The Early Creeds of Christendom

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to introduce the ecumenical creeds of Christendom. That is to say, the creeds that will be studied are those which Christians from the earliest days of the church’s existence to this very day have affirmed together with great unity. In the midst of all the doctrinal differences which have separated Christians in various traditions from one another, differences which have kept them from enjoying closer fellowship than they presently do, it is good to be reminded that there is a certain core of agreement between all who recognize and affirm the most basic creedal statement of all, namely, “Jesus Christ is Lord!”

C. S. Lewis referred to this core of commonality as mere Christianity, a term he borrowed from a puritan thinker named Richard Baxter. Mere Christianity is that detectable agreement between all Christians which lies underneath all the points of disagreement. It is that core agreement which, in many respects, allows Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians to be able to fight with each other so well! We largely share a common set of assumptions. We don’t have to try to persuade each other that there is a God (none of us are atheists) or that there is only one true God (none of us are pagans) or that the Bible is the authoritative word of God in written form (none of us are Marcionites), or that God is simultaneously one in essence and three in person (none of us are Unitarians or Muslims), or that Jesus had a true body and reasonable soul (none of us are Apollinarians), or that he was truly God and truly man in one person (we are not Arians or Gnostics). It’s because we agree on so much that we enabled disagree so ardently on matters which are further upstream in the minutia of Christian theology.

Ultimately, despite the many different visible manifestations within Christendom that sometimes seem so “other” to us, there is, nevertheless, only one church of Jesus Christ (one holy, catholic, and apostolic church). It is not my church or your church, not ultimately Roman, nor Eastern, nor Protestant, but it is the Lord’s church. It is comprised of all who, whether now living or dead, have affirmed that Jesus Christ is Lord and sought to live accordingly. 

The ecumenical creeds denote the core faith shared by all Christians. Every Christian who affirms the Scriptures should also affirm, in unity with all other believers, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Definition of Chalcedon, and The Athanasian Creed.¹ These creeds are simply concise affirmations and confessions of what the Bible teaches. To reject these creeds is to reject the fundamental Christian message about who God is and how he has revealed himself to us. To reject these creeds is to reject what God has said about how he has worked to save a people for himself through the work of his Son, Jesus Christ. To reject the ecumenical creeds is to reject what our brothers and sisters in the Lord have affirmed, shared, preached, and given their very lives for, for 2,000 plus years now. In short, to reject the ecumenical creeds is to reject Christ and his church. 

In this study our purpose is fivefold. Firstly, this study will introduce you to the concept of creedalism as a whole. Secondly, it will show you that creeds were already forming in the New Testament era and are, therefore, consistent with Scripture. Thirdly, it will give you some basic background information in regard to the development of each of the four ecumenical creeds. Fourthly, it will introduce you to the four ecumenical creeds themselves so that you can become familiar with their content and the way in which they offer a mix of clarity and simplicity in regard to matters of first importance in the Christian faith. Fifthly, and finally, it will demonstrate that everything taught by the ecumenical creeds is thoroughly biblical, cohering with what God himself has said in the inspired Scriptures.

Below you will find links, as they become available, which will take you through a study on the Ecumenical Creeds of Christendom, giving you texts to read and questions to help you think through the teachings contained in the creeds

COMING SOON:

1. The Concept of Creedalism (with study questions)

2. Creeds in the Bible (with study questions)

3. The Apostles Creed (with study questions)

4. The Nicene Creed (with study questions)

5. The Definition of Chalcedon

6. The Athanasian Creed

A PDF version of this study with lots of extras is available to Paid Subscribers!

1. It must be admitted that the Eastern Orthodox Church largely disregards the Athanasian Creed and amends the Nicene Creed due to their disagreement with the “filioque clause” which affirms that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, but the rest of doctrines contained in the Athanasian creed are affirmed by them nevertheless.