Christians, if they are familiar with early church councils, usually think of the Big Seven. Sports-minded individuals might be wondering if this is some ancient sporting alliance akin to the NCAA Division I schools; rather they are a series of large ecumenical church councils beginning (A.D. 325) and ending (A.D. 787) in Nicaea. Aside from these were other smaller, regional councils that dealt with matters that were arising locally. The canons from these smaller councils were later ratified in the larger councils, so that they became applicable church-wide. The first few are held in the following cities: Ancyra, capital of Galatia; Neocaesarea in Pontus; Gangra in Paphlagonia (though originally in Galatia); Antioch in Syria; and Laodicea in Phrygia. By the time of the fourth council in Chalcedon, all the canons from these were accepted. My plan is to go through these as I had those from Nicaea I.
Showing posts with label councils. Show all posts
Showing posts with label councils. Show all posts
Monday, November 22, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Council of Nicaea: A Final Observation
Going into this study I knew that the Nicene council had one governing mission guiding their progress:
What makes this so profound is its blatant simplicity. Their singular objective was to come together and codify what was received from faithful witnesses (i.e. the gospels, epistles, and later apologists/teachers) concerning the triune God and his revelation in the already acknowledged and accepted Law, Prophets, and Writings (i.e., Old Testament). In our present theologically diverse culture, an attempt at such dogmatism would most likely be met with disdain and derision. Within the church is post-modernism with emphasis on what is best for the individual within his or her current circumstance and cultural. Partially fueling this are the publishers of theological and biblical works who relish the production of whatever new perspective can be brought to a subject. So much effort goes into the production of original thought that the church has lost the desire, nay, the ability to understand what it knows.
Lest the guilt be placed solely on these purveyors of paper, both academia and church leadership at-large have accepted the quest for the holy grail of "entering into the conversation" without attempting to address a topic in such a way that a legitimate, true answer can be presented or confirmed. The search has become an end in itself. Imagine playing "Capture the Flag" with players wandering helter-skelter in the sheer revelry of activity questioning the very existence of flags and the need to possess one if they do.
To these and the reader I beseech, To the law and to the testimony! (Is 8:20 NASB) When the people of Israel were on the far side of the Jordan ready to enter the land, Moses delivered the sum of God's covenant with them. It demanded a response due to such a great and good sovereign. They knew both their place and duty.
What do we believe?
What makes this so profound is its blatant simplicity. Their singular objective was to come together and codify what was received from faithful witnesses (i.e. the gospels, epistles, and later apologists/teachers) concerning the triune God and his revelation in the already acknowledged and accepted Law, Prophets, and Writings (i.e., Old Testament). In our present theologically diverse culture, an attempt at such dogmatism would most likely be met with disdain and derision. Within the church is post-modernism with emphasis on what is best for the individual within his or her current circumstance and cultural. Partially fueling this are the publishers of theological and biblical works who relish the production of whatever new perspective can be brought to a subject. So much effort goes into the production of original thought that the church has lost the desire, nay, the ability to understand what it knows.
Lest the guilt be placed solely on these purveyors of paper, both academia and church leadership at-large have accepted the quest for the holy grail of "entering into the conversation" without attempting to address a topic in such a way that a legitimate, true answer can be presented or confirmed. The search has become an end in itself. Imagine playing "Capture the Flag" with players wandering helter-skelter in the sheer revelry of activity questioning the very existence of flags and the need to possess one if they do.
To these and the reader I beseech, To the law and to the testimony! (Is 8:20 NASB) When the people of Israel were on the far side of the Jordan ready to enter the land, Moses delivered the sum of God's covenant with them. It demanded a response due to such a great and good sovereign. They knew both their place and duty.
This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice. And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments, and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised. (Deuteronomy 26:16-19)The new covenant given in Christ's blood is the final, supreme, enduring act of that same God. Our response can be no less.
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