Are The Articles of Faith A Creed?

ARE THE ARTICLES OF FAITH A CREED?
INTRODUCTION For hundreds of years Christians have been accustomed to the term CREED which defines a fixed formula summarizing the essential articles of their religion and which enjoys the sanction of ecclesiastical authority. Creeds are prevalent in almost every religious group and are used to ascribe a person's acceptance of the essential doctrines of that group. Historically it can be shown that the acceptance or rejection of the church's creed constituted acceptance or rejection as a member of that group. Creeds are many times accepted with reverence and respect due the divine scriptures themselves.1
However, moves of the Spirit have not traditionally started with defined theologies, but with a deep hunger for the Spirit of God and generally a rejection of the formality of a structured organization. As that particular revival movement progressed, there almost always came a demand to define the doctrine and beliefs of the group. This was done to maintain the doctrinal purity of the group and to define the basis for fellowship. But this process of developing creeds and statements of faith many times led to the concurrent development of another highly structured organization which in turn led to stagnation and the dearth of revival.
Can a movement continue to experience a true evangelistic thrust with defined creeds and articles of faith? Is the United Pentecostal Church herself in the process of developing creeds which will narrow our theological liberty to the point that revival ceases? What is the true purposes of articles of faith and is there a difference between articles of faith and creeds?
The purpose of this paper is to historically review creedal theology in light of the above-mentioned questions. Focus will be given on how and why creeds
have developed through the centuries and how they possibly compare to the Articles of Faith of the United Pentecostal Church.
A creed is simply the Church's understanding of the meaning of Scripture. The creed says, "Here is how the Church reads and receives Scripture." The study of the creeds give insight into four areas of church history: (1) the whole history of theology is the history of the interpretation of Scripture, even though the theologians do not always cite Biblical reference....The creeds are the record of the Church's interpretation of the Bible in the past and the guide to hermeneutics in the present.2 They reflect men's thoughts about God and His Truth in successive ages; (2) show the controversies in which the Church became entangled; (3) illustrate at many points the rela- tion between the world's philosophy and the Christian religion; and (4) reveal the modes of thought from which faith and enthusiasm sprang in ages unlike our own.3
In a study of this kind it is necessary to know what the word CREED means not only in our present day but also what the Early Church understood the word to mean. The word CREED is from the Latin word CREDO. It means "I place confidence in; I rely upon." Today it has come to mean "I believe."4 When the early Christian said, CREDO IN UNUM DEUM, he meant not so much, "I believe that God exists," as, "I trust in one God in contrast to the many gods of paganism." Our word "creed" therefore, is related not to credulity but to credit.5
Historically in the ancient church the creeds were called "symbols." The Greek word SYMBOLON (Latin, SYMBOLUM or SIGNUM) therefore meant an object or part of an object and was later used as a password for identification among members of certain religious societies. In ancient Christianity, however, the word "symbol" came to mean a compendium of the fundamental facts or truths of faith that a candidate had to recite or to confirm as an evidence of his faith before being baptized and accepted as a member of the church.6
Until the invention of the printing press, only a small percent- age of the population was literate. Understanding is necessary for man's commitment. Hence faith must be spoken and made intelligible. Creeds enclose a space; fence in, with anathemas: and in order to fill it, they parcel out the Truth into formal propositions. Within the enclosure each dogma has its appointed
place. The central doctrines and dogmas (in the form of creeds) were condensed into a few words which the convert could then learn. That which did not conform to the creed could then be rejected as heresy.7
THE EARLY CHURCH Creeds have been in existence from the earliest of times. J .N. D. Kelly says "The majority of Scholars...decided that formulated creeds in any admissible sense of the term did not come into existence until the middle of the second century, or possible a little earlier. Before then, if anything approximating to a creed was in use in the Church, it can have been nothing more elaborate than the simple baptismal confession `Lord Jesus' or `Jesus is the Son of God'. The history of creeds was the history of the enlargement of these brief asseverations through the exigencies of controversy and the evolution of the mature theology of Catholicism."8
F. J. Badcock wrote "In the earliest days of Christianity it seems clear that the baptismal confession consisted of one clause only: Ì believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Lord' or òur Lord', or of some formula even briefer than that. Later this was expanded to three clauses: Ì believe in God the Father Almighty; and in Jesus Christ His (only) Son our Lord; and in the Holy Ghost'; and by the middle of the first century the form was at most no fuller than this."9
From this simple statement of faith spoken at baptism the confession changed as the Trinitarian baptismal formula was introduced. Beginning sometimes during the middle of the second century it became widespread in both the East and West. However, objections to this formula continued into the middle of the third century and a few incidents through the end of the fourth century.
DEVELOPMENT OF CREEDS What events occurred to bring about these changes in doctrine that changed the statement of belief or confession of the believer? There are three factors which influenced the development of creeds in the early Church. These factors were:
1. Statements associated with baptism.
2. The teaching ministry of the Church.
3. Crises over doctrine. INFLUENCE OF BAPTISM
J. N. D. Kelly believes that "Creeds proper...took their rise in connection with the rise of Baptism.10 Hans Lietzmann stated, "It is indisputable that the root of all creeds is a formula of belief pronounced by the baptizand, or pronounced in his hearing and asserted to by him, before his baptism."11
From about the middle of the second century baptismal creeds had three divisions. It seems that during earliest times all that was required of the candidate was some form of profession of faith in Jesus Christ.12
According to Kelly, "At first, when those entering its ranks were all converted Jews, a short Christological creed was all that was necessary. But when it became a question of introducing pagans into Christianity, it seemed desirable, before coming to faith in Christ, to make sure that they were sound on the Judaeo-Christian belief in God the Father, and for this purpose a confession based upon the Jewish Shema was devised."13
Most of the earliest creeds or confessions of faith were simple declarations about Jesus of which many were taken from Scripture. These early confessions of faith or creeds were baptismal creeds. We find such a
confession in the Books of Acts (8:36-37). Philip had just preached to the Ethiopian eunuch and the eunuch asked, "See, here is water, What hinders me from being Baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (NKJV). When Jesus asked "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered "you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Scripture abounds with such declarations. In fact, one of the first such statements is "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" (NKJV)
In the New Testament baptism is described as being administered "in the name of the Lord Jesus." However, in Matthew 28:19 and the DIDACHE the threefold titles are used. Kelly says, "It has been con- jectured that a declaration of belief must have been forthcoming corresponding to this formulary, and the conjecture is abundantly borne out to be the Church's practice in regard to the formulary in succeeding generations.14
A. Seeberg wrote, "The primitive Christian creeds are simply and solely the recapitulation, in a formula based upon the Trinitarian ground-plan, of the basic catechetical verities."15
The conclusion drawn by the authors is that for the first three hundred year the baptismal confessions were of three types. Many were Trinitarian; others were binitarian; some were one-clause Christologi- cal statements. All three types existed in various parts of the Empire at the same time and were independent of each other.16 One should not assume that the latter two were fragments of the Trinitarian creed. It is precisely during this period that the Trinitarian doctrine was being developed (It required three hundred years). Thus, the more likely explanation is that each confssion reflected the doctrine of the Godhead of its respective group. Such an interpretation of events appears to fit the historical facts.
INFLUENCE OF TEACHING MINISTRY Another important source of creedal development was the teaching ministry of the Church. This occurred during the preparation of candi- dates for baptism. Creedal statements were the basis for the catechetical lectures that were given in this instruction. The candidate was taught the faith that had been maintained in the Church since the days of the Apostles.17
Much of the instruction was given to prepare the person for baptism. It is interesting to note that the first ceremonies or ritu- als concerned baptism. P. T. Fuhrmann who studied Tertullian stated, "After a period of instruction in Scripture and the tenants of the creed, the convert first turned toward the west, the land of darkness, renounced Satan, his workings and his pomp, then turned toward the rising sun and confessed his allegiance to Jesus Christ. Then three times the candidate was immersed, or water was poured on his head. After he was redressed, his head was anointed with oil. He could then reenter the church building and join the group of believers. At this time a second phase or ceremony called "consignment" (CONSIGNATIO) took place: the bishop or head of the local church, placing his hands on the convert, called upon him the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thus the baptism of the Spirit followed that of water.18
In the provincial areas around Rome beyond the domination of the Bishop of Rome the threefold titles of God was invoked upon the baptized. At each of the three immersions the candidate was interrogated.19 He was expected to recite answers which he had previ- ously learned in his catechetical instruction. Their abilities to recite the correct answers was considered a demonstration that they were sufficiently grounded in the faith to proceed with the baptismal ceremony20
Kelly believes the declaratory creeds were in fact a by-product of the Churches catechetical instruction and that these creeds were functional summaries of that instruction given to a convert prior to his baptism.21 Thus he concludes, "In their present form creeds are declaratory, that is to say, they are short statements, couched in the first person, asserting belief in a select group of facts and doctrines regarded as vitally important. Declaratory creeds of this sort play a recognized role in baptism as practiced today.22
From the above one can reasonable conclude that catechetical instructions were usually given for the purpose of preparing a candidate for baptism. While teaching could be independent of baptism they were frequently related, particular in preparing a candidate prior to baptism. Thus both played a part in development of the simple declaratory creeds of the first three centuries.
THE INFLUENCE OF CRISIS Most of the writers surveyed believed that crisis played a major role in the development of creeds. Typical of these is John H. Leith. He stated," Generally speaking, creeds have not been written in the quiet periods of history but in those moments of historical intensity when the Church has been engaged by foes from without, or when its mission or life has been endangered from within."23 "Heresy is so important a factor in the origin of creeds that it tempts the commen- tator to exaggerate its role. The task of the creed was to defend the Church against heresy. The creed has the negative role of shutting the heretic out and setting the boundaries within which authentic Chris- tian theology and life can take place."24
In general these crises developed from three sources. The first was the Gnostic (meaning hidden knowledge) heresy. The Gnostics built on the same foundation as the Christian apologists and the Hermetic authors, that is Middle Platonism. Others such as Valentinus, Clement and the PseudoHermes were of the Platonic school.
The Gnostic heresy was already developing during the lifetime of the Apostles. Thus Fuhrmann believes, "The first important gain to the church was the collection of a body of New Testament Scriptures or the formation of the New Testament canon....But now, under pressure from the Gnostic danger, the church stressed the apostolic origin and character of these writings, and erected them into a formal rule of faith and practice for the whole church."25
With the establishment of an official church canon the Gnostic heresy did not fade away. The gnostics believed that Jesus was nothing more than a spirit and did not come in the flesh; that he was not divine and was a Christed spirit. Thus we can see that some of the statements recited at baptism would directly refute this belief.
The anti-gnostic formulas, along with theorems, half biblical half speculative, and occasionally with purely philosophical or polem- ical discussions, which the creed had preserved, evolved in the East into the Symbols.26 The Gnostics of the first two centuries distin- guished between God (Supreme)
and the Demiurge (Creator) who brought all things into existence. They believed in numerous intermediate beings through whom the infinite gulf was bridged between man and God (Supreme). Scripture does not support this view. The church leaders, therefore, changed the first line of the creed (I believe in God the Father Almighty) to combat this heresy (I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth).27
The Apollinarian heresy probably caused an addition to the creed. This heresy denied that Jesus possessed a human spirit and soul. In other words, He was not actually a man but only God in the form of a man. Scripture very clearly teaches that Jesus was completely human. Thus to the original (And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord) additional phrases were included to counter Apollinarianism ( and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried).
The most serious conflict was with Arians and the Monarchians. The Arians believed that Jesus was a demigod and not divine. The monarchians denied the trinity, believing that there were no divisions within the Godhead. Some of the more well known Monarchians were Praxeas, Paul of Samosata, and Sabellius. Monarchianism was also known as Patripassianism. Today known as "Oneness," this doctrine played a considerable part in the theological discussions that followed the council of Nicaea and survived till the fifth century. History makes little mention of Monarchianism after this point.
Dr. Adolph Harnack stated of the Monarchians that "they were theologians who held firmly by the dignity of Jesus as Redeemer, but at the same time would not give up the personal, the numerical, unity of God; and who therefore opposed the speculations which had led to the adoption of the duality or trinity of the Godhead.28
Harnack is not the only theologian to recognize the Monarchian tendencies of the Early Church. Danielou wrote, "...the Roman theological tradition (of the mid third century) regarding the Trinity was Monarchian in dependency, that is to say it stressed the unity of the Divine substance."29
By the early fourth century the Monarchians were a small minori- ty. The
Trinitarian or Logos Christology had obtained victory. Howev- er, their victory was through political and military power. The Trini- tarian authorities brutally suppressed all other beliefs. The tradi- tional view of God as one person, as was every thought of the real and complete human personality of the Redeemer, was condemned as intolera- ble.30 The repression of the Monarchians did not put an end to them.
Harnack said of this struggle, "The Church historians have attempted to bury or distort the true history of Monarchianism....They attempted to discredit their theological works as products of a spe- cific secularization, or as travesties, of Christianity, and they sought to portray the Monarchians themselves as renegades who had abandoned the rule of faith and the Canon."31
The Arian controversy, centered around the deity of Jesus, flour- ished at the beginning of the fourth century. It perhaps held a stronger political power base and thus presented both an internal conflict and an external threat. It should be remembered that the Nicene Creed did not settle the issue of Arianism. The controversy continued with much blood being shed for the next fifty six years. Finally the Trinitarian faction gained political power sufficient to crush the Arian party.
DEVELOPMENT OF CREEDS After examining the New Testament for creeds, Kelly stated "Explicit Trinitarian confessions are few and far between; where they do occur, little can be built upon them. The two most commonly cited are St Paul's prayer at the end of II Corinthians (13:14)...and the baptismal command put by St Matthew (28:19) into the mouth of the risen Lord..."32
Throughout the New Testament one can find phrases which would appear fragments of creeds. Yet no complete creed may be found in the Scripture. Most of the ancient creeds or symbols were Trinitarian. They affirmed faith in the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. However, little or nothing is said about the relationship of the three to each other. This problem was one of the first to arise as the result of Christological differences.33 For many years great debates about the Person of Christ had been going on in the Eastern churches because some were insisting on a radical distinction between the divine and
human natures in Christ.34
For the first one hundred fifty years the creeds were generally nothing more that quotes from Scripture or statements based directly on phrases taken from Scripture. By the second half of the second century we find that the baptismal formula was changed to and the declarations of faith along with it. Thus with the change in baptismal formula came an increase in the length of creeds.
Fuhrmann believes that this expansion was the result of fighting Gnostic errors. "In comparing all the different creeds of the other ancient churches, we find them to have been quite similar; their skeleton was generally the same; that is, they had three articles corresponding to the three Persons of the Trinity; they generally enumerated the principle events of the life of Jesus Christ--His birth, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven from which he shall come. The only explanation of the similarity is that in meeting Gnostic errors it was felt necessary to add to the brief creed used at baptism (hence called the Baptismal Creed) certain statements against Gnostic teachings. Thus another consequence of the struggle with Gnosticism was that expanded creed came to be considered as an actual RULE for faith, a kind of legal document. Its purpose was to set forth clearly what the church believed in opposition to the Gnos- tics, And this was done by means of a few carefully chosen phrases every word of which was there for a definite reason. Thus the symbols or creeds came to be truly rules of faith, standards of the truth, and distinctive signs of Christianity."35
The first fully developed creed with widespread acceptance was the Apostles' Creed. Many scholars and historians believe that encour- aged the belief that the creed originated with the Apostles. This gave it authority and acceptance among the masses. Through the centuries it has undergone changes.
The belief that the Apostles' Creed was written by the Apostles themselves has no basis in fact. There is no suggestion, much less explicit mention, of a formal, official creed anywhere (writings of the Apostolic Fathers), and the attempts to unearth one have all proved fruitless.36 Kelly states, "There is no allusion anywhere to a primitive formula of the kind supposed (apostolic creed constructed on the Trinitarian basis), and no trustworthy evidence that one ever existed: the hypothesis is the result of an anachronistic reading-
back of subsequent practice into the life of the early Church."37
This creed did not appear in its present form until the seventh century. It is interesting that standardization did not occur until the Reformation. Concern for orthodoxy was of major importance and led to standard text which all branches of the Protestant Church use today.38
The Apostles's Creed evolved through eight centuries before it became finalized in the form in which it is known today. It has undergone several revisions and additions through the centuries. In its earliest form scholars such as Harnack, Loisy, Lietzmann, and Kelly believed it to have been:
"I believe in God the Father Almighty
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
And in the Holy Spirit, the holy church,
The resurrection of the flesh."39 It is believed that the Roman baptismal creed in A.D. 100-120 had a form identical with that of the fourth century, except that possibly in the first article it may have originally contained the word "one", which was subsequently omitted to counteract Sabellianism.40
In its expanded form the Creed can be traced back to the second century. In about A.D. 150 it read:
"I believe in God the Father Almighty; And in Christ Jesus,
his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Holy Spirit and
Mary the Virgin, who under Pontius Pilate was crucified and
buried; the third day, he rose from the dead, ascended to
the heavens, sat down at God's right hand, whence he will
come to judge the living and the dead; and in the Holy
spirit, the holy church, the remission of sins and the
resurrection of the flesh." It is generally believed by most theologians that the Gnostic controversy resulted in further additions being made to the Apostles's Creed. Most of the changes to it occurred prior to the fourth century. Thus today the Apostle's Creed reads:
"I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and
earth; and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was
conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, Suf-
fered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;
he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the
dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand
of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to
judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the
forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the
life everlasting. Amen." The Nicene Creed was a marked change in the way creeds were developed. Prior to this time creeds evolved over a long period of time. It is significant that this evolutionary process was conducted without the interposition of authority. No General Council, no ecclesiastical rulers, enforced the creed: its adoption rested entirely on the consensus of Churches.41 Now, however, we find that instead of the gradual development of Christian thought, seeking greater definitive- ness of expression from age to age, and resting upon general acquies- cence, we have profound theological discussions, the settlement of dogmas by vote, and the claim of infallibility.42
The majority of the bishops present at the Council were in the middle between Arius and Athanasius (Athanasius represented the Trinitarian position). The chief spokesman for the middle group was Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia. He put forth a compromise creed which the Council rejected. This creed read:
"We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all
things visible and invisible. And in One Lord Jesus Christ,
the Word of God, God of God, Light of Light, Life of Life,
the only begotten Son, before all worlds begotten of the
Father, by Whom also all things were made; Who for our
salvation was made flesh, and lived among men, and suffered,
and rose again the third day, and ascended to the Father,
and will come again in glory to judge the quick and the
dead. And we believe also in one Holy Ghost." 43 While this creed was mostly Scriptural it was rejected by the Council. They reasoned that the phrases of Scripture rendered it inadequate. The question before the Council was the interpretation of the Scripture not the Scripture itself.
It should be remembered that the Nicene Creed did not settle the issue of Arianism. The controversy continued with much blood being shed for the next fifty six years. Finally the Trinitarian faction gained political power sufficient to crush the Arian party. (Arianism did not die. It continued and can be found today. It is known as Jehovah's Witness). Hilary wrote, "Since the Nicene Council, we have done nothing but write about the Creed. While we fight about words, inquire about novelties, take advantage of ambiguities, criticize authors, fight on party questions, have difficulties in agreeing, and prepare to
anathematize one another, there is scarcely a man who belongs to Christ."44 Thus the turmoil which followed the decisions of the Council demonstrated that the new Creed needed revision and sup- plemental declaration. Its greatness weakness was the fact that no mention of the relationship of the Holy Ghost to the other two members of the Godhead.45
The creed known as the Nicene Creed could be accurately called the NicenoChalcedonian Creed. It reads:
"I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven
and earth, and of all things visible and invisible: and in
one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; begot-
ten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of
Light, Very God of Very God; begotten, not made; who for us
men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was
incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made
man: and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he
suffered and was buried: and the third day he rose again
according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven, and
sitteth on the right hand of the Father: and he shall come
again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead;
whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy
Ghost, the Lord, and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the
Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together
is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets: and I
believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge one
Baptism for the remission of sins: and I look for the Resur-
rection of the dead: and the Life of the world to come.
Amen." Whereas the Apostolic and Nicene Creeds set forth first the Father, then the Son, and finally the Holy Ghost, and devoted an article to each of the three Persons in succession, the Quicunque vult sets forth the Trinity was a unit.... "The Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods: but one God." This is a new note and a real contribution of this creed.46
There is no evidence this symbol or creed was used at baptism, or that it was to counter a heresy or a particular philosophy, since at the time of its appearance, the Western world in general and Gaul in particular were spiritual and intellectual deserts. The only purpose of this creed, therefore, must have been to teach the vital tenants of Christianity to the clergy.47
Thus we come to the Athanasian Creed or Quicunque vult. This creed appears to have been written in the sixth century and first appeared in Gaul. Most scholars agree that this creed was used as an instrument of instruction. It was used primarily by the clergy. It was not until the tenth century that it was widely used in services with the laity. It is one of the longest creeds known. Its purpose was to teach the doctrine of the Trinity and concerns itself with the relationship of the three persons of the Godhead to one another. It reads:
"Whosoever earnestly desires to be saved must above all hold
the Catholic Faith. Which Faith unless every one do keep
whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish in eter-
nity. And the Catholic Faith is this:
"That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.
For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son:
and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Fa-
ther, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the
Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is,
such is the Son: and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father un-
created, the Son uncreated: and the Holy Ghost uncreated.
The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible: and
the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son
eternal: and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not
three eternals: but one eternal. As also there are not three
incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated: but one incomprehen-
sible, and one uncreated. So likewise the Father is Al-
mighty, the Son Almighty: and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And
yet there are not three Almighties: but one Almighty. So the
Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost is God.
And yet there are not three Gods: but one God. So likewise
the Father is Lord, the Son Lord: and the Holy Ghost Lord.
And yet not three Lords: but one Lord. For like as we are
compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge every Person
by himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the
Catholic Religion to say, There be three Gods or three
Lords. The Father is made of none: neither created nor
begotten. The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor
created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and
of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but
proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one
Son, not three sons: one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts.
And in this Trinity none is before or after another: none is
greater or less than another: but the whole three Persons
are coeternal together: and coequal. So that in all things,
as is aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in
Unity is to be worshiped. He, therefore, who will be saved
must thus think of the Trinity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that
he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus
Christ. For the right Faith is, that he believe and confess:
that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God is God and Man;
God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the
worlds: and Man, of the Substance of his Mother, born in the
world: perfect God and perfect Man: of a reasonable soul and
human flesh subsisting; equal to the Father, as touching his
Godhead: and inferior to the Father, as touching his Man-
hood. Who, although he be God and Man, yet he is not two but
one Christ; one, not by conversion of the Godhead into
flesh, but by taking of the Manhood into God; one altogeth-
er; not by confusion of Substance: but by unity of Person.
For as the reasonable soul of flesh is one Man, so God and
Man is one Christ: who suffered for our salvation, descended
into Hades, rose again the third day from the dead. He
ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of the
Father, God Almighty: from whence he shall come to judge the
quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again
with their bodies: and shall give account for their own
works. And they that have done good shall go into life
everlasting: and that have done evil into everlasting fire.
"This is the Catholic Faith: which except a man believe
faithfully he cannot be saved. Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the begin-
ning, is now, and ever shall be: world with end. Amen." DANGERS CREEDS POSE Contrasted to creeds, the United Pentecostal Church has developed its Articles of Faith, which is a written summary of the essential doctrines of the UPCI. In many respects, the Articles of Faith have identical purposes with creeds. Some of these similarities are:
1. They define the Church's interpretation of scripture.
2. They provide a basis for fellowship among the ministry of the
UPCI.
3. A minister not subscribing to the Articles of Faith cannot be
accepted for license.
4. They enclose the central doctrines into a few essential words
which can be recited.
Furthermore, the factors which led to the development of the Articles of Faith are similar to those through which the creeds developed. Namely, questions about baptism (e.g. the Oneness versus Trinity question), questions about the teaching ministry of the church, and issues of doctrine. Hence, the development of the Articles of Faith have followed the same pattern as that of prior centuries - an enclave of men debating and voting as a body on the essential elements of the faith.
However, this method of determining the faith is not wrong and is in fact the approach used in Scripture in the Early Church. Acts 15 records the Council of Jerusalem where the Apostles and elders sent letters to the churches outlining the consensus of this council. Furthermore, the concept of Articles of Faith or defining essential doctrines is not in violation of scripture.
The Apostle Paul apparently had defined doctrines which he taught and delivered to the churches. In Romans 6:17 he is thankful that the church is obedient to "that form of doctrine which was delivered you." Furthermore in Romans 16:17 he admonishes the church to mark them "which cause division contrary to the doctrines which ye have learned."
Then what dangers do creed pose? Do the developments of the Articles of Faith follow a similar pattern? Creedal development began with scripture and not the interpretation of scripture. Creeds were increasingly developed for the sole purpose of combating heresy. With the passage of time, the creeds contained less scripture and more and more interpretation of scripture. More restrictions were placed in the creeds to combat heresies popular in that day. This evolution away from scripture to the interpretation of scripture continued to progress until at the Nicene Council scripture was deliberately avoid- ed. The Nicene Creed was the product of this process and when studied shows a marked absence of scripture and leaves only the interpretation of scripture.
With the passage of time the creeds were given the weight of scripture. In many churches the creeds are recited in each service and are an essential part of the worship. However, these creeds are a byproduct of an evolution of thought of the centuries and do not carry the weight of scripture. But Jesus spoke that we are to "live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God!" (Matthew 4:4).
The essentials of the faith must be the scriptures themselves. In this respect the Articles of Faith of the UPCI differ markedly from the creeds. The Articles of Faith are a compendium of scripture and in their present form are used in the manner Paul described in Romans 6:17. But the UPCI must resist the trend to change its beliefs to fight heresy by changing the Articles of Faith. Historically, when an organization changes its essential doctrines, it falls into heresy.
Creedal development also accelerated during the period when the Holy Ghost ceased to fall upon people. As men lost the discernment of Spirits and the power to live a separated life that comes from receiv- ing the Holy Ghost, they turned to creeds to separate the believer and the unbeliever not the
persons lifestyle, doctrine, worship or even his faith in Christ. The recital of the creed became the governing element of determining if a man was of Christ or not. The recitation of the creed was "proof" that the individual was a believer.
A church body must continue to walk in the Spirit and be led of the Holy Ghost or otherwise, that body of believers will produce dogma unattached to the true meaning of scripture.
CONCLUSIONS The UPCI as an organization must continue to rely on the Holy Spirit inspiration in conjunction with the Scripture to set its direc- tion. The Articles of Faith, which define the doctrine, need to remain scripture based. As other issues of a modern culture demand answers, the church should address them in light of the doctrine already estab- lished without revising the essential beliefs. There will have to be a reliance on the Holy Ghost to settle some issues without a continuance of more rules. Because the UPCI does not require a recital of the Articles of Faith to become a member of the church but instead relies on a personal Holy Ghost infilling to produce a believer, the Articles of Faith can not be considered as a creed in the formal sense. The emphasis of a Spirit-led organization must be lives lived in obedience to the word with the enabling help of the Holy Spirit.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. EARLY CHRISTIAN CREEDS, J. N. D. Kelly, (Longmans, Green and Co., Ltd., 6 & 7 Clifford Street, London, W. 1, 1950, 2nd ed. 1960).
2. CREEDS OF THE CHURCHES, edited by John H. Leith, (Aldine Publishing Company, Chicago 5, Illinois, 1963), pp 8-9.
3. THE CHRISTIAN CREED AND THE CREEDS OF CHRISTENDOM, Samuel G. Green, BA., DD., (Macmillan and Co., Ltd., London; The Macmillan Company, New York, 1898), p158.
4. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GREAT CREEDS OF THE CHURCH, Paul T. Fuhrmann, (The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1960). p11.
5. IBID., p11.
6. IBID., p12.
7. THE CHRISTIAN CREED AND THE CREEDS OF CHRISTENDOM, p163.
8. EARLY CHRISTIAN CREEDS, p6.
9. THE HISTORY OF THE CREEDS, F. J. Badcock, (Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge, London; The Macmillian Co., New York, 1938), p3.
10. EARLY CHRISTAIN CREEDS, p30.
11. IBID., p30, from DIE ANFANGE DES GLAUBENSBEKENNTNISSES, Tubingen, 1921, p226. This short essay formed part of a FESTGABE presented to A. Von Harnack)
12. THE HISTORY OF THE CREEDS, p15-16.
13. EARLY CHRISTIAN CREEDS, p25
14. IBID. p42.
15. IBID.,p50 quoting from THE USE OF CREEDS AND ANATHEMAS IN THE EARLY CHURCH, London, 2nd ed., 1910, p17.
16. IBID., p94.
17. CREEDS OF THE CHRUCHES, p7.
18. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GREAT CREEDS OF THE CHURCH, p15.
19. THE HISTORY OF THE CREEDS, p20.
20. EARLY CHRISTIAN CREEDS, p51.
21. IBID., p51.
22. OBOD., p31.
23. CREEDS OF THE CHURCHES, p2.
24. IBID., p9.
26. HISTORY OF DOGMA, Vol III, Dr Adolph Harnack, Translated from the third German Edition by James Millar, B.D. (Williams & Norgate, 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London; 20 South Fredrick Street, Edinburough; and 7 Broad Street Oxford, 1897), p208.
27. THE THREE CREEDS, By the Right Rev. Edgar C. S. Gibson, D.D. (Longmans, Green, and Co., 39 Paternoster Row: London, New York, Bombay, and Calcutta, 1908), p29-30.
28. HISTORY OF DOGMA, p10.
29. THE CHRISTIAN CENTURIES VOL I THE FIRST SIX HUNDRED YEARS, Jean Danielou and Henri Marrou, translated by Vincent Cronin, (Darton, Longman and Todd, Ltd., 64 Chiswick High Road, London W.4, 1964), p215.
30. HISTORY OF DOGMA, p10.
31. IBID., p12.
34. IBID., p56.
35. IBID., p30.
37. IBID., p24.
38. THE THREE CREEDS, p56.
39. CREEDS OF THE CHURCHES, p26.
40. THE HISTORY OF THE CREEDS, p2.
41. THE CHRISTIAN CREED AND THE CREEDS OF CHRISTENDOM, p50.
42. IBID., p56.
43. THE THREE CREEDS, p120.
44. THE CHRISTIAN CREED AND THE CREEDS OF CRISTENDOM, p58-59.
45. IBID., p61.
46. IBID., p52. SON LOS ARTCULOS DE FE un credo ?
INTRODUCCIN Durante cientos de aos los cristianos han estado acostumbrados a la CREED trmino que define una frmula fija que resume los artculos esenciales de su religin y que cuenta con la sancin de la autoridad eclesistica . Los credos son frecuentes en casi todos los grupos religiosos y se utilizan para atribuir la aceptacin de las doctrinas esenciales de ese grupo de una persona . Histricamente se puede demostrar que la aceptacin o el rechazo del credo
de la iglesia constituan la aceptacin o el rechazo como miembro de ese grupo. Credos muchas veces aceptados con reverencia y respeto por lo divino escrituras themselves.1
Sin embargo , los movimientos del Espritu no han comenzado tradicionalmente con teologas definidos, pero con un hambre profunda por el Espritu de Dios y por lo general un rechazo a la formalidad de una organizacin estructurada . A medida que el movimiento de avivamiento en particular avanz , casi siempre lleg una demanda para definir la doctrina y creencias del grupo . Esto se hizo para mantener la pureza doctrinal del grupo y para definir la base para la comunin . Pero este proceso de desarrollo de los credos y declaraciones de fe muchas veces condujo al desarrollo simultneo de otra organizacin muy estructurada , que a su vez condujo al estancamiento y la falta de reactivacin .
Puede un movimiento seguirn experimentando un verdadero empuje evangelstico con credos y artculos de fe definida ? Es la Iglesia Pentecostal Unida s misma en el proceso de desarrollo de los credos que restringir nuestra libertad teolgica hasta el punto de que el avivamiento cesa ? Cul es el verdadero propsito de los artculos de la fe y es hay una diferencia entre los artculos de la fe y credos ?
El propsito de este trabajo es revisar histricamente la teologa de credo a la luz de las cuestiones antes mencionadas . Se har hincapi en cmo y por qu los credos se han desarrollado a travs de los siglos y la forma en que posiblemente se comparan con los Artculos de Fe de la Iglesia Pentecostal Unida .
Un credo es simplemente la comprensin de la Iglesia sobre el significado de las Escrituras. El credo dice: " As es como dice la Iglesia y recibe las Escrituras. " El estudio de los credos dan una idea de cuatro reas de la historia de la iglesia : ( 1 ) toda la historia de la teologa es la historia de la interpretacin de las Escrituras , a pesar de que los telogos no siempre citan la referencia bblica .... Los credos son el registro de la interpretacin de la Iglesia de la Biblia en el pasado y la gua para la hermenutica de la presente.2 reflejan los pensamientos de los hombres acerca de Dios y Su Verdad en aos sucesivos , (2 ) mostrar las controversias en que la Iglesia se enred , (3 ) ilustran en muchos puntos de la rela-cin entre la filosofa del
mundo y de la religin cristiana , y ( 4 ) muestran los modos de pensamiento de que la fe y el entusiasmo surgieron en aos a diferencia de nuestro own.3
En un estudio de este tipo , es necesario saber lo que significa no slo en nuestros das , sino tambin la palabra CREDO lo que la Iglesia Primitiva entendi la palabra para significar . La palabra CREDO es de la palabra latina CREDO . Significa "Pongo confianza , cuento con . " Hoy se ha llegado a significar " creo ". 4 Cuando dijo que el cristiano primitivo , CREDO EN UNUM DEUM , no significaba mucho , "Yo creo que Dios existe ", como : "Confo en un solo Dios , en contraste con los muchos dioses del paganismo ". Nuestra palabra " credo ", por lo tanto, no est relacionada con la credulidad sino credit.5
Histricamente, en la antigua iglesia fueron llamados los credos " smbolos ". La palabra griega symbolon ( Amrica , Symbolum o SIGNUM ) por lo tanto, significa un objeto o parte de un objeto y se utiliz ms tarde como una clave para la identificacin de los miembros de algunas sociedades religiosas . En el cristianismo antiguo, sin embargo, la palabra " smbolo" lleg a significar un compendio de los hechos o verdades fundamentales de la fe de que el candidato tena que recitar o confirmar como una evidencia de su fe antes de ser bautizado y aceptado como miembro de el church.6
Hasta la invencin de la imprenta , slo un pequeo porcentaje de la poblacin saba leer y escribir . La comprensin es necesaria para el compromiso del hombre. Por lo tanto la fe debe ser dicho y hecho inteligible. Credos encierran un espacio , cerca de , con anatemas , y con el fin de llenarlo , se parcela la Verdad en proposiciones formales. En el recinto de cada dogma tiene su lugar designado. Las doctrinas y los dogmas centrales (en forma de credos ) se condensan en unas pocas palabras que el converso se poda aprender. Lo que no se ajustaban al credo entonces podra desestimarse por heresy.7
LA IGLESIA PRIMITIVA Credos han existido desde el principio de los tiempos . J . N. D. Kelly dice: " La mayora de los eruditos ... decidi que los credos formulados en ningn sentido admisible del trmino no llegaron a existir hasta la mitad del segundo siglo , o un poco antes posible . Antes de eso , si hay algo que se aproxima a
una credo estaba en uso en la Iglesia, que puede haber sido nada ms elaborado que la simple confesin bautismal ` Seor Jess 'o' Jess es el Hijo de Dios." la historia de los credos era la historia de la ampliacin de estas breves aseveraciones a travs de las exigencias de la controversia y la evolucin de la teologa madura del catolicismo . " 8
FJ Badcock escribi "En los primeros das del cristianismo , parece claro que la confesin bautismal consista en una nica clusula : ` Creo en Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios, el Seor 'o' Seor ' o de una frmula an ms breve que esta tarde se ampli a tres clusulas : ` creo en Dios Padre Todopoderoso , y en Jesucristo su ( nico ) Hijo, nuestro Seor, y en el Espritu Santo ", y por la mitad del primer siglo, la forma era . a lo sumo ningn lavador que esto. " 9
De esta simple declaracin de fe que se habla en el bautismo se introdujo la confesin cambiado la frmula bautismal trinitaria. Comenzando a veces durante la mitad del siglo II que se generaliz tanto en Oriente como en Occidente. Sin embargo , las objeciones a esta frmula continuaron hasta mediados del siglo III , y algunos incidentes hasta finales del siglo IV .
DESARROLLO de credos Qu hechos ocurrieron a llevar a cabo estos cambios en la doctrina que cambiaron la declaracin de fe o confesin del creyente? Hay tres factores que influyeron en el desarrollo de los credos de la Iglesia primitiva. Estos factores fueron:
1 . Declaraciones asociadas con el bautismo.
2 . El ministerio de la enseanza de la Iglesia.
3 . Las crisis sobre la doctrina . INFLUENCIA DEL BAUTISMO
JND Kelly cree que " Credos correcta ... tom su lugar en relacin con el aumento de Baptism.10 Hans Lietzmann declar:" Es indiscutible que la raz de todos los credos es una frmula de fe pronunciada por el baptizand o pronunciada en su audiencia y afirm que por l, antes de su bautismo . " 11
Desde mediados del siglo II credos bautismales tenan tres divisiones. Parece ser que durante los primeros tiempos todo lo que se requiere del candidato era algn tipo de profesin de fe en Jesucristo12
Segn Kelly, " Al principio, cuando los que entran en sus filas a todos los Judios fueron convertidos , a poca fe cristolgica era todo lo que era necesario. Pero cuando se convirti en una cuestin de la introduccin de los paganos en el cristianismo , pareca conveniente , antes de llegar a la fe en Cristo , para asegurarse de que estaban profundamente en la creencia judeo -cristiana en Dios Padre , y para ello se dise una confesin basada en el Shema judo. " 13
La mayora de los primeros credos o confesiones de fe eran simples declaraciones acerca de Jess de los cuales muchos fueron tomados de las Escrituras. Estas primeras confesiones de fe o credos eran los credos bautismales. Encontramos esa confesin en los Libros de los Hechos ( 8:3637 ) . Felipe haba predicado al eunuco etope y el eunuco le pregunt : "Mira, aqu hay agua, qu impide que yo sea bautizado ? " Entonces Felipe dijo: " Si crees de todo corazn, bien puedes . " Y l respondi, y dijo: "Yo creo que Jesucristo es el Hijo de Dios. " (RV ) . Cuando Jess pregunt: " Pero , quin decs que soy yo? " Pedro contest " t eres el Cristo , el Hijo del Dios viviente . " Escritura abunda en tales declaraciones. De hecho, uno de los primeros estados es " Oye, Israel : Jehov nuestro Dios, Jehov uno es " (NVI )
En el bautismo del Nuevo Testamento se describe como siendo administrados "en el nombre del Seor Jess. " Sin embargo , en Mateo 28:19 y la Didaj se utilizan los ttulos triple . Kelly dice: " Se ha con- jectured que una declaracin de fe debe haber estado disponible correspondiente a este formulario, y la conjetura es dado en abundancia a ser la prctica de la Iglesia en relacin con el formulario en tener xito generations.14
A. Seeberg escribi , " Los credos cristianos primitivos son nica y exclusivamente de la recapitulacin , en una frmula basada en el plan de suelo trinitario , de las verdades bsicas de catequesis . " 15
La conclusin de los autores es que para los primeros trescientos aos las confesiones bautismales eran de tres tipos . Muchos eran trinitaria , otros eran binitaria ; algunos eran un clusula declaraciones Christologi -cos . Los tres tipos existen en diversas partes del Imperio , al mismo tiempo y son independientes el uno other.16 No se debe suponer que los dos ltimos eran fragmentos del credo trinitario . Es precisamente durante este perodo que se est desarrollando la doctrina trinitaria ( Se requiere 300 aos ) . Por lo tanto , la explicacin ms probable es que cada confssion refleja la doctrina de la divinidad de su grupo respectivo . Tal interpretacin de los acontecimientos parece ajustarse a los hechos histricos.
INFLUENCIA DE LA ENSEANZA DEL MINISTERIO Otra fuente importante de desarrollo credo era el ministerio de enseanza de la Iglesia. Esto ocurri durante la preparacin de los candidatos para el bautismo . Credos fueron la base para las conferencias catechet -cos que se dieron en esta instruccin. El candidato se ense la fe que se haba mantenido en la Iglesia desde los das de la Apostles.17
Gran parte de la instruccin fue dada a preparar a la persona para el bautismo. Es interesante notar que las primeras ceremonias o ritu - als preocupados bautismo. PT Fuhrmann que estudi Tertuliano dijo: " Despus de un perodo de instruccin en las Escrituras y los inquilinos de la religin, el convertido se volvi primero hacia el oeste, la tierra de tinieblas , renunci a Satans, sus trabajos y su pompa, y luego se volvi hacia el sol naciente y confes su lealtad a Jesucristo. entonces tres veces el candidato se sumerge o se verti agua sobre su cabeza . Tras ser reparado , su cabeza fue ungido
con aceite. a continuacin, podra volver a entrar en el edificio de la iglesia y unirse al grupo de creyentes . en ese momento tom una segunda fase o ceremonia llamada "envo" ( CONSIGNATIO ) lugar : el obispo o el jefe de la iglesia local , colocando sus manos sobre el converso , llamado sobre l el don del Espritu Santo tanto, el bautismo del Espritu. seguido la de water.18
En las reas provinciales alrededor de Roma ms all del dominio del obispo de Roma, los ttulos triple de Dios se invoc en el bautizado . En cada una de las tres inmersiones al candidato fue interrogated.19 Se esperaba que recitar respuestas que haba aprendido previamente en su catequesis . Sus habilidades para recitar las respuestas correctas se consideran una demostracin de que estaban suficientemente fundamentados en la fe para seguir adelante con el bautismo ceremony20
Kelly cree que los credos declaratorios eran , de hecho, un subproducto de la instruccin catequtica Iglesias y que estas creencias eran resmenes funcionales de que la instruccin dada a un converso antes de su baptism.21 Por lo tanto , concluye : "En su forma actual, los credos son declarativas , es decir , son declaraciones cortas , redactado en primera persona, la afirmacin de la creencia en un selecto grupo de hechos y doctrinas que se consideran de vital importancia. credos declaratorios de este tipo desempean un papel reconocido en el bautismo como se practica today.22
De lo anterior se puede concluir razonablemente que catequesis se dan generalmente con el propsito de preparar un candi-dato para el bautismo. Mientras que la enseanza podra ser independiente del bautismo eran frecuentemente relacionada, en particular en la preparacin de un candidato antes del bautismo. As, ambos jugaron un papel importante en el desarrollo de las simples creencias declara- torio de los tres primeros siglos .
LA INFLUENCIA DE LA CRISIS La mayora de los escritores encuestados cree que la crisis ha desempeado un papel importante en el desarrollo de los credos . Tpico de ellos es John H. Leith. Dijo: "En trminos generales , los credos no se han escrito en los perodos tranquilos de la historia, pero en esos momentos de intensidad histrica en que la Iglesia ha sido contratado por los enemigos de fuera, o cuando su misin o la vida ha estado en peligro desde dentro. " 23 " la
hereja es un factor tan importante en el origen de los credos que tienta al comen- dor de exagerar su papel . la tarea del credo era defender a la Iglesia contra la hereja . el credo tiene el papel negativo de cerrar el hereje y se establecer los lmites dentro de los cuales autntica teologa cristiana y la vida puede tener lugar. " 24
En general estas crisis desarrollados a partir de tres fuentes. El primero fue el gnstico (es decir, conocimiento oculto ) hereja. Los gnsticos construido sobre la misma base que los apologistas cristianos y los autores hermticos , es platonismo medio . Otros, como Valentino, Clemente y el Pseudo -Hermes eran de la escuela platnica .
La hereja gnstica ya estaba desarrollando durante el curso de la vida de los Apstoles. As Fuhrmann cree que " El primer beneficio importante para la iglesia era la recopilacin de un conjunto de Escrituras del Nuevo Testamento o la formacin del canon del Nuevo Testamento .... Pero ahora , bajo la presin del peligro gnstico , la Iglesia insisti en el origen apostlico y el carcter de estos escritos , y los erigi en una norma formal de fe y prctica para toda la Iglesia "25.
Con el establecimiento de un canon de la iglesia oficial de la hereja gnstica no se desvanecen. Los gnsticos crean que Jess no era ms que un espritu y no vino en la carne, que no era divino , y era un espritu Crstico . As, podemos ver que algunas de las declaraciones citados en el bautismo refutara directamente esta creencia.
Las frmulas anti- gnsticas , junto con teoremas , media media bblica especulativa , y en ocasiones con discusiones puramente filosficas o Polem -ca , que el credo se conserva, se desarrollaron en el Este en el Symbols.26 Los gnsticos de los primeros dos siglos distin - guirse entre Dios ( Supremo ) y el Demiurgo ( Creador ) que trajo todas las cosas a la existencia. Ellos crean en numerosos seres intermedios a travs de los cuales el infinito abismo era un puente entre el hombre y Dios ( Supremo) . Escritura no apoya este punto de vista . Los lderes de la iglesia , por lo tanto , modificar la primera lnea del credo ( Creo en Dios Padre Todopoderoso ) para combatir esta hereja ( Creo en Dios, Padre Todopoderoso , Creador del cielo y de la tierra ) .27
El Apollinarian hereja causado probablemente una adicin al credo . Esta hereja negar que Jess posea un espritu humano y el alma. En otras palabras, no era en realidad un hombre, sino slo Dios en la forma de un hombre. La Escritura ensea claramente que Jess era completamente humano. Por lo tanto a la original (y en Jesucristo , su nico Hijo , nuestro Seor ) se incluyeron frases adicionales para contrarrestar Apollinarianism (y en Jesucristo, su nico Hijo, nuestro Seor, que fue concebido por el Espritu Santo, naci de Santa Mara Virgen , padeci en tiempos de Poncio Pilato, fue crucificado , muerto y sepultado ) .
El conflicto ms grave fue con arrianos y la monarquianos . Los arrianos crean que Jess era un semidis , y no divino. El monarquianos niega la Trinidad , en la creencia de que no haba divisiones dentro de la Divinidad . Algunos de los Monarchians ms conocidos eran Praxeas , Pablo de Samosata y Sabelio . Monarquianismo tambin era conocido como Patripasianismo . Hoy en da se conoce como "Unidad ", esta doctrina tuvo un papel importante en las discusiones teolgicas que siguieron al Concilio de Nicea y sobrevivieron hasta el siglo quinto . Historia hace poca mencin de Monarquianismo despus de este punto .
Dr. Adolph Harnack afirma de los Monarchians que "eran telogos que sostuvieron con firmeza por la dignidad de Jess como Redentor, pero al mismo tiempo no renunciar al personal, la numrica , la unidad de Dios, y que por lo tanto, se opuso a las especulaciones que ha dado lugar a la adopcin de la dualidad o trinidad de la Godhead.28
Harnack no es el nico telogo de reconocer las tendencias Monarchian de la Iglesia Primitiva . Danielou escribi: " ... la tradicin Theolog -ca romana ( de mediados del siglo III ) con respecto a la Trinidad fue Monarchian de dependencia, es decir, se hizo hincapi en la unidad de la esencia divina . " 29
A principios del siglo IV la Monarchians eran una pequea minori -dad . La trinitaria o la cristologa Logos haban obtenido la victoria. Sin em-bargo , su victoria fue por el poder poltico y militar. Las autoridades trinitaria brutalmente suprimidas todas las dems creencias . La visin tradicional de
Dios como una persona, al igual que todos los pensamientos de lo real y completa personalidad humana del Redentor, fue condenado como intolerables ble.30 La represin del Monarchians no puso fin a las mismas .
Harnack dijo de esta lucha, " Los historiadores de la Iglesia tienen al tentacin de enterrar o distorsionar la verdadera historia de Monarquianismo .... Ellos intentaron desacreditar sus obras teolgicas como productos de una secularizacin especfico , o como travestis , del cristianismo , y buscaron retratar los propios Monarchians como renegados que haban abandonado la regla de la fe y la Canon . " 31
La controversia arriana , centrada en la divinidad de Jess, florecieron a principios del siglo IV . Tal vez celebr una base de poder poltico ms fuerte y por lo tanto presenta a la vez un conflicto interno y una amenaza externa . Hay que recordar que el Credo de Nicea no resolvi el problema del arrianismo . La controversia continu con mucha sangre est derramada por los prximos cincuenta seis aos. Finalmente la faccin Trinitaria obtuvo el poder poltico suficiente para aplastar el partido arriano .
DESARROLLO de credos Despus de examinar el Nuevo Testamento para los credos , Kelly declar: " confesiones trinitarias explcitos son pocos y distantes entre s , donde se producen, poco se puede construir sobre ellos los dos ms citados son la oracin de San Pablo al final de la Segunda Corintios ( 13 : . 14 ) ... y el comando bautismal puesto por San Mateo ( 28:19 ) en la boca del Seor resucitado ... " 32
En todo el Nuevo Testamento se pueden encontrar frases que aparecen fragmentos de credos . Sin embargo, ningn credo completo se encuentra en la Escritura. La mayora de los antiguos credos o smbolos eran trinitaria. Afirmaron fe en el Padre, el Hijo y el Espritu Santo. Sin embargo , se dice poco o nada sobre la relacin de los tres entre s. Este problema fue uno de los primeros en surgir como resultado de cristolgica differences.33 Durante muchos aos grandes debates sobre la persona de Cristo haba estado ocurriendo en las iglesias de Oriente , porque algunos estaban insistiendo en una distincin radical entre las naturalezas divina y humana en Christ.34
Durante los primeros cien cincuenta aos, el credos eran generalmente nada ms que citas de la Escritura o declaraciones basan directamente en frases tomadas de la Sagrada Escritura . En la segunda mitad del siglo II nos encontramos con que la frmula bautismal fue cambiado a y las declaraciones de la fe junto con l. As, con el cambio en la frmula bautismal vino un aumento en la longitud de credos .
Fuhrmann cree que esta expansin fue el resultado de la lucha contra los errores gnsticos . " En la comparacin de los diferentes credos de las otras iglesias antiguas , encontramos que han sido muy similares , su esqueleto era generalmente el mismo , es decir, que tenan tres artculos correspondientes a las tres Personas de la Trinidad, por lo general, enumerados al principio acontecimientos de la vida de Jesucristo - . Su nacimiento , sufrimiento, muerte , resurreccin y ascensin al cielo de donde vendr la nica explicacin de la similitud es que en el cumplimiento de los errores gnsticos se consider necesario aadir a la breve credo utilizada en el bautismo (por lo tanto se llama el Credo bautismal ) ciertas declaraciones en contra de las enseanzas gnsticas. As, otra de las consecuencias de la lucha con el gnosticismo fue ese credo ampliado lleg a ser considerado como una regla real de fe , una especie de documento legal. Su propsito era establecer con toda claridad lo que la Iglesia cree en la oposicin a los Gnos -cas , y esto se hace por medio de algunas frases cuidadosamente elegidos cada palabra de lo que estaba all por una razn concreta. As, los smbolos o credos llegaron a ser verdaderas reglas de la fe , las normas de la verdad, y los signos distintivos del cristianismo . " 35
El primer credo completamente desarrollado con una amplia aceptacin fue el Credo de los Apstoles. Muchos eruditos e historiadores creen que alentado a la creencia de que la religin se origin con los apstoles . Esto le dio autoridad y aceptacin entre las masas. A travs de los siglos ha sufrido cambios .
La creencia de que el Credo de los Apstoles fue escrito por los mismos apstoles no tiene ninguna base en la realidad. No hay ninguna sugerencia , menciona mucho menos explcita , de un credo oficial formal, en cualquier lugar ( escritos de los Padres de la Iglesia ) , y los intentos de descubrir uno todos han demostrado fruitless.36 estados Kelly, "no hay ninguna alusin en cualquier lugar a una frmula primitiva del tipo que se supone ( credo apostlico construido sobre la base trinitaria ) , y no hay evidencia confiable
de que una vez existi : . la hiptesis es el resultado de una lectura anacrnica -back de la prctica posterior en la vida de la Iglesia primitiva " 37
Este credo no apareci en su forma actual hasta el siglo VII . Es interesante que la normalizacin no se produjo hasta la Reforma. La preocupacin por la ortodoxia era de gran importancia y llev a un texto estndar que todas las ramas de la Iglesia Protestante utilizan today.38
El Credo de los Apstoles se desarroll a travs de ocho siglos antes de que fuera terminado en la forma en la que se conoce hoy en da . Ha insuficiente ido varias revisiones y adiciones a travs de los siglos. En su forma ms antiguos estudiosos como Harnack , Loisy , Lietzmann y Kelly cree que haber sido:
"Creo en Dios Padre todopoderoso,
Creo en Jesucristo , su nico Hijo , nuestro Seor ,
Y en el Espritu Santo, la Santa Iglesia ,
La resurreccin de la carne. " 39 Se cree que el credo bautismal romana en el ao 100 a 120 tena una forma idntica a la del siglo IV , con excepcin de que, posiblemente, en el primer artculo que puede haber originalmente contena la palabra "uno " , que posteriormente fue omitido para contrarrestar Sabelianismo . 40
En su forma ms amplia el Credo se remonta al siglo II . En alrededor de 150 dC , deca :
"Creo en Dios Padre Todopoderoso , y en Cristo Jess ,
su nico Hijo, nuestro Seor , que naci del Espritu Santo y
Mara, la Virgen, que en tiempos de Poncio Pilato, fue crucificado y
sepultado, al tercer da resucit de entre los muertos, ascendi al
los cielos , est sentado a la mano derecha , de donde Dios lo har
de venir a juzgar a los vivos ya los muertos, y en el Espritu
espritu , la Santa Iglesia , el perdn de los pecados y la
resurreccin de la carne " . En general se cree por la mayora de los telogos que la controversia gnstica result en nuevas adiciones que se realizan para el Credo de los Apstoles. La mayora de los cambios que ocurrieron antes del siglo cuarto . Por lo tanto hoy Credo de los Apstoles se lee:
"Creo en Dios Padre Todopoderoso , Creador del cielo y de la
tierra, y en Jesucristo, su nico Hijo, nuestro Seor, que fue
concebido por el Espritu Santo, naci de Santa Mara Virgen , Suf -
Fered en tiempos de Poncio Pilato, fue crucificado , muerto y sepultado;
descendi a los infiernos, al tercer da resucit de entre los
muertos , subi a los cielos y est sentado a la diestra
de Dios Padre Todopoderoso , desde all ha de venir a
juzgar a los vivos ya los muertos. Creo en el Espritu Santo ;
la Santa Iglesia Catlica , la comunin de los santos , el
el perdn de los pecados, la resurreccin de la carne , y el
vida eterna. Amen " . El Credo de Nicea fue un marcado cambio en la forma en que se desarrollaron los credos . Antes de este tiempo credos evolucionado a lo largo de un largo perodo de tiempo. Es significativo que este proceso evolutivo se llev a cabo sin la interposicin de la autoridad . N del Consejo General, no gobernantes ecle - siastical , ejecutadas en el credo : su adopcin se encuentra por completo en el consenso de Churches.41 Ahora, sin embargo , nos encontramos con que en lugar del desarrollo gradual del pensamiento cristiano , buscando una mayor definitiva -dad de la expresin de la edad a la edad, y que descansa sobre general aquiescencia , tenemos profundas discusiones teolgicas , la liquidacin de los dogmas de voto , y el reclamo de infallibility.42
La mayora de los obispos presentes en el Consejo estaban en el medio entre Arrio y Atanasio ( Atanasio representa la posicin trinitaria ) . El principal portavoz del grupo medio era Eusebio, obispo de Nicomedia . l extendi un credo compromiso que el Consejo rechaz . Este credo deca:
"Creemos en un solo Dios, Padre Todopoderoso , Creador de todas las
las cosas visibles e invisibles . Y en un solo Seor Jesucristo,
la Palabra de Dios, Dios de Dios , Luz de Luz , Vida de Vida,
el unignito Hijo , engendrado antes de todos los mundos del
Padre, por quien tambin se hicieron todas las cosas, que por nosotros
salvacin fue hecho carne, y habit entre los hombres, y sufri ,
y resucit al tercer da y ascendi al Padre,
y de nuevo vendr con gloria para juzgar a los vivos ya los
muerto. Y creemos tambin en un Espritu Santo "43. Mientras que este credo era principalmente bblico que fue rechazada por el Consejo. Pensaron que las frases de la Escritura que prestan insuficiente. La cuestin que el Consejo era la interpretacin de la Escritura no es la misma Escritura .
Hay que recordar que el Credo de Nicea no resolvi el problema del arrianismo . La controversia continu con mucha sangre est derramada por los prximos cincuenta seis aos. Finalmente la faccin Trinitaria obtuvo el poder poltico suficiente para aplastar el partido arriano . ( El arrianismo no muri . Continu y se puede encontrar hoy en da. Es conocida como los
Testigos de Jehov) . Hilary escribi: " Desde el Concilio de Nicea , hemos hecho ms que escribir sobre el Credo. Mientras luchamos por las palabras , preguntar acerca de novedades , se aprovechan de ambigedades , criticar a los autores , la lucha en las cuestiones del partido, tienen dificultades para acordar y preparar a anathematize entre s , apenas hay un hombre que pertenece a Cristo. " 44 As, la crisis que sigui a las decisiones del Consejo demuestra que el nuevo Credo necesita revisin y declaracin de apoyo plemental . Su debilidad grandeza fue el hecho de que no se menciona la relacin del Espritu Santo con los otros dos miembros de la Godhead.45
El credo conocido como el Credo de Nicea se podra llamar con exactitud el Credo de Nicea- Calcedonia . Dice lo siguiente:
" Creo en un solo Dios, Padre Todopoderoso , Creador del cielo
y la tierra, de todo lo visible e invisible , y en
un solo Seor Jesucristo , el Hijo unignito de Dios, engendrado -
diez del Padre antes de todos los siglos: Dios de Dios, Luz de
Luz, verdadero Dios de verdadero Dios, engendrado, no creado , el cual por nosotros
hombres y por nuestra salvacin baj del cielo, y fue
encarnado por el Espritu Santo de la Virgen Mara, y se hizo
el hombre, y fue crucificado tambin por nosotros bajo Poncio Pilato:
padeci y fue sepultado , y al tercer da resucit
segn las Escrituras , y subi al cielo , y
est sentado a la diestra del Padre y vendr
otra vez, con gloria , a juzgar a los vivos ya los muertos ;
cuyo reino no tendr fin . Y creo en el Espritu
Santo, Seor y dador de vida , que procede del
Padre y del Hijo, que con el Padre y el Hijo
es adorado y glorificado , que habl por los profetas : y yo
creer una sola Iglesia catlica y apostlica : Confieso un solo
Bautismo para el perdn de los pecados ; y espero la Resur -
reccin de los muertos y la vida del mundo venidero.
Amen " . Mientras que los Credos Apostlico y Niceno establecen primero el Padre , el Hijo, y, finalmente, el Espritu Santo, y dedic un artculo a cada una de las
tres personas en la sucesin, el Quicunque vult establece la Trinidad era una unidad .... " El Padre es Dios , el Hijo es Dios y el Espritu Santo es Dios, y sin embargo , no son tres dioses: . . Sino un solo Dios " Esta es una nueva nota y una contribucin real de este creed.46
No hay evidencia de este smbolo o credo se utiliz en el bautismo , o que era para contrarrestar una hereja o una filosofa particular , ya que en el momento de su aparicin , el mundo occidental en general y la Galia , en particular, eran desiertos espirituales e intelectuales . El nico propsito de este credo , por lo tanto , debe haber sido ensear a los inquilinos vitales del cristianismo a la clergy.47
As llegamos a la Credo de Atanasio o Quicunque vult . Este credo parece haber sido escrito en el siglo VI y apareci por primera vez en la Galia . La mayora de los estudiosos coinciden en que este credo fue utilizado como un instrumento de enseanza . Se utiliza sobre todo por el clero . No fue sino hasta el siglo X, que se utiliza ampliamente en los servicios con los laicos. Es uno de los credos ms largos conocidos . Su propsito era ensear la doctrina de la Trinidad y se ocupa de la relacin de las tres personas de la Trinidad entre s. Dice lo siguiente: "Todo aquel que desea ardientemente ser salvo debe , sobre todo, mantener
la fe catlica. Qu fe a menos que cada uno haga mantener
ntegra y pura , sin duda perecer en eter -
nidad . Y la fe catlica es esta:
" Que adoramos a un solo Dios en la Trinidad , y la Trinidad en la unidad ;
sin confundir las personas : ni dividir la Sustancia .
Porque una es la persona del Padre , otra la del Hijo :
y otra la del Espritu Santo. Pero el Dios de la Fa -
ther , del Hijo , y del Espritu Santo es una sola : la
Gloria igual , la Majestad coeterno . Tal como el Padre es ,
tal es el Hijo, y tal es el Espritu Santo. El Padre no-
creado , el Hijo no creado : y el Espritu Santo increado .
Lo incomprensible Padre , el Hijo incomprensible y
el Espritu Santo incomprensible . El Padre eterno, el Hijo
eterna, y el Espritu Santo eterno . Y sin embargo, no son
tres eternos : sino un solo eterno . Como tambin no son tres
incomprensibles , ni tres no creado : pero una incomprensible
ble , y uno increado . As tambin el Padre es Al-
poderosa , el Hijo Todopoderoso y Omnipotente Espritu Santo . y
sin embargo , no son tres omnipotentes , sino un solo omnipotente : . As que el
Padre es Dios , el Hijo es Dios y el Espritu Santo es Dios.
Y, sin embargo , no son tres dioses: sino un solo Dios . As tambin
el Padre es Seor, el Hijo es Seor , y el Seor del Espritu Santo.
Y sin embargo, no son tres Seores : un solo Seor . Por todo segn nuestra semejanza
obligados por la verdad cristiana a reconocer a cada persona
por l mismo es Dios y Seor , as que nos prohbe la
Religin Catlica que decir , que hay tres Dioses o tres
Seores. El Padre est hecho de ninguno : ni se crea ni
engendrado. El Hijo es slo del Padre : no hecho , ni
creado , sino engendrado . El Espritu Santo es del Padre y
del Hijo : no hecho , ni creado , ni engendrado, sino
proceder . As que hay un Padre, no tres Padres, un
Hijo , no tres hijos : un Espritu Santo , no tres Espritus Santos .
Y en esta Trinidad ninguno es antes o despus de otro : ninguno es
mayor o menor que otro , sino que los tres Personas
son coeternas juntas , y co-iguales . Para que en todas las cosas,
como es mencionado : la unidad en la Trinidad, y la Trinidad en
La unidad debe ser adorado . l , por lo tanto , que se guardar
debe pensar as de la Trinidad.
Adems , es necesario para la salvacin eterna : que
tambin creen con razn la encarnacin de nuestro Seor Jesucristo
Cristo. Por la fe correcta es , que creen y confiesan :
que nuestro Seor Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios, es Dios y Hombre;
Dios , de la sustancia del Padre , engendrado antes de la
mundos : y el hombre, de la Sustancia de su Madre , nacido en el
mundo, perfecto Dios y perfecto Hombre : de alma racional y
subsistente carne humana ; igual al Padre segn su
Divinidad : e inferior al Padre segn la Man-
campana. Quin, aunque sea Dios y Hombre, sin embargo, no es dos, sino
solo Cristo , uno , no por conversin de la Divinidad en
carne, sino por la asuncin de la humanidad en Dios , uno altogeth -
er , no por confusin de Sustancia: sino por unidad de Persona.
Porque como el alma racional de la carne es un hombre, as Dios y el
El hombre es un Cristo que sufri por nuestra salvacin , descendi
a los infiernos , resucit al tercer da de entre los muertos . l
subi al cielo, est sentado a la diestra del
Padre, Dios Todopoderoso : desde all ha de venir a juzgar a
vivos ya los muertos . A su venida todos los hombres resucitarn
con sus cuerpos , y darn cuenta de su propia
obras . Y los que hicieron lo bueno, saldrn a la vida
eterno, y que hayan hecho el mal , al fuego eterno .
"Esta es la fe catlica: el que menos que un hombre cree
fielmente no puede salvarse. Gloria al Padre, y
al Hijo , y al Espritu Santo , como era en el comienzo -
ning , es ahora y siempre ser: mundo con fin. Amen " . PELIGROS CREDOS POSE En contraste con las creencias , la Iglesia Pentecostal Unida ha desarrollado sus Artculos de Fe , que es un resumen escrito de las doctrinas esenciales de la UPCI . En muchos aspectos, los Artculos de Fe tienen efectos idnticos a los credos . Algunas de estas similitudes son :
1 . Ellos definen la interpretacin eclesial de la Escritura .
2 . Sirven de base para la comunin entre el ministerio de la
UPCI .
3 . Un ministro no suscribirse a los artculos de la fe no puede ser
aceptado para su licencia.
4 . Ellos encierran las doctrinas centrales en unas pocas palabras esenciales
que puede ser recitada .
Por otra parte, los factores que llevaron al desarrollo de los Artculos de Fe son similares a aquellos por los que los credos de- desarrollado . Es decir , las preguntas sobre el bautismo ( por ejemplo, la Unidad contra Trinidad cuestin) , las preguntas sobre el ministerio de enseanza de la iglesia, y las cuestiones de doctrina. Por lo tanto , el desarrollo de los Artculos de Fe han seguido el mismo patrn que la de siglos anteriores - un enclave de los hombres debatir y votar como un cuerpo en los elementos esenciales de la fe .
Sin embargo , este mtodo de determinacin de la fe no est mal y es , de hecho, el enfoque utilizado en la Escritura en la Iglesia Primitiva . Hechos 15 registra el Consejo de Jerusaln, donde los apstoles y los ancianos enviaron cartas a las iglesias que describen el consenso de este consejo . Adems, el concepto de los artculos de la fe o la definicin de las doctrinas esenciales no est en violacin de las Escrituras .
El apstol Pablo aparentemente haba definido doctrinas que ense y entregado a las iglesias. En Romanos 6:17 l est agradecido de que la iglesia es obediente a " aquella forma de doctrina a la cual fuisteis entregados ". Por otra parte , en Romanos 16:17 que amonesta a la iglesia para marcarlos ", que causan divisiones en contra de la doctrina que habis aprendido. "
Entonces, qu peligros representan credo ? Los desarrollos de los Artculos de Fe siguen un patrn similar? Desarrollo Credo comienza con las Escrituras y no la interpretacin de la Escritura . Credos se desarrollaron cada vez ms con el nico propsito de combatir la hereja. Con el paso del tiempo, los credos contenan menos escritura y cada vez ms la interpretacin de las Escrituras . Ms se impusieron restricciones en los credos de combatir herejas populares en ese da . Esta evolucin lejos de escritura para la interpretacin de la Escritura continu avanzando hasta el Concilio de Nicea escritura se evitan deliberadamente - ed. El Credo de Nicea fue el producto de este proceso y cuando estudiada muestra una marcada ausencia de escritura y deja slo la interpretacin de las Escrituras .
Con el paso del tiempo, los credos se les dio el peso de las Escrituras . En muchas iglesias de los credos se recitan en cada servicio y son una parte esencial de la adoracin. Sin embargo, estas creencias son un subproducto de la evolucin del pensamiento de los siglos y no llevan el peso de la Escritura . Pero Jess dijo que debemos " vivir de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios ! " (Mateo 04:04 ) .
Los elementos esenciales de la fe deben ser las mismas Escrituras . A este respecto, los Artculos de Fe de la UPCI difieren notablemente de los credos . Los Artculos de Fe son un compendio de las escrituras y en su forma actual se utilizan de la manera Pablo describe en Romanos 6:17 . Pero la UPCI debe resistir la tendencia a cambiar sus creencias para combatir la hereja ,
cambiando los artculos de la fe . Histricamente , cuando una organizacin cambia sus doctrinas esenciales , se cae en la hereja .
Desarrollo Credo tambin se aceler durante el perodo en que el Espritu Santo dej de caer sobre las personas . Cuando los hombres pierden el discernimiento de los espritus y el poder para vivir una vida separada que viene de reci -cin del Espritu Santo , se dirigieron a los credos de separar el creyente y el no creyente no es el estilo de vida de las personas , la doctrina , el culto o incluso su fe en Cristo . El rezo del credo se convirti en el elemento rector de la determinacin de si un hombre era de Cristo o no. La recitacin del credo era " prueba" de que el individuo era un creyente.
Un cuerpo de la iglesia debe continuar caminando en el Espritu y ser guiados por el Espritu Santo o no, ese cuerpo de creyentes producir dogma sin ataduras al verdadero significado de las Escrituras .
CONCLUSIONES La UPCI como una organizacin debe seguir confiando en el Espritu Santo inspira en conjunto con las Escrituras para establecer su direccin. Los Artculos de Fe , que definen la doctrina , deben permanecer basa escritura . Como otros aspectos de una demanda de cultura moderna respuestas , la iglesia debe abordar a la luz de la doctrina ya establecida sin revisar las creencias esenciales. Tendr que ser una dependencia del Espritu Santo para resolver algunos problemas , sin un aplazamiento de ms reglas . Debido a que la UPCI no requiere un recital de los Artculos de Fe para convertirse en un miembro de la iglesia , sino que se basa en una llenura del Espritu Santo personal para producir un creyente , los artculos de la fe no pueden ser considerados como una religin en el sentido formal. El nfasis de una organizacin dirigida por el Espritu debe ser una vida vivida en la obediencia a la palabra con la ayuda posible por el Espritu Santo.
BIBLIOGRAFA
1 . CREDOS primeros cristianos , JND Kelly , ( Longmans , Green and Co. , Ltd., 6 y 7 de Clifford Street, Londres, W. 1 , 1950 , 2 ed. 1960 ) .
2 . Credos de las iglesias, editado por John H. Leith, ( Aldine Publishing Company, Chicago 5 , Illinois, 1963 ) , pp 8-9 .
3 . EL CREDO CRISTIANO Y LOS credos de la cristiandad , Samuel G. Green, BA , DD, ( Macmillan and Co., Ltd., London , The Macmillan Company, New York, 1898 ) . . , P158 .
4 . INTRODUCCIN A LOS grandes credos de la Iglesia, Pablo T. Fuhrmann , ( The Westminster Press, Philadelphia , 1960 ) . p11 .
5 . Ibid . , P11 .
6 . Ibid . , P12 .
7 . EL CREDO CRISTIANO Y LOS credos de la cristiandad , p163 .
8 . Credos cristianos tempranos, p6 .
9 . LA HISTORIA de los credos , FJ Badcock , ( Sociedad para la Promocin del Conocimiento Cristiano , Londres , The Macmillan Co., New York, 1938 ) , p3 .
10 . CREDOS Christain temprano, p30 .
11 . Ibid . , P30 , desde DIE Anfnge DES GLAUBENSBEKENNTNISSES , Tbingen , 1921 , p226 . Este breve ensayo forma parte de un Festgabe presentado A. Von Harnack )
12 . LA HISTORIA de los credos , p15 - 16 .
13 . Credos cristianos tempranos, p25
14 . Ibid . p42 .
15 . Ibid . , P50 cotizacin de la utilizacin de los credos y anatemas en la Iglesia primitiva , Londres , 2 ed . , 1910 , p17 .
16 . Ibid . , P94 .
17 . Credos de la chruches , p7 .
18 . INTRODUCCIN A LOS grandes credos de la Iglesia, p15 .
19 . LA HISTORIA de los credos , p20 .
20 . Credos cristianos tempranos, p51 .
21 . Ibid . , P51 .
22 . OBOD . , P31 .
23 . Credos de las iglesias, P2.
24 . Ibid . , P9 .
26 . Historia del Dogma , Vol. III , el Dr. Adolph Harnack , traducido del alemn por tercera edicin James Millar , BD ( Williams & Norgate , 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden , Londres , 20 South Fredrick Street, Edinburough y 7 Broad Street Oxford, 1897) , P208 .
27 . Los tres credos , por el Reverendo Edgar Gibson CS , DD ( Longmans, Green, and Co., 39 Paternoster Row: Londres, Nueva York , Bombay y Calcuta , 1908) , p29 - 30 .
28 . Historia del Dogma , p10 .
29 . Los primeros siglos cristianos Vol. I LOS SEIS PRIMEROS CIEN AOS , Jean Danilou y Henri Marrou , traducido por Vincent Cronin, ( Darton , Longman y Todd , Ltd., 64 Chiswick High Road , Londres W.4 , 1964 ) , p215 .
30 . Historia del Dogma , p10 .
31 . Ibid . , P12 .
34 . Ibid . , P56 .
35 . Ibid . , P30 .
37 . Ibid . , P24 .
38 . Los tres credos , p56 .
39 . Credos de las iglesias, p26 .
40 . LA HISTORIA de los credos , p2 .
41 . EL CREDO CRISTIANO Y LOS credos de la cristiandad , p50 .
42 . Ibid . , P56 .
43 . Los tres credos , p120 .
44 . EL CREDO CRISTIANO Y los credos de CRISTENDOM , p58 -59 .
45 . Ibid . , P61 .
46 . INTRODUCCIN A LOS grandes credos de la Iglesia, p53.
46 . Ibid . , P52 .

Are The Articles of Faith A Creed?

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Are The Articles of Faith A Creed?

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ARE THE ARTICLES OF FAITH A CREED?

1. Statements associated with baptism.

2. The teaching ministry of the Church.

3. Crises over doctrine. INFLUENCE OF BAPTISM

human natures in Christ.34

back of subsequent practice into the life of the early Church."37

"I believe in God the Father Almighty

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

And in the Holy Spirit, the holy church,

"I believe in God the Father Almighty; And in Christ Jesus,

buried; the third day, he rose from the dead, ascended to

the heavens, sat down at God's right hand, whence he will

spirit, the holy church, the remission of sins and the

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and

conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, Suf-

fered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;

dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand

of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to

the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the

forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the

"We believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all

things visible and invisible. And in One Lord Jesus Christ,

the Word of God, God of God, Light of Light, Life of Life,

the only begotten Son, before all worlds begotten of the

"I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven

and earth, and of all things visible and invisible: and in

one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; begot-

ten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of

man: and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he

according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven, and

sitteth on the right hand of the Father: and he shall come

whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy

is worshiped and glorified; who spake by the Prophets: and I

believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge one

rection of the dead: and the Life of the world to come.

"Whosoever earnestly desires to be saved must above all hold

the Catholic Faith. Which Faith unless every one do keep

whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish in eter-

nity. And the Catholic Faith is this:

"That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;

neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the Substance.

For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son:

Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is,

created, the Son uncreated: and the Holy Ghost uncreated.

The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible: and

the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son

incomprehensibles, nor three uncreated: but one incomprehen-

sible, and one uncreated. So likewise the Father is Al-

compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge every Person

by himself to be God and Lord, so are we forbidden by the

Catholic Religion to say, There be three Gods or three

Lords. The Father is made of none: neither created nor

begotten. The Son is of the Father alone: not made, nor

created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and

of the Son: neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but

proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one

And in this Trinity none is before or after another: none is

greater or less than another: but the whole three Persons

are coeternal together: and coequal. So that in all things,

as is aforesaid: the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in

Unity is to be worshiped. He, therefore, who will be saved

must thus think of the Trinity.

Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation: that