Know the Creeds and Councils by Justin C. Holcomb
I have to confess, I was a reluctant church history student.
Very reluctant. As I began studying at theological college in 2014, I
approached church history with trepidation. History was not my forte in high school,
having no knack for retaining details of dates, names and places (a friend and
I recently considered it a feat that we could recall the simple fact that
Luther posted his 95 Theses in 1517. This was after a year of studying church history). I knew little about church
history and what to make of it in the grander scheme of ministry. Yet as I
learned of events over the past 2000 years, each milestone and hurdle illuminated
something significant about where our church has come from. Though I would
struggle to compile a timeline of church history, the discussion of how each
debate unfolded has enriched my grasp of key doctrines.
Which is why I was intrigued by Know the Creeds and Councils. We do not all have time (or memory!)
for the detail of degree-level courses in church history, yet we miss out if
the lively history of our faith is relegated only to the halls of academia. In Know the Creeds and Councils, Justin S.
Holcomb offers an accessible look at key moments in Christian history. Each is
presented chronologically, through a consistent chapter structure covering the
historical background, content and relevance of each creed or council.
If there is one recommendation I have about reading this
book, it’s to do so with friends! In the book’s conclusion, Holcomb explains, “Learning how Christians throughout history have wrestled
with the tough questions of our faith gives us a valuable understanding of the
Christian faith, increases our dependence on God’s revelation in Jesus Christ
and Holy Scriptures, fuels our worship of God, increases our love for each
other, and motivates mission to the world.” Surely matters like these
are well worth discussing in fellowship, building each other up as you do? The
book is designed to be discussed, with a helpful set of questions at the end of
each chapter. Learning through discussion of different debates in church
history has helped me pin down how events then impact church life now.
Now that you’re (I hope!) sold on the merit of exploring
church history, and of doing so in fellowship, here are some brief thoughts on
the first two chapters of Know the Creeds
and Councils. These cover arguably the most known creeds in contemporary
churches, the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed is a snapshot of the early church
endeavouring to consolidate the key doctrines of the gospel, compiling a brief witness
to the teaching of the apostles. Holcomb suggests that “The
Apostles’ Creed is as good a tool as any for finding out what early Christians
believed, and to seeing how similar it is to what we believe now”.
The Nicene Creed then built upon this foundation 200 years
later, with a fresh focus on the nature and essence of Jesus. It is complex
biblical content like this that has necessitated the ongoing weighing of church
teaching that we will discover in Know
the Creeds and Councils.
The vastness of God’s word and the intricacies of how each
part relates beg that Christians devote thought to what it all means. With each
of these creeds coming out of a time when mysticism knocked with fervour at the
door of faith, early Christians endeavoured to highlight the authenticity of
the life and work of Jesus. And don’t we have the same task today? In the
Western world of apathy and scepticism, our lives and ministry ought to point others
to the real and genuine saviour, the God-man whose life, death and resurrection
have real and genuine consequences for us all.
Over the coming weeks we will look at the remainder of the
creeds and councils of early church history, then the reformation era and
finishing with some contemporary councils of the 20th century. Hope
to see you here!