Before Christians dive into the world of the personal opinions of systematic theologians, they should begin with the reflections of the visible, institutional church on what Scripture teaches. The most fundamental churchly documents where we confess our understanding of the faith are called ecumenical or universal creeds. These include the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Definition of Chalcedon, and the Athanasian Creed. These are basic summaries of what Scripture teaches about Scripture, God, man, salvation, church, and last things. The creeds (as distinct from the later Reformation catechisms and confessions) are skeletal and are understood differently in different traditions and yet there is a basic consensus among Christians on most of what is contained in them. Read the full article by R. Scott Clark here.
2021-05-14