This paper investigates a possible theological influence of Irenaeus of Lyons upon the Creed formulated at the Council of Nicaea. The most obvious starting point for such a study is with the Irenaean rule of faith (regula fidei). The relationship of this second-century expression of faith to the Creed of 325 is a fascinating one. … Read more
While the results of the Nicaea Council were unsettling to many attendees, the next several years following the signing of its credal statement in 325 had a veneer of peaceful acceptance. During that time, Constantine (the reigning emperor), Alexander (the bishop of Alexandria), and Athanasius (his soon to be successor), labored in their own ways … Read more
The ancient Christian apologist, Hippolytus of Rome, emerges as one of very few in human history that bridges two distinct worlds of thought and influence. Beginning in or around the year 170 and ending in 235, the saint’s life was virtually split in half by two centuries. More significantly, Hippolytus was the first major Patristic … Read more
Ignatius of Antioch, well known post-New Testament leader and martyr, presented vivid Trinitarian imagery while advocating for a united church amidst persecution. In fact, the Trinity for Ignatius is the grounds for why the church ought to be unified in its diversity. Taking God as the blueprint, Ignatius consistently demonstrates the priority of faith, love, … Read more
Was Gregory of Nyssa a universalist? This is a question that has plagued scholars for years. Most scholars teach that he was. Steven Harmon, Anthony Merdith, and Morwenna Ludlow are just a few of the scholars who have taught that he was a universalist. There have only been a few voices on the other side; … Read more
When one mentions Basil of Caesarea, chances are they are not talking about allegory, or at least not the application of it. Indeed, if historical textbooks bother to mention Basil’s use of allegory at all, they often mistakenly claim that he did not like the use of it. Basil says this in his ninth homily … Read more
THE IMPACT OF THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA: “ALREADY/NOT YET” James R. Payton, Jr. From the vantage point of 1700 years, we can recognize the impact the 325 Council of Nicaea had on the development of the Christian church: it became the first ecumenical council and propounded what would become the first “fixed formula” creed of … Read more
In this paper, I will argue that the implicit connections between Thomas Aquinas’s accounts of the Transfiguration and the Lord’s Supper bolsters our understanding of sacramental illumination by highlighting the obediential potencies of their material instruments. In contemporary scholarship, few contributions focus on Christ’s transfiguration. The neglect of the transfiguration is evident in the broad … Read more
Scholars have recognized for some time that the idea of rest in God is a key motif in Augustine’s Confessions. The human longing for rest in God frames the Confessions narrative (Conf. 1.1.1, 13.35.50-52). Hermann-Josef Sieben published an illuminating article chronologically exploring Augustine’s uses of the key Latin terms, quies and requies (Sieben 2012). Euntaek … Read more
The Council of Orange (529) ended what has come to be called the Semi-Pelagian debate and established a basic confessional consensus on the relationship between grace and free will. Like Nicaea and other earlier councils, consensus was achieved through the rejection of extreme examples. The conclusions of the council condemned “semi-Pelagian” views of the relationship … Read more