Antiochus the Great invades Egypt

218 Rome's second Punic war against Carthage begins

217 Hannibal invades Italy Ptolemy IV invades Syria; Battle of Raphia

215 Rome's first Macedonian war begins

206 Rome drives Carthage out of Spain

203 Ptolemy V ( Epiphanes ) becomes king of Egypt

201 The fifth Syro-Egyptian war begins Carthage surrenders to Rome

200 Rome's second Macedonian war begins

200 The Mishna begins to appear among the Jews

193 Ptolemy V marries Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus III

190 Antiochus III defeated by Romans at Magnesia

187 Seleucus IV Philopator becomes king of Syria

181 Ptolemy VI Philomater becomes king of Egypt

175 Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes king of Syria

171 Ptolemy VII becomes co-regent of Egypt with Ptolemy VI

171 Rome's third Macedonian war begins

171 Mithridates I begins the conquest of Babylonia and Media,

171 He adds those countries to Elam, Persia, and Bactra to form the Parthian Empire

169 Antiochus Epiphanes captures Jerusalem

168 The Romans interfere in Antiochus's war with Egypt and prevent his capturing Alexandria

168 Antiochus pollutes the Temple in Jerusalem and suspends the sacrifices of the Jews

166 Matthias leads the Jews in revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes

165 The Jerusalem Temple repaired and cleansed

164 Antiochus Epiphanes dies

154 The Jews in Egypt build a temple at Leontopolis

149 Rome's third Punic war against Carthage begins Rome's fourth Macedonian war begins

146 The Romans destroy Carthage

135 John Hyrcanus becomes high priest in Jerusalem

133 Rome begins to expand her empire eastward

130 The Pharisees begin to emerge as a sect

124 Mithridates II (the Great) conquers Scythia, adds it to the Parthian Empire,

124 Mithridates II makes a treaty with Rome

120 Hyrcanus repudiates the Pharisees and declares himself a Sadducee

106 Cicero born

88 Rome's first Mithridatic war begins

83 Rome's second Mithridatic war begins

74 Rome's third Mithridatic war begins

64 Pompey captures Jerusalem;

64 Pompey leaves the Maccabean high priest Hyrcanus in power

64 Pompey puts Antipater as civil adviser

60 The first Triumvirate at Rome (Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey )

59 Julius Caesar becomes proconsul; Pompey marries Julia, daughter of Caesar

58 Caesar conquers Gaul

54 Caesar invades Britain

49 Caesar crosses the Rubicon

48 Pompey slain in Egypt

48 Caesar makes Cleopatra queen of Egypt

44 Caesar becomes dictator of Rome for life

44 Caesar assassinated (Ides of March)

43 The second Triumvirate at Rome (Anthony, Lepidus, and Octavian )

40 Herod appointed king

37 Herod captures Jerusalem

31 Battle of Actium, Anthony slain,

31 Octavian becomes master of Rome, the final triumph of Empire

30 Egypt becomes a Roman province

30 Shammai fourished

30 Hillel flourished

30 Philo of Alexandria fourished

21 Octavian assumed the title of Augustus

20 Herod begins to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple

4 Herod dies

4 THE BIRTH OF JESUS





A.D.

14 Augustus dies

14 Tiberius becomes Roman emperor

26 Jesus begins to teach; He characterizes rabbinic teaching (the Mishna) as "vain tradition'

30 Jesus crucified and raised from the dead

30 Full Pentecost; the Christian church is born

37 Caligula becomes Roman emperor

40 Gentiles are added to the church with the conversion of Cornelius

41 Claudius becomes Roman emperor

42 Antioch becomes the new center of church activity

43 Theudas claims to be Messiah and is executed

54 Nero becomes Roman emperor

59 The apostle Paul is imprisoned at Caesarea

60 Paul appears before Agrippa

61 Paul a prisoner at Rome

66 The Jews of Judea revolt against Rome

68 Paul martyred at Rome

69 Jerusalem beseiged by the Romans

69 Jochanan ben Zakkai seeks an audience with Vespasian

69 Vespasian becomes Roman emperor

70 Jerusalem falls; the Temple burned; the Jews deported

73 The last stand of the Jewish rebels at Masada

79 Titus becomes Roman emperor

81 Domitian becomes Roman emperor

96 Nerva becomes Roman emperor

98 Trajan becomes Roman emperor

113 Rome goes to war with Parthia

116 A further Jewish revolt against Rome is suppressed with great severity

117 Hadrian becomes Roman emperor

132 Bar Kochba claims to be Messiah and leads a revolt against Rome

132 Judea depopulated and the Jews denationalized by the Romans

138 Antoninus Pius becomes Roman emperor

150 Tertullian born




The History of Rome - Part One 743 - 136 B.C.
© Bible History Online (http://www.bible-history.com)

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Remembering Covenant - A Short History of Church Creeds and Confessions


Israel's Creeds and Confessions

I've listed five synopses of the Church Creeds and Confessions from five different referring websites. The reader may also use http://www.wikipedia.org/ as an additional corroborating resource. To begin, please note that there are in addition to the church's creeds and confessions even more ancient creedal statements found within the Bible's Old and New Testament passages which have not been cited here in this post. However, the first several websites presented below will provide a (comprehensive?) list of those early confessionals. These biblical confessions are different both in type and historical procession from the later arising church creeds and confessions used by the early Church Fathers. However, they would have functioned similarly amongst the tribes and nation of Israel as did the confessional creeds that necessarily arose during the historical passage of the Church through its many historical councils and fervent-minded congregations.

Israel's History

Any adverse sociological stress experienced by alienated people groups can be cause for the creation of new societal charters within progressive-minded societies seeking freedom and liberty from tyranny and oppression. This was so for Israel who left Egypt's tyranny  and crossed the Red Sea under Moses (a step brother to the ruling Pharaoh whom they fled). The subsequent years spent wandering in the Wilderness created opportunity to come to grips with being a freed people; to examine what it meant to worship the God of their Fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (known as Yahweh, YHWH) when once a free people living in the land of Canaan hundreds of years earlier; and to determine what kind of religious government they would create. They also bore with them a recently enforced slave identity in their latter years of living in Egypt's fertile eastern delta area known as the land of Goshen. Before this many generations had come-and-gone since leaving Canaan making them a foreign people to the lands they had left (because of drought and famine in Jacob's day) and an alienated people in the lands they now lived amongst Egyptian society and culture.

As a result, through Moses' leadership they left Egypt under duress and entered the arid regions of the wilderness located between Goshen and Canaan. Here God gave to Israel an ethos to live by (known as the 10 Commandments); instructed the creation of a new system of worship through the building of the Tabernacle and establishment of a priestly system through the tribe of Levi; and instituted a series of religious festivals and memorials, diets and proscriptions, civic laws and arrangements to help a despised and evicted people become a functioning society with their own identity of religious liberty and justice, commerce and trade, celebrations and evolving culture. Next would come 40 years of societal movement fraught with situational ethics that caused the emancipated tribes of Israel to further define their form of faith, religious constitution, and societal structures under the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants. When several generations had lived and died (some, but not all) they then crossed into Palestine against the warring tribes of Canaan. Perhaps this was out of the need and necessity of living in a harsh desert region for so many long years and the resultant depletion of resources. But we are told it was because of their desire to live in a "land of fruit and honey." A land that was not as harsh as the desert. Though perhaps the desert wilderness itself had become more severe in recent years. Or perhaps they had finally realized that a return to their adoptive lands in Egypt (the land of Goshen) had finally become impossible through the rule of another Pharaoh remembering their slavery, the destitution that the 10 plagues brought upon Egypt because of Isarael's God, and the hardship that was brought upon the state by keeping an unwanted people that had prospered and grown larger than Egypt's own people of the Nile. For these reasons and more God instructed Israel's Bedouin bands to migrate East-by-North back into the ancient lands of their Patriarchal Fathers.

Several hundred years would pass as the tribes of Israel settled into the land of Palestine and would subsequently experience a succession of priests and prophets until finally enacting themselves into a federated nation-state led by a series of good and bad kings like the nations around them. This soon resulted in the breakup of their nation into 10 northern tribes and 2 southern tribes known as Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Years would pass as Israel disobeyed her covenants and accepted the idolatrous practices and attitudes of her neighbors around them which would eventuate in her defeat by wicked Assyria's much stronger northern power and subsequently an enforced exile from the land of Canaan. Much later the southern nation of Judah composed of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (the younger brother to Joseph) would also go into enforced servitude into Babylon (itself having defeated their hated enemy Assyria) because of unfaithfulness to YHWH that would lead to poorer decision making and lower standards of ethos. By-and-by while in Babylon's service Judah repented and showed a desire to return to the land of "fruit and honey." Helped by the prophet Daniel, and led by Nehemiah, Israel was agreeably freed from their captor Babylon and under Ezra's leadership (among others) rebuilt not only their houses and lands, but the Temple and Jerusalem, their religious charters and constitutions, as they worked towards reinstating their ancient religion as guide and resource for their decimated cultural heritage established under their God Yahweh.

A heritage which had been in decline for 900 years from Israel's earliest days of returning to the land of Canaan from Egypt and from their desert wilderness experience of wandering for 40 years having weathered the highs-and-lows of covenantal/creedal confessionals and a religious self-awareness affecting their knowledge of God, their worship of God, the responsibilities of their government, and even their societal structures.  Similarly, we will later see similar kinds of societal movement within the history of the Church in all of its social obligations and comportments, cultural synthesis of societal philosophies and technologies, and even their own societal identities and civic conducts. So that through the Intertestamental period (the time between the OT and NT eras), and until the birth of Jesus, Israel was forced once again to re-write and re-institute what their ancient convenantal charters would mean to them as a present day help and provisional guide in the years ahead. As has been observed, each period of their historical experience of trying to follow God and to live out their godly heritage was fraught with a parallel spiritual movement, either up-or-down. Thus provoking reactions of faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God, and consequently to their form (or instructed outcome) of religious creeds and confessions pertaining to their observance or enactments of God's perceived laws and blessings. Creeds that were never static and were constantly evolving through time and historical situation in accordance with their own historical progress and evolution experienced once as a free people; then as a society of slaves; to living in the desert as ancient Bedouins; to incorporated (covenant-keeping) tribal federations; to a nation-state that later dissolved; to separate experiences of exile and bondage to foreign powers; and finally to a return from bondage to live out lost hopes and dreams locked away in the distant memories of glory and honor once  beheld and envisaged. As a consequence, the OT will have within its text a number of confessional creeds that the Jewish tribes and congregations would write and subscribe to about their understanding of God, themselves, and their objectives to live faithfully to the covenants of God. So what were those covenants?

Israel's Faith Covenants

* The originating Abrahamic Covenant which was set between a Suzerainty-King to a willing vassal entreating protection and blessing. It was unconditional in obligations which were fully dependent upon, and maintained by, the Suzerainty (and not the Vassal). Consequently the member vassal enjoyed all the privileges and honors that would come with such an arrangement. The only condition placed upon such an arrangement was that it had to be accepted in order to be ratified. Importantly, it was not ratified by covenantal obligations and duties. It was wholly dependent upon the King and not the vassal much like an adoptive charter made between willing parents to a child or teen to come into their marriage and become a family together. Thus YHWH cut the covenant with Himself to see to Israel's spiritual care, nurture, and destined progress of announcing His coming Kingdom with man.

* The Mosaic Covenant was an institutionalization of the Abrahamic covenant at Mt. Sinai under Moses. This time it came with obligatory conditions set for covenantal maintenance and subscription. As a conditional covenant it held obligations which must be kept for its observance. By keeping covenant it also brought blessing and prevented the harm and destruction that could come if covenant was broken. By breaking covenant one would project themselves beyond the boundaries of covenantal protection and wisdom that was established by staying within covenant. In a sense, it was much like a parent saying to a child "Do not go into the street." When disobeyed protection and harm could come (but not necessarily would come). By this illustration God can again be understood as a benevolent covenant-maker and not as an austere king/ruler purposely bringing harm upon His own people. Yes, God does judge in His rulership. But that is another matter. Here, under Moses, was a God who wished to reveal Himself and His holiness through love and obedience. He was a wise parent. Not a mean parent. (Please forgive my simplicity of illustrations!).

*The Davidic Covenant emphasized the nature of the king, his realm, his subjects and their obligations. Defined in terms of community it tells of an orderly society. It was both unconditional in terms of those who wished to join this covenant and conditional in its obligations once membership was obtained. All who lived in the realm of the King were considered part of his rule and kingdom. Those who wished to remain under the King's rule did not have any reason to revolt or rebel against it. To do so would be to volitionally determine one's desire to no longer live in community with either the King or his kingdom.

*The New Covenant takes-up all three previous covenants and escalates their sense of spiritual embodiment and subservience in terms of community, time and place. Jesus is the Suzerainty-King who is sacrificed for the empowerment of his (re)-newed covenant with man (Abrahamic).  It is conditional in the sense that those within covenant may experience God's protection and blessings more than if they were to stay outside of its covenantal reach  in their lives (Mosaic). Moreover, Jesus would be the ruler and judge (Davidic) of this newly reconstituted covenanted kingdom participating in both in its present reformulation and its future reconstruction of its Spirit-led inauguration. It takes shape through the Church and is incorporated at Jesus' return with His church in the Kingdom period found in the book of Revelation, giving to it it's teleology. And it is formed/founded ("cut") at Jesus' death and inaugurated at Jesus' resurrection from the dead three days later. At Jesus' return the New Covenant will be escalated yet again into a completed kingdom paradigm. Until that time the Church lives in spiritual/physical tension between God's Kingdom that has come, but not fully come - it is here, but not yet completely. Consequently, the Church lives within the threshold of an invisible spiritual kingdom empowered by the Spirit of God as a faith community willing to follow her God in determining how-and-what this would mean through its own creeds and confessional statements. As such, these covenants/confessions are written guides made between kingdom communities trying to discern God's will for themselves and their communities at a time and place in which they live (as will be shown below). Unfortunately, not all church societies have fully understood God's will and word and have acted in ungodly and wicked ways towards humanity (the crusades, the inquisitions, theft of aboriginal lands, deposing of individual properties in God's name, the loss of life and liberty, oppression and tyranny - all at the hands of the church. If it were a "church" at all during these wicked times).

Conclusion

Thus, Israel's ancient creeds and confessionals served to guide worshippers in their thoughts and duties to their neighbors and to the nation/states around them. It gave to them goals which separated their theistic culture from their neighbors polytheistic cultures. It gave to Israel identity, societal order and hope. It internalized personal behaviors and beliefs. And assisted with building a theistically-based (monotheistic) government, economy, trade and family structure. In hindsight the same growth and maturity would also occur within the history of the Church from the first century until now as various Christian groups struggled with the meaning of their faith in terms of personal/societal identity, internal ordering of beliefs, and an ethos of ethical conduct and behavior related to trade, commerce, education, government, civic laws and accountability. From Jerusalem to Zurich, from Amsterdam to London, from Calcutta to the Americas, from Moscow to Korea, each church era formed its own ethos, culture, and organizing civilization based upon their confessional beliefs and understandings of the God of the Bible. For every new cultural setting a new creed and confession arose according to the needs of the day, the demands of their societal environment, perceived fears and threats, and desired societal objectives. These documents were as good or bad, as high or low, as the earthly constituents who wrote them. So that as Christianity expanded around the world it caused each covenanted community to determine how to worship God, live with their neighbors, conduct trade and service with each other, and be accountable (or not) to the Christian ethos that they had received through similar historical movements from previous religious communities composed in their convictions and beliefs.

An ethos that was radically redefined by Jesus as Israel's rejected Messiah because of His many uncomfortable teachings regarding their mis-application and understanding of God, purposeful rejection of God's objectives for them and society, and their spiritual accountability to the men and women living around their Jewish enclaves of religion who were unseen, unrecognized, unheard, or disregarded as unworthy of God's love, grace, mercy, and peace. Jesus spoke to the Jewish religion as corrupt and unworthy in itself of the God they claimed to worship. He patiently taught and ministered what it meant to be under covenant as one who was sent by God to be Israel's prophet, priest and king. In doing so He seemed to change the very ground rules of societal worship and behavior, conduct and responsibility. He spoke of a God Israel did not understand, and when they did, did not wish to follow. In the end Israel rejected God's emissary and in that rejection God created a new spiritual movement within the Jewish community which spanned the Gentile world. A community we now know through New Testament reading as the early church's first Jewish disciples, apostles, and emissaries of Jesus. A witness that went viral globally throughout all the world's governments working itself like yeast into leaven into a variety of religious and humanistic cultures by recreating in its mighty wake a new religious faith-order for knowing the God of Israel through His Son Jesus. A Son who become the Savior of mankind, who was raised from death's failing hands, and who would rule at the Father's right hand, as the Incarnate bridegroom of the Church and risen Lord God and King of all creation.

The Church and Its Councils

Consequently, the bishops, pastors, priests and theologs of the early church came to be known as the Church Fathers, or Patriarchs, of the early church who in a sense give birth to the church by shaping its earliest doctrines and canons of Scripture (e.g., the books of the NT) from the first through to the sixth century AD. Thus, these terms are references to the ministerial offices and functions found in New Testament passages passed down through the Apostles of Jesus Christ to their disciples in steady succession.

Moreover, the terms bishop and priest are used advisedly and are unaffiliated with the today's Catholic Church formed hundreds of years later around the 11th Century. Hence, in order of procession generally, there is the early Christian church of the Church Fathers; the Eastern Church in all its many forms (which also included the Church Fathers) extending from Egypt/Ethiopia through the Middle East and into India/China; the Western Church of the Roman Empire (extending from Constantinople to the British/Irish Isles;  and from which Greek (?) and Russian Orthodoxy later arose); then the Catholic Church extending through both Roman Empires West and East; followed by Protestant denominations of the Reformation during the time of the Renaissance (extending from Europe, to Britain, then to the world-at-large including the Americas); and lately various modern movements such as the Evangelical movement of the 19th and 20th Century; and the very new postmodern movement known as the Emergent Church begun in the 1990s. Obviously I have skipped a lot but this would be the general idea where each church, each people group, and each local/regional fellowship entertained a variety of beliefs about God, Jesus, man, sin, heaven/hell, witness, ministry, methodology, church, and so on. So that with each succeeding council of the Church and creed of Christianity came split-after-split to Christian fellowship. Consequently, there are as many flavors of doctrinal approbation as there are people in the church - whether this be very old or very new statements of schisms and belief - that led to a variety of styles of worship, methods of ministry, witness of the gospel, and generally gave churches around the world their distinctive flavor and modis operandi.

Lastly, as in the early creedal confessions of the Old and New Testament, so to in the later arising Church, came the need to define, declare, and determine through debate, dialogue, and diatribe every teaching or idea found within the Bible. Through this process of codification came the general division and understanding of the major doctrines of the Bible and the resulting dogmas claimed by various Christian fellowships. Hence, "For as long as their are men and women who fervently follow Christ, so will be the number and varieties of doctrines and dogmas deemed important to each group." A quick scan of Church history proves the verity of this truth to which the past 2000 years have produced closer-and-closer agreements between syncretizing Christian groups around a more-or-less generalized agreement to what the basic creeds and confessions of an orthodox Christianity should be and look like. The more notable - and more agreeable -  major creedal confessionals are listed below, admittedly from a Western Orthodoxy and Reformed point-of-view that have resolved themselves generally into an Western Orthodoxy and traditional Evangelical mindset.

The Value of Criticism and Critique

Importantly, it should further be noted that the disciplines of Systematic Doctrines and of Church History have each provided the Church ways of understanding its heritage and its controversies. But to these studies must come the additional disciplines of Biblical and Narrative Theology serving as the foundation to any doctrinal statement, church council or enterprise.

We observe this same effort in the formation of the early Church not only in the councils of the Church Fathers but even earlier during the Apostolic era (from the book of Acts forward to the book of Revelation) as well as in Jesus' day in the Gospel as He debated early Rabbinism's apprehension of the OT scriptures. (And we could continue to carry this same didactic activity of divine apprehension even further back into the early councils of Jewish tribal assembly led by prophets, priests and kings for as far back as even unto Moses/Aaron, Joshua, and Samuel's day).

Understandably, for as long as God has spoken to man during that same period of revelation has man debated God's words to their necessary consequence and apprehension of activity and declaration. It is the normal function of men to determine between themselves the knowledge of the holy and its meaning for the common lives and activities of all men everywhere. Not only have religious councils arose, but so too have other non-Christian faiths and philosophies, both Christian and non-Christian, arisen either linked (or birthing) economic, political, educational, scientific, sociological goals and activities.

It is the natural habit of humanity to distinguish and discern, interact and debate, the symbolism of their relationship to creation, to each other, and to the divine (or non-divine as some think) regarding the celestrial (or cosmic) importance of humanity's corporate and individual personage and activity. Hence we have human governments, constitutions, religious and sociological bodies, conventions, orders, castes, classes, prejudices, biases, civic functions and activities that distinguish "who or what we are" by tenets, beliefs, convictions (or non-convictions) all the while changing, adapting, adopting, assimilating greater (or lesser) civilized or barbaric human norms and mores.

Determining What is Relevant and What is Relative

And it is to these latter areas that Relevancy22 wishes to appeal by journaling contemporary expressions of theological ideas, issues, news and topics. Meaning that creedal confessions, church dogmas and religious/systematic statements are without merit unless they adhere first-and-foremost to the text and meaning of Scripture. Their only value is in the pronouncement of codified ideas of God and Christ so that congregations can understand and mobilize around each sentiment. But it is to the Word of God that the Chritian Church must ever-and-always seek to glean through wisdom's understanding, over-and-above the mere (or mighty) words of mortal man. Whatever our degrees. Whatever our pedigrees. Despite neither the loudness of our voice, or the rhetoric of our beliefs (either good or bad). Nay, all shall stand in judgment as before the Word of God. No logic of philosophy nor power of politics can defeat examination. No society or culture may impede God's love and wisdom. His judgment. His power of justice. "Thus speaks the Lord" and thus must the Church of God "listen, repent, and so declare."

Hence, a Christian subscribes first-and-foremost to God's Words through the patient examination and study of the Scriptures as s/he listens to the history of the Church through its many litanies of error, foibles, and fallibilities, as can be examined and studied through the Church's grave liturgical history and ecclesiastical record. The best we may hope to do as God's mediator-priests is to speak God's redeeming word of love by sharing an open Gospel to any seeking soul, tribe or nation, desiring fellowship with the Creator-Redeemer through Jesus the Messiah. By presenting Jesus through open minds and hearts. By extending open hands and good will. By sharing the Gospel of Christ in every way imaginable. And through every endeavor attempted. As we understand the message of salvation through our pretext and labour, witness and words. And where our words and labours fall short, or should go astray, may God's Holy Spirit direct us - as our faithful Counselor and Guide - to the intended meaning of God's evolving revelation and redemption.

... So then, may this be our ready confession, even the declaration of our holy creed, that with bowed hearts to God's zealous passions, may we as Jesus followers be found in the ancient lines of Apostolic succession, as goodly priests and Spirit-filled bishops, confessing the creedal words of God redeeming love and mercy, kindness and grace, justice and compassion, this very day in all that we do and say. Amen.

R.E. Slater
May 8, 2012
*edited October 18, 2016
*poem by myself


So then my brethren
by God's grace and mercy
may this be our ready confession,
yeah a declaration to His holy decrees,
bowing hearts to God's zealous passions
inflaming our spirits to venerable truths
by ancient lines of Apostolic succession
as goodly priests ministering justice
as Spirit-led bishops rich in mercy
confessing creedal words fair
vowing redemption's love
by all we say and do
in humble prayer
said or done.
 Amen.
**
*






A simplified chart of historical developments of major groups within Christianity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity#Creeds






Notable creeds and confessions in church history





  

Summary of
Church Creeds And Canons






A Short History of Creeds and Confessions

by A. A. Hodge

The short history of creeds and confessions below is reproduced from chapter I of the Introduction to A. A. Hodge’s The Confession of Faith (1869), a commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith.


It is asserted in the first chapter of this Confession [The Westminster Confession of Faith], and vindicated in this exposition that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, having been given by inspiration of God, are for man in his present state the only and the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice. All that man is to believe concerning God, and the entire duty which God requires of man, are revealed therein, and are to be believed and obeyed because contained therein, because it is the word of God. This divine word, therefore, is the only standard of doctrine which has intrinsic authority binding the conscience of men. And all other standards are of value or authority only in proportion as they teach what the Scriptures teach.

While, however, the Scriptures are from God, the understanding of them belongs to the part of men. Men must interpret to the best of their ability each particular part of Scripture separately, and then combine all that the Scriptures teach upon every subject into a consistent whole, and then adjust their teachings upon different subjects in mutual consistency as parts of a harmonious system. Every student of the Bible must do this, and all make it obvious that they do it by the terms they use in their prayers and religious discourse, whether they admit or deny the propriety of human creeds and confessions. If they refuse the assistance afforded by the statements of doctrine slowly elaborated and defined by the Church, they must make out their own creed by their own unaided wisdom. The real question is not, as often pretended, between the word of God and the creed of man, but between the tried and proved faith of the collective body of God’s people, and the private judgment and the unassisted wisdom of the repudiator of creeds.

As we would have anticipated, it is a matter of fact that the Church has advanced very gradually in this work of the accurate interpretation of Scripture and definition of the great doctrines which compose the system of truth it reveals. The attention of the Church has been specially directed to the study of one doctrine in one age, and of another doctrine in another age. And as she has thus gradually advanced in the clear discrimination of gospel truth, she has at different periods set down an accurate statement of the results of her new attainments in a Creed or Confession of Faith, for the purpose of preservation and popular instruction. In the mean time, heretics spring up on all occasions, who pervert the Scriptures, who exaggerate certain aspects of the truth and deny others equally essential, and thus in effect turn the truth of God into a lie. The Church is forced, therefore, on the great principle of self-preservation, to form such accurate definitions of every particular doctrine misrepresented as shall include the whole truth and exclude all error, and to make such comprehensive exhibitions of the system of revealed truth as a whole that no one part shall be either unduly diminished or exaggerated, but the true proportion of the whole be preserved. At the same time, provision must be made for ecclesiastical discipline, and to secure the real co-operation of those who profess to work together in the same cause, so that public teachers in the same communion may not contradict one another, and the one pull down what the other is striving to build up. Formularies must also be prepared, representing as far as possible the common consent, and clothed with public authority, for the instruction of the members of the Church, and especially of the children.

Creeds and Confessions, therefore, have been found necessary in all ages and branches of the Church, and, when not abused, have been useful for the following purposes: (1.) To mark, disseminate and preserve the attainments made in the knowledge of Christian truth by any branch of the Church in any crisis of its development. (2.) To discriminate the truth from the glosses of false teachers, and to present it in its integrity and due proportions. (3.) To act as the basis of ecclesiastical fellowship among those so nearly agreed as to be able to labor together in harmony. (4.) To be used as instruments in the great work of popular instruction.

It must be remembered, however, that the matter of these Creeds and Confessions binds the consciences of men only so far as it is purely scriptural, and because it is so; and as to the form in which that matter is stated, they bind those only who have voluntarily subscribed the Confession, and because of that subscription.

In all churches a distinction is made between the terms upon which private members are admitted to membership, and the terms upon which office-bearers are admitted to their sacred trusts of teaching and ruling. A Church has no right to make anything a condition of membership which Christ has not made a condition of salvation. The Church is Christ’s fold. The sacraments are the seals of his covenant. All have a right to claim admittance who make a credible profession of the true religion—that is, who are presumptively the people of Christ. This credible profession of course involves a competent knowledge of the fundamental doctrine of Christianity—a declaration of personal faith in Christ and consecration to his service, and a temper of mind and habit consistent therewith. On the other hand, no man can be inducted into any office in any Church who does not protest to believe in the truth and wisdom of the constitution and laws which it will be his duty to conserve and administer. Otherwise all harmony of sentiment and all efficient co-operation in action would be impossible.

The original Synod of our American Presbyterian Church in the year 1729 solemnly adopted the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms as the doctrinal standards of the Church. The record is as follows:

“All the ministers of the Synod now present, which were eighteen in number, except one, that declared himself not prepared, [but who gave his assent at the next meeting], after proposing all the scruples any of them had to make against any articles and expressions in the Confession of Faith, and Larger and Shorter Catechisms of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, have unanimously agreed in the solution of those scruples, and in declaring the said Confession and Catechisms to be the Confession of their Faith, except only some clauses in the twentieth and twenty-third chapters, ‘Concerning the Civil Magistrate.’”

Again, in the year 1788, preparatory to the formation of the General Assembly, “the Synod, having fully considered the draught of the Form of Government and Discipline, did, on review of the whole, and hereby do, ratify and adopt the same, as now altered and amended, as the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America, and order the same to be considered and strictly observed as the rule of their proceedings, by all the inferior judicatories belonging to the body.

“The Synod, having now revised and corrected the draught of a Directory for Worship, did approve and ratify the same, and do hereby appoint the same Directory, as now amended, to be the Directory for the worship of God in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. They also took into consideration the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechisms, and, having made a small amendment of the Larger, did approve and do hereby approve and ratify the said Catechisms, as now agreed on, as the Catechisms of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. And the Synod order that the Directory and Catechisms be printed and bound up in the same volume with the Confession of Faith and the Form of Government and Discipline; that the whole be considered as the standard of our doctrine, government, discipline and worship, agreeably to the resolutions of the Synod it their present session.”

What follows is a very brief and general history of the principal Creeds and Confessions of the several branches of the Christian Church. In this statement they are grouped according to the order of time and the churches which adhere to them:

I. The ancient Creeds, which express
the common faith of the whole Church

The Creeds formed before the Reformation are very few, relate to the fundamental principles of Christianity, especially the Trinity and the Person of the God-man, and are the common heritage of the whole Church.

1st. The Apostles’ Creed.

This was not written by the apostles, but was gradually formed, by common consent, out of the Confessions adopted severally by particular churches, and used in the reception of its members. It reached its present form, and universal use among all the churches, about the close of the second century. This Creed was appended to the Shorter Catechism, together with the Lord’s Prayer and Ten Commandments, in the first edition published by order of Parliament, “not as though it were composed by the apostles, or ought to be esteemed canonical Scripture, . . . but because it is a brief sum of Christian faith, agreeable to the Word of God, and anciently received in the churches of Christ.” It was retained by the framers of our Constitution as part of the Catechism. 1 It is as follows:
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell (Hades); the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.”
2d. The Nicene Creed.

This Creed is formed on the basis of the Apostles’ Creed, the clauses relating to the consubstantial divinity of Christ being contributed by the great Council held in Nice in Bithynia, A.D. 325, and those relating to the divinity and personality of the Holy Ghost added by the Second Ecumenical Council, held at Constantinople, A.D.381; and the “filioque” clause added by the Council of the Western Church, held at Toledo, Spain, A.D. 569. In its present form it is the Creed of the whole Christian Church, the Greek Church rejecting only the last added clause. It is as follows:
“I believe in one God, Maker of heaven and earth, and all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord the Giver of life, who proeeedeth from the Father and the Son (filioque), who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets. And I believe in one Catholic and Apostolic Church; I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
3d. The Ephesus and Chalcedon Creeds.

As subsequently heretical opinions sprang up in its bosom with respect to the constitution of the person of Christ, the Church was forced to provide additional definitions and muniments of the truth. One heretical tendency culminated in Nestorianism, which maintains that the divine and human natures in Christ constitute two persons. This was condemned by the Creed of the Council of Ephesus, A.D. 431. The opposite heretical tendency culminated in Eutychianism, which maintains that the divine and human natures are so united in Christ as to form but one nature. This was condemned by the Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451. These Creeds, defining the faith of the Church as embracing two natures in one person, are received and approved by the entire Church. They are sufficiently quoted in the body of the following “Commentary.”

4th. The Athanasian Creed.

This Creed was evidently composed long after the death of the great theologian whose name it bears, and after the controversies closed and the definitions established by the above-mentioned Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon. It is a grand and unique monument of the unchangeable faith of the whole Church as to the great mysteries of godliness, the Trinity of Persons in the one God and the duality of natures in the one Christ. It is too long to quote here in full. What relates to the Person of the God-man is as follows:
“27. But it is necessary to eternal salvation that he should also faithfully believe in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 28. It is therefore true faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ is both God and man. 29. He is God; generated from eternity from the substance of the Father; man born in time from the substance of his Mother. 30. Perfect God, perfect man, subsisting of a rational soul and human flesh. 31. Equal to the Father in respect to his divinity, less than the Father in respect to his humanity. 32. Who, although he is God and man, is not two, but one Christ. 33. But two not from the conversion of divinity into flesh, but from the assumption of his humanity into God. 34. One not at all from confusion of substance, but from unity of Person. 35. For as rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ,” etc.

II. The Creeds and Confessions of the different
branches of the Church since the Reformation

1st. The Doctrinal Standards of the Church of Rome.

In order to oppose the progress of the Reformation, Pope Paul III. called the last great ecumenical Council at Trent (1545-1563). The deliverances of this Council, entitled Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, form the highest doctrinal rule known to that Church. The decrees contain the positive statements of doctrine The canons explain the decrees, distribute the matter under brief heads and condemn the opposing of Protestant doctrine on each point.

The Roman Catechism, which explains and enforces the canons of the Council of Trent, was prepared and promulgated by the authority of Pope Pius IV., AD. 1556.

The Tridentine Confession of Faith was also imposed upon all the priests and candidates of the Romish Church and converts from other churches.

In addition to these, different papal bulls and some private writings have been authoritatively set up as standards of the true faith by the authority of popes; e.g., the Catechism of Bellarmine, A.D. 1603, and the bull Unigenitus of Clement XI., 1711.

The theology taught in all these papal standards is Arminianism.

2d. The Doctrinal Standards of the Greek Church.

The ancient Church divided from causes primarily political and ecclesiastical, secondarily doctrinal and ritual, into two great sections—the Eastern or Greek Church, and the Western or Latin Church. This division began to culminate in the seventh, and was consummated in the eleventh century. The Greek Church embraces Greece, the majority of the Christians of the Turkish Empire and the great mass of the civilized inhabitants of Russia. All the Protestant churches have originated through the Reformation from the Western or Roman Church.

This Church arrogates to herself pre-eminently the title of the “orthodox,” because the original creeds defining the doctrine of the Trinity and the Person of Christ, which have been mentioned above, were produced in the Eastern half of the ancient Church, and hence are in a peculiar sense her inheritance. Greek theology is very imperfectly developed beyond the ground covered by these ancient creeds, which that Church magnifies and maintains with singular tenacity.

They possess also a few confessions of more modern date, as “The Orthodox Confession” of Peter Mogilas, A.D. 1642, metropolitan bishop of Kiew, the Confession of Gennadius, A.D. 1453.

3d. The Confessions of the Lutheran Church.

The entire Protestant world from the time of the Reformation has been divided into two great families of churches—the LUTHERAN, including all those which received their characteristic impress from the great man whose name they bear; the REFORMED, including all those, on the other hand, which derived their character from Calvin.

The Lutheran family of churches embraces all those Protestants of Germany and the Baltic provinces of Russia who adhere to the Augsburg Confession, together with the national churches of Denmark, of Norway and Sweden, and the large denomination of that name in America.

Their Symbolical Books are:
  1. The Augsburg Confession, the joint authors of which were Luther and Melancthon. Having been signed by the Protestant princes and leaders, it was presented to the emperor and imperial Diet in Augsburg A.D. 1530. It is the oldest Protestant confession, the ultimate basis of Lutheran theology, and the only universally accepted standard of the Lutheran churches.
  2. The Apology (Defence) of the Augsburg Confession, prepared by Melancthon A.D. 1530, and subscribed by the Protestant theologians A.D. 1537 at Smalcald.
  3. The Larger and Smaller Catechisms, prepared by Luther A.D. 1529, “the first for the use of preachers and teachers, the last as a guide in the instruction of youth.”
  4. The Articles of Smalcald, drawn up by Luther A.D. 1535, and subscribed by the evangelical theologians in February, A.D. 1537, at the place whose name they hear.
  5. The Formula Concordiae (Form of Concord), prepared in A.D. 1577 by Andrea and others for the purpose of settling certain controversies which had sprung up in the Lutheran Church, especially concerning the relative activities of divine grace and the human will in regeneration, and concerning the nature of the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist. This confession contains a more scientific and thoroughly developed statement of the Lutheran doctrine than can be found in any other of their public symbols. Its authority is, however, acknowledged only by the high Lutheran party; that is, by that party in the Church which consistently carries the peculiarities of Lutheran theology out to the most complete logical development.

4th. The Confessions of the Reformed or Calvinistic churches.

The Reformed churches embrace all those churches of Germany which subscribe the Heidelberg Catechism; the Protestant churches of Switzerland, France, Holland, England and Scotland: the Independents and Baptists of England and America, and the various branches of the Presbyterian Church in England and America.

The Reformed Confessions are very numerous, although they all substantially agree as to the system of doctrine they teach. Those most generally received, and regarded as of the highest symbolical authority as standards of the common system, are the following:
  1. The Second Helvetic Confession, prepared by Bullinger, A.D. 1564. “It was adopted by all the Reformed churches in Switzerland, with the exception of Basle (which was content with its old symbol, the First Helvetic), and by the Reformed churches in Poland, Hungary, Scotland and France,” 2 and has always been regarded as of the highest authority by all the Reformed churches.
  2. The Heidelberg Catechism, prepared by Ursinus and Olevianus, A.D. 1562. It was established by civil authority, the doctrinal standard, as well as instrument of religious instruction for the churches of the Palatinate, a German State at that time including both banks of the Rhine. It was endorsed by the Synod of Dort, and is the Confession of Faith of the Reformed churches of Germany and Holland, and of the German and Dutch Reformed churches in America.
  3. The Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England. These were originally drawn up by Cranmer and Ridley, A.D. 1551, and revised and reduced to the present number by the bishops, at the order of Queen Elizabeth, A.D. 1562. These Articles are Calvinistic in doctrine, and constitute the doctrinal standard of the Episcopal churches in England, Scotland, America and the Colonies.
  4. The Canons of the Synod of Dort. This famous Synod was convened in Dort, Holland, by the authority of the States General, for the purpose of settling the questions brought into controversy by the disciples of Arminius. It held its sessions from November 13, A.D. 1618, to May 9, A.D. 1619. It consisted of pastors, elders and theological professors from the churches of Holland, and deputies from the churches of England, Scotland, Hesse, Bremen, the Palatinate and Switzerland; the French delegates having been prevented from being present by order of their king. The Canons of this Synod were received by all the Reformed churches as a true, accurate and eminently authoritative exhibition of the Calvinistic System of Theology. They constitute, in connection with the Heidelberg Catechism, the doctrinal Confession of the Reformed Church of Holland, and of the [Dutch] Reformed Church of America.
  5. The Confession and Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly. A short account of the origin and constitution of this Assembly, and of the production and reception of its doctrinal deliverances, is presented in the next chapter. This is the common doctrinal standard of all the Presbyterian churches in the world of English and Scotch derivation. It is also of all Creeds the one most highly approved by all the bodies of Congregationalists in England and America. The Congregational Convention called by Cromwell to meet at Savoy, in London, A.D. 1658, declared their approval of the doctrinal part of the Confession and Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly, and conformed their own deliverance, the Savoy Confession, very nearly to it. Indeed, “the difference between these two Confessions is so very small, that the modern Independents have in a manner laid aside the use of it (Savoy Conf.) in their families, and agreed with the Presbyterians in the use of the Assembly’s Catechisms.” 3 All the Assemblies convened in New England for the purpose of settling the doctrinal basis of their churches have either endorsed or explicitly adopted this Confession and these Catechisms as accurate expositions of their own faith. This was done by the Synod which met at Cambridge, Massachusetts, June, 1647, and again August, 1648, and prepared the Cambridge Platform. And again by the Synod which sat in Boston, September, 1679, and May, 1680, and produced the Boston Confession. And again by the Synod which met at Saybrook, Connecticut, 1708, and produced the Saybrook Platform. 4
Endnotes

1. Assembly’s Digest, p. 11.
2. Shedd’s Hist. of Christian Doctrine.
3. Neal, Puritans, II. 178
4. Shedd’s Hist. of Christian Doctrine.




 Confessional Interpretation of the Bible






A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE THREE CREEDS

by David Meager

Article reprinted from Cross†Way Issue Summer 2004 No.93

(C)opyright Church Society; material may be used for non-profit purposes provided that the source is acknowledged and the text is not altered.


The word Creed derives from the Latin Credo which means ‘I believe’. There are credal statements in the Bible (eg. Deut 6.4, Acts 8:37, Rom 1: 3-4, 1 Cor 15: 3-4, Php 2: 6-11, 1 Cor 8: 6, Matt 28:19).

The Apostle’s Creed

The Apostles Creed is the creed most widely used in Christian worship in the western world. Throughout the Middle Ages it was generally believed that this creed was composed by the Apostles on the day of Pentecost and that each of them contributed one of the twelve sections. This appears to be a legend dating back to somewhere between the 4th and 6th Centuries. However it still has good reason to be called the Apostles Creed because its content is in agreement with apostolic teaching. The earliest evidence for its present form is St Pirminius in the early 8th Century although it appears to be related to a shorter Roman Creed which had itself derived from other earlier and simpler texts such as the ‘rule of faith’ or the ‘tradition’ which were based on the Lord’s baptismal command in Matthew 28:19. The Creed was widely used by Charlemagne (the first Holy Roman Emperor) and was eventually accepted at Rome where the old Roman Creed or similar forms had survived for centuries.

The Creed seems to have had three uses, first as a confession of faith for those about to be baptised, secondly as a catechism (an instruction for new Christians in the essentials of the faith), and thirdly, as a ‘rule of faith’ to give continuity to orthodox Christian doctrine. In the west by the early Middle Ages it was widely employed at baptism. The BCP uses it at baptism and daily Morning Prayer and Evensong except on the 13 days of the year when the Athanasian Creed is to be used instead.

The Creed is Trinitarian in form but the heart of the creed is its confession concerning Jesus Christ and the events to do with his conception, birth, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension and coming judgement.

The Nicene Creed

It is known for certain that the Nicene Creed was adopted by the Council of Calcedon in 451AD which claimed it was the faith of the Council of Constantinople of 381AD. Its origin however goes back to the Council of Nicea (in modern day Turkey) called in 325AD by the Emperor Constantine to address the Arian controversy. Eusebius submitted a Creed from his own Diocese, Caesarea, and this appears to have formed the basis of the creed propagated at Nicaea although there were other older creeds that could have been considered. The Creed affirmed the unity of God, insisted that Christ was begotten from the Father before all time, and declared that Christ is of the same essence (homoousios) as the Father. It had only a single brief clause on the Holy Spirit. In its present formit appears to have been used by Cyril in Jerusalem and is also mentioned by Epiphanius of Salamis around 373AD.

The original Greek texts do not have the filioque clause 'begotten of the Father and the Son' which was a later addition to Latin translations and has contributed to the division between East and West.

Athanasian Creed

The Athanasian Creed (also known as the Quicunque Vult - the first two words of the Latin) is named after the famous Bishop of Alexandria (296-373) who famously defended orthodox Christianity from Arianism.

There is no evidence that Athanasius wrote the creed and since the 17th Century work of G J Voss it has been accepted that the evidence points against his authorship. The original versions of the Creed appear to have been latin whereas Athanasius wrote in Greek. In addition some of the theological issues apparently addressed came to the fore after the time of Athanasius - for example Nestorianism and Eutychianism both of which concern the humanity of Christ.

The first evidence for the Creed appears to be a sermon of St Caeserius of Arles and it is similar to a relatively recently discovered manuscrpt of St Vincent of Lérins prompting the theory that it was composed in Southern Gaul. There is also evidence that its primary liturgical use was as a hymn.

The Creed contains a clear and detailed statement of the Trinity (eg. 'The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; and yet there are not three Gods but one God.’ It also upholds the full Deity and humanity of Christ, his death for sins, resurrection, ascension, second coming and final judgement. The Book of Common Prayer requires that it be read on thirteen designated occasions during the year.

- David Meager is a staff member of Church Society.











Early Church Councils and Creeds




Council of Nicea 325 AD

The First Ecumenical council of Nicaea was called by emperor Constantine. The council met to deal with the schism created by Arianism. The Arians wished to avoid the heresy of Sabellius who believed in a divine monad which, by expansion, projected itself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit--a form of Modalism. The Arians separated the Son from God entirely so that they believed he was a creature having a beginning. "There was when he was not." The Son was but God's first creation, yet out of nothing and hence has preeminence over the rest of creation.

The symbol answers the question, "Who is Jesus Christ." Its answer: God

Council of Constantinople 381 AD

1a. The Nicene Creed -- Constantinopolitan Creed -- Creed of 150 Fathers

1a.1.  Usually associated with the Council of Constantinople this symbol is an expansion and revision of the earlier Creed of Nicaea with which it is often confused. This is the creed recited in churches. The council met to refute Apollinarianism. Apollinarius taught that Jesus was a combination of the divine Logos spirit, a sensitive human soul and a human body. He taught that Jesus did not have a human spirit. His views were based on the platonic tripartite view of human nature.

2a.  The council condemned this view in order to show that Christ, as truly human, could redeem the whole person.

2a.1.  The symbol emphasizes the Trinitarian faith.

Council of Ephesus 431 AD

The Council of Ephesus was held in the Church of Mary in Ephesus, Asia Minor in 431 under Emperor Theodosius II, grandson of Theodosius the Great; Ephesus was the city of Artemis (see Acts 19:28). Approximately 200 bishops were present. The proceedings were conducted in a heated atmosphere of confrontation and recriminations. It is counted as the Third Ecumenical Council, and was chiefly concerned with Nestorianism.

Nestorianism emphasized the dual natures of Christ. Patriarch Nestorius tried to answer a question considered unsolved: "How can Jesus Christ, being part man, not be partialy a sinner as well, since man is by definition a sinner since the Fall". To solve that he taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus gave birth to the incarnate Christ, not the divine Logos who existed before Mary and indeed before time itself. The Logos occupied the part of the human soul (the part of man that was stained by the Fall). But wouldn't the absence of a human soul make Jesus less human? No, Nestorius answered because the human soul was based on the archetype of the Logos only to become poluted by the Fall, therefore Jesus was "more" human for having the Logos and not "less". Consequently, Mary should be called Christotokos, Greek for the "Christ-Bearer" and not Theotokos, Greek for the "God-Bearer." This was essentially a Christological controversy.

At the urging of its president, Cyril of Alexandria, the Council denounced Nestorius' teaching as erroneous and decreed that Jesus was one person, not two separate people: complete God and complete man, with a rational soul and body. The Virgin Mary was to be called Theotokos because she bore and gave birth to God as a man. This did not resolve the debate over the union of the two natures of Christ, and related issues were debated at the Council of Chalcedon.

The Council of Ephesus also declared the text of the Nicene Creed of 381 to be complete and forbade any additional change (addition or deletion) to it. In addition, it condemned Pelagianism.

Council of Chalcedon 451 AD

The council of Chalcedon met to resolve the Monophysite controversy in which Eutyches had refused to confess the existence of two natures in Christ both after the union as well as before. The definition summarizes the Church's teaching on the natures of Christ largely in negative terms

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Definition of the Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D)

Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.