Understanding Formal Creed Statements: Its Need in Early Christianity

In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus

In the previous blog, where we introduced the topic of the Statement of Faith, we learned how the early Christian statement of faith, encapsulated in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, played a pivotal role in defining and uniting Christian belief across diverse traditions. These creeds emerged from a need to preserve apostolic teachings, counter heresies, and maintain doctrinal unity in the face of theological challenges. Simple confessions like “Jesus is Lord” served as profound declarations of faith, especially during baptism, affirming the convert’s commitment and solidifying their identity within the Christian community. The historical significance and theological depth of these creeds continue to shape Christian worship and education, fostering a shared confession of faith that transcends time and culture.

In this current session, let us try understanding the need for formal creed statements and the various false teachings prevalent at the time. The formal creed statement played a unique role in keeping the faith of the Church intact and the fathers and doctors of the Church who participated in the formation of the Creed enabled in the handing down of the true faith of the Church, which is still practiced today.

In the early centuries of Christianity, the Church faced numerous theological challenges and controversies that necessitated the creation of structured and comprehensive statements of faith. These controversies often centered around fundamental aspects of Christian doctrine, including the nature of Christ, the Trinity, and the relationship between Jesus and God the Father. The responses to these challenges were crystallized in the creeds formulated during the first three ecumenical councils: Nicaea (325 AD), Constantinople (381 AD), and Ephesus (431 AD).

We will do a more elaborate study on the theological debates and the Church’s response to each of the debate in a follow up series.

Gnosticism: The Challenge of Secret Knowledge

Gnosticism was one of the earliest and most pervasive heresies to confront the early Church. This belief system was characterized by the idea that salvation could be attained through secret knowledge (gnosis) and that the material world was inherently evil, created by a lesser deity. Gnostics taught that the true God was a distant, unknowable entity, and that Jesus was a divine emissary sent to impart hidden knowledge to a select few, revealing profound cosmic truths, truths that were believed to transcend the mundane realities of everyday existence and elevate the soul’s understanding of the divine, emphasizing an esoteric connection with the divine.

The Church’s Response

To counter the Gnostic heresy, the early Church emphasized the goodness of creation and the incarnation of Christ. The Apostles’ Creed, with its affirmation of God as the creator of heaven and earth, and Jesus Christ as His only Son, born of the Virgin Mary, directly opposed Gnostic dualism. By affirming the goodness of the material world and the true humanity and divinity of Jesus, the Church upheld orthodox teaching against Gnostic distortions.

Docetism: Denying the Humanity of Christ

Docetism, another early heresy, posited that Jesus only appeared to have a physical body and to suffer and die on the cross. According to Docetists, Christ’s humanity was an illusion, as the divine could not be tainted by the physical and the material world.

The Church’s Response

The Church’s response to Docetism was to assert the true incarnation of Jesus Christ. The Nicene Creed, formulated at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, declares that Jesus Christ is “true God from true God” and “became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made human.” This creed, which emerged from the council, affirmed both the full divinity and full humanity of Christ, countering the Docetist claim that His physical existence was merely an illusion.

Arianism: The Nature of Christ

Perhaps the most significant theological challenge of the early Church was Arianism, a doctrine proposed by Arius, a priest from Alexandria. Arius taught that Jesus Christ was not co-eternal with God the Father and was instead a created being, albeit the highest of all created beings. According to Arius, there was a time when the Son did not exist, which directly contradicted the traditional belief in the eternal nature of Christ.

The Council of Nicaea (325 AD)

The First Council of Nicaea was convened by Emperor Constantine to address the Arian controversy. The Nicene Creed, produced by this council, unequivocally affirmed the full divinity of Christ. It stated that Jesus Christ is “begotten, not made, consubstantial (of the same substance) with the Father.” This declaration was a direct refutation of Arianism, asserting the eternal and uncreated nature of the Son, equal with the Father in divinity.

The Nature of the Holy Spirit: The Macedonian Controversy

Following the Arian controversy, questions about the Holy Spirit’s divinity arose, particularly through the teachings of Macedonius, who denied the full divinity of the Holy Spirit. This heresy, often referred to as Pneumatomachianism or Macedonianism, claimed that the Holy Spirit was a created being, similar to Arian claims about the Son.

The Council of Constantinople (381 AD)

The Second Ecumenical Council, held in Constantinople, expanded on the Nicene Creed to address the nature of the Holy Spirit. The resulting creed, often called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, affirmed that the Holy Spirit is “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.” This addition clarified the Church’s teaching on the Trinity, asserting the co-equality and co-eternity of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son, thus countering Macedonianism.

Nestorianism: The Union of Christ’s Natures

Nestorianism, proposed by Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, claimed that there were two separate persons in the incarnate Christ – one divine and one human. Nestorius argued against calling Mary Theotokos (God-bearer), suggesting instead that she be called Christotokos (Christ-bearer), implying a separation between Christ’s divine and human natures.

The Council of Ephesus (431 AD)

The Third Ecumenical Council, held in Ephesus, condemned Nestorianism and affirmed the unity of Christ’s divine and human natures in one person. The council declared Mary as Theotokos, emphasizing that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully man from the moment of His conception. This council’s decisions were crucial in affirming the hypostatic union, the doctrine that Christ’s two natures are united in one person.

Pelagianism: The Role of Grace and Free Will

Pelagianism, a doctrine proposed by Pelagius, denied original sin and asserted that humans could achieve salvation through their own efforts without the need for divine grace. Pelagius argued that human nature was essentially good and that individuals had the free will to choose good without the aid of God’s grace.

The Church’s Response

While Pelagianism was addressed primarily through local councils and writings of Church Fathers like Augustine, its refutation was foundational for later theological development. The Church emphasized the necessity of divine grace for salvation, affirming that while humans have free will, it is only through God’s grace that they can achieve righteousness and salvation.

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the brief insights into the theological debates of the early Church reveal the emergence of the Niceno-Constantinople Creed as a pivotal statement of faith. This creed, born from a crucial period of doctrinal development, reflects the unity and guidance established by the early ecumenical councils.

The early ecumenical councils played a vital role in addressing and resolving theological disputes that threatened the Church’s cohesion and doctrinal integrity. By formulating creeds at the Councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, and Ephesus, the Church countered heresies like Gnosticism, Docetism, Arianism, Macedonianism, and Nestorianism, clarifying essential Christian doctrines concerning the Trinity and the nature of Christ.

These creeds not only provided a foundation for orthodox Christian belief but also continue to guide and unite believers, showcasing the Church’s enduring commitment to preserving the apostolic faith and upholding doctrinal coherence in the face of theological challenges.

In the next session

May the teachings and prayers of our Church Fathers guide us to adhere to their teachings of the true faith in our life.

Your brother in Christ Jesus

Jobin George

Sources:

• Early Christian Doctrines by J.N.D. Kelly – This book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of Christian doctrine in the early centuries, including discussions on various heresies such as Gnosticism, Docetism, Arianism, Nestorianism, and Pelagianism.
• The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Studies edited by Susan Ashbrook Harvey and David G. Hunter – This handbook offers a collection of essays on various aspects of early Christianity, including discussions on controversies, councils, and theological developments.
• The Creeds of Christendom by Philip Schaff – This work contains translations of the major creeds of the Christian Church, including the Nicene Creed and the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, with historical and theological commentary.
• The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon by Richard Price and Michael Gaddis – This book provides an English translation of the acts and documents from the Council of Chalcedon, which addressed Nestorianism and affirmed the hypostatic union.
• Augustine’s Anti-Pelagian Writings edited by Peter Holmes and Robert Ernest Wallis – This collection includes the writings of Augustine, a key figure in the refutation of Pelagianism, discussing topics related to grace, free will, and original sin.