In another thread Chief_Sinner wrote (in what he said would be his swan-song post, but I hope it isn’t):

You see -he- (Taylor) is -not- a lynchpin of my belief (as the Church is).

If on the other hand you -were- able to show an area where the Church spoke which has since been proved as error -then- you would have dealt a decisive blow. But this you are completely unable to do. Of course you may try. I suggest you get the Nicene Creed unamended by the West and then disprove -any- statement it contains.

Until then. Peace. sinner. James+

~~~

Now, I’ll let others deal with the issues of times when the Church spoke and was in error (Copernicus/Galileo etc.)

But that Nicene Creed.

Leaving aside the problem James alludes to re the filioque clause (that’s the subject for another class maybe), the Nicene Creed is

* Terrific in what it affirms.

* Terrible in what it omits.

Let’s look at it (in the modern version):

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

~~~

Now, class, please turn to Matthew 23:23, and Luke 11:42, where in Jesus’ diatribes against the Pharisees – his contemporary propositionalists – Jesus says they might be orthodox but they’ve missed the main points – social justice, mercy, faith, love for God…

Now class, study the Nicene Creed and figure where these key theological values for Jesus are found there…

Another question: why aren’t formulations like the classical Christian creeds not found in the Bible? 1000 words.

—

Shalom!

Rowland Croucher August 2002.