Word of Life Pentecostal Holiness Church-Malta. 2010Made with Xara BRIEF HISTORY OF CREEDSA CREED is a statement of faith for public use; it contains articles needful for salvation and the theological well-being of the church. Creeds have been used to test orthodoxy, to recognize fellow believers, and to serve as a convenient summary of the essential doctrines of faith. They presuppose a living faith of which they are the intellectual expression. Denominational creeds appeared during the Reformation period. Conciliar or universal creeds made by representatives of the whole church emerged during the period of theological controversy between 313 and 451. The earliest type of creed was the baptismal creed of which the Apostles' Creed may serve as an example.' It must always be remembered that creeds are relative and limited expressions of the divine and absolute rule of faith and practice within the Scriptures. Statements in the New Testament that savor of a creed are found in Romans 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:4, and 1 Timothy 3:16. Irenaeus and Tertullian developed Rules of Faith to be used in recognizing the true Christian from the Gnostic. They were a summary of the major biblical doctrines.'The Apostles' Creed is the oldest summary of the essential doctrines of Scripture that we have. It was not written by the apostles but certainly embodied the doctrines that they taught. It was used in Rome before 340. This creed was used as a baptismal formula from very early times. The oldest form, similar to the one used by Rufinus about 400, appeared in Rome about 340. This creed, which is definitely Trinitarian, gives attention to the person and work of each of the three persons of the Trinity. It emphasizes the universal nature of the corporate church and, after linking salvation with Christ, has an explicit eschatology centering in the resurrection of the believer and his goal of eternal life. Many churches still find the Apostles' Creed useful as a convenient summary of the main points of the Christian faith.BETWEEN 313 AND 451 theological controversies resulted in councils attempting to resolve the issues by formulating creeds. There have been two great eras of theological controversy in the history of the church. The great creeds of Protestantism were hammered out in the period of theological dispute at the time of the Reformation. The earlier period of theological controversy occurred between 325 and 451, when universal or ecumenical councils of leaders of the church were held to resolve conflicts. These councils brought about such great universal formulations of the Christian church as the Nicene and Athanasian creeds. It was the era when the main dogmas of the Christian church were developed. The word dogma came through the Latin from the Greek word dogma, which was derived from the verb dokevw dokeo. This word means: to be of opinion, think, suppose (Strongs). The dogmas of doctrines formulated in this period were the result of intense thought and searching of the Bible and the writings of the Fathers in order to interpret correctly the meaning of the Scriptures on the disputed points and to avoid erroneous opinions. The era is also an excellent illustration of how intense zeal for a doctrine may unwittingly lead an individual or church into error unless there is a balanced study of the Bible. Just as Sabellius was led to a denial of the essential Trinity by his attempt to safeguard the unity of the Godhead, so Arius became involved in an antiscriptural approach to the relation of Christ to the Father in his attempt to escape what he thought was the danger of polytheism. From "Christianity through the Centuries" by Earle E. Cairnsmadesigs
Word of Life Pentecostal Holiness Church-Malta. 2010
Made with Xara
BRIEF HISTORY OF CREEDS
A CREED is a statement of faith for public use; it contains articles needful for salvation and the theological well-being of the church. Creeds have been used to test
orthodoxy, to recognize fellow believers, and to serve as a convenient summary of the essential doctrines of faith. They presuppose a living faith of which they are the
intellectual expression. Denominational creeds appeared during the Reformation period. Conciliar or universal creeds made by representatives of the whole church
emerged during the period of theological controversy between 313 and 451. The earliest type of creed was the baptismal creed of which the Apostles' Creed may
serve as an example.' It must always be remembered that creeds are relative and limited expressions of the divine and absolute rule of faith and practice within the
Scriptures. Statements in the New Testament that savor of a creed are found in Romans 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:4, and 1 Timothy 3:16.
Irenaeus and Tertullian developed Rules of Faith to be used in recognizing the true Christian from the Gnostic. They were a summary of the major biblical
doctrines.'The Apostles' Creed is the oldest summary of the essential doctrines of Scripture that we have. It was not written by the apostles but certainly embodied
the doctrines that they taught. It was used in Rome before 340. This creed was used as a baptismal formula from very early times. The oldest form, similar to the one
used by Rufinus about 400, appeared in Rome about 340. This creed, which is definitely Trinitarian, gives attention to the person and work of each of the three
persons of the Trinity. It emphasizes the universal nature of the corporate church and, after linking salvation with Christ, has an explicit eschatology centering in the
resurrection of the believer and his goal of eternal life. Many churches still find the Apostles' Creed useful as a convenient summary of the main points of the
Christian faith.
BETWEEN 313 AND 451 theological controversies resulted in councils attempting to resolve the issues by formulating creeds. There have been two great eras of
theological controversy in the history of the church. The great creeds of Protestantism were hammered out in the period of theological dispute at the time of the
Reformation. The earlier period of theological controversy occurred between 325 and 451, when universal or ecumenical councils of leaders of the church were held
to resolve conflicts. These councils brought about such great universal formulations of the Christian church as the Nicene and Athanasian creeds. It was the era when
the main dogmas of the Christian church were developed. The word dogma came through the Latin from the Greek word dogma, which was derived from the verb
dokevw dokeo. This word means: to be of opinion, think, suppose (Strongs). The dogmas of doctrines formulated in this period were the result of intense thought and
searching of the Bible and the writings of the Fathers in order to interpret correctly the meaning of the Scriptures on the disputed points and to avoid erroneous
opinions.
The era is also an excellent illustration of how intense zeal for a doctrine may unwittingly lead an individual or church into error unless there is a balanced study of
the Bible. Just as Sabellius was led to a denial of the essential Trinity by his attempt to safeguard the unity of the Godhead, so Arius became involved in an
antiscriptural approach to the relation of Christ to the Father in his attempt to escape what he thought was the danger of polytheism.
From "Christianity through the Centuries" by Earle E. Cairns
madesigs
