Recently, a large amount of academic literature has been devoted to eschatological topics usually focused on a particular millennial view or speculations about the timing of the Parousia, among other topics. However, it seems that little work has focused on the early church’s views of eschatology which subsequently led to its formulation in the Nicene … Read more
In his well-known monograph, Conciliar Christology, Timothy Pawl purports to provide a model of the incarnation that coherently affirms all the declarations of the ecumenical creeds and councils. Recently, Pawl has extended his model to incorporate a version of divine simplicity as well. Unfortunately, Pawl’s accommodation results in both argumentative and metaphysical grounding problems. On … Read more
In an increasingly secular and agnostic world, the Nicene Creed serves as both a theological anchor and an apologetic tool for engaging contemporary culture with the gospel. While modern society dismisses absolute truth, human purpose, and divine hope, the Creed affirms a reality grounded in the triune God. This paper argues that the Nicene Creed … Read more
“Christ made… everything in heaven and on earth” (Nicaean Creed). What did the phrase δι᾽οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο τά τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ mean in Nicaea? Looking at the later theological formulation can help answer many questions about the earlier meaning of similar biblical complexities. This presentation will compare the … Read more
A prominent feature of Martin Luther’s polemics was his use of ancient heretics and the heresies attributed to their name. His usage of these ancient heresies/heretics towards his religious opponents served the purpose of exposing doctrinal, moral/spiritual, and (theo)-logical problems that were perceived to be more troublesome than merely promoting a wrong teaching. In other … Read more
Are the creeds binding on all Christians in different places and at different times? What is the relationship of the ecumenical creeds of the church to contemporary global theology? Is it possible to be biblical without being creedal? These are some of the questions that this paper seeks to address. There are global theologians who … Read more
In this paper, I will examine some early sources that hint at the Nicene Creed. Two such sources include amulets from the fifth and sixth centuries. First is P. Haun. III 51. SM 1.23:63-66 (5th cent.) “Christ was begotten, Amen; Christ was crucified, Amen; Christ was buried, Amen; Christ arose, Amen. He was awakened to … Read more
It is not hard to catalogue accounts of the complaints against the Creed’s brevity regarding pneumatology. Many believe the Creed is pneumatologically deficient, or perhaps more politely, it has made an unfortunate pneumatological oversight. It had Christological fish to fry, and the Spirit would have to wait. I want to suggest that this apparent inattention … Read more
The teaching that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, sometimes called double procession, is known as the filioque. As A. Edward Siecienski lays out in his history of the filioque controversy, it dates back at least to Augustine in the fifth century. It was added to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed by the … Read more
While Baptists are unambiguously part of the catholic tradition, their understanding of catholicity has not always been clear. What exactly does catholicity mean? And what are its implications for those who confess it? This paper will argue that catholicity is both a doctrine and posture—a doctrine of wholeness and universality which leads to a posture … Read more