Mark Noll has claimed that “the foundation of American theology was European theology.” This foundation was, for the most part, confessionally oriented in the Westminster Standards. This confession was, not only a reference for New England churches, but also an authority in the meetinghouse between minister and magistrate. The New Light effort to overthrow the … Read more
Bishop John Pearson (1613–1686) of the Church of England authored one of the classic texts of Anglican theology, his Exposition of the Creed (first edition 1659). In it, he used the Apostles’ Creed as a framework for instruction in Nicene and Protestant doctrine, supported by copious citations of earlier—especially patristic—authorities. Pearson’s Exposition played a foundational … Read more
John Calvin modified the meaning of “very God of very God” in the Nicene Creed. Restricting eternal generation to the Son’s personhood without the communication of the divine essence from Father to Son, controversy erupted over his views for the next two hundred years or so. Calvin’s views of eternal generation became widely accepted from … Read more
This paper argues that the Nicene Creed functions not merely as a statement of belief, but as a performative act central to Christian worship and spiritual formation. Often relegated to a secondary liturgical role, the Creed’s original context reveals its “first-order” importance. It is not simply recited but proclaimed, embodying the church’s self-definition before God. … Read more
G. K. Chesterton The Romance of the Creeds For this presentation we wish to reflect on the creeds, using comments from G. K. Chesterton. After briefly introducing Chesterton, and explaining some of the challenges of reading him, we will make general remarks about his commitment to the creeds. Toward the beginning of Orthodoxy: The Romance … Read more
The Council of Nicaea (AD 325) affirmed that Jesus Christ is homoousios—of the same essence as the Father—establishing his full divinity as a significant pillar of Christian theology. While debates leading to Nicaea often engaged with Greek philosophical concepts, this paper argues that the necessity of Christ’s full divinity is already parsed within Paul’s apocalyptic … Read more
From early on, the Rule of Faith (regula fidei) designated the sum content of “apostolic” teaching, as set down in Scripture, baptismal confession and apostolic teaching patterns. As a second-century faith declaration of essential Christian teaching and interpretation, this Rule offered a framework for distinguishing between true and false belief, and – on a more … Read more