Paper Category: Creedal Christianity: Celebrating Nicaea - Church History

The present paper demonstrates that the early American Methodists (1784-1830) followed John Wesley in affirming the Anglican doctrine of infant baptismal regeneration, which was rooted in their interpretation of the Nicene Creed. Like Wesley, the American Methodists maintained this sacramental emphasis of objective grace even while emphasizing the importance of evangelical conversion. Some, however, such … Read more

The thesis of this paper is that contrary to some scholarly views to the effect that creedal language in the early church started with the first ecumenical creed of Nicaea in AD 325, earlier documents such as Paul’s letters are littered with pre-creedal language. This language serves as the precursor to the second-century regula fidei, … Read more

Much scholarship on the ancient church has been too concerned with its relationship to the Graeco-Roman context (Harnack, Wilken, etc.). Scholars note where early Christians use genres and ideas made available to them by a preexisting social milieu (Brown, Brakke). In objection, some have raised how Christians have transformed genres and ideas (Petitfils, Hagner). For … Read more

Why do stories resonate so deeply and universally? Evolutionary theorists like Brian Boyd argue that narrative structures emerged through natural selection, serving pragmatic social functions rather than conveying truth. This paper argues that such accounts suppress the truth of divine revelation and ultimately fail to account for the intelligibility, moral coherence, and transcendental quality of … Read more

The Chalcedonian Creed (451) has been considered the most authoritative and most ecumenical creed of the Christian movement throughout the world. For this very reason, theologians, especially evangelical theologians, have been reluctant to deal critically with the Chalcedonian Creed. However, this is not the right attitude for evangelicals who are committed to the principle of … Read more

The Nicene Creed has been considered the most authoritative and most ecumenical creed within the global Christian movement. For this very reason, theologians, especially evangelical theologians, have been reluctant to deal critically with the Nicene Creed. However, this is not the right attitude for evangelicals who are committed to the principle of sola scriptura. We … Read more

Over a century before the first Council of Nicaea, Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 – c. 215 AD) employed hymnic poetry and musical imagery to impart teachings about the Father, Son, and Spirit. Describing Clement’s musical objectives in the Protrepticus, Andreas Kramarz observes, “The actual singing of Christian hymns is the most natural and proper … Read more

This paper argues that the widening theological and ecclesiological divide between Northern and Southern Baptists in the early twentieth centuries can be traced, in part, to differing views on the binding and permanent nature of New Testament polity. While Southern Baptists experienced a heightened sensitivity to questions of church polity during the nineteenth century, many … Read more

The Council of Nicaea is a pivotal moment in Christian doctrinal formation. At a time of severe trinitarian and christological uncertainties, the council provided guidance to the early church in respect to the identity of Jesus and composition of the Godhead. There are, however, deficiencies both in the Nicene Creed and later conciliar pronouncements related … Read more

This paper illustrates the progression of the Christian faith from a persecuted, underground movement to the center of Roman public life. Constantine’s choice of Nicaea for the first ecumenical council was not only a strategic choice but also a symbolic statement for repositioning the place of Christianity in civil affairs. The First Council of Nicaea … Read more