Classical Christian Doctrine

E. Heine Ronald

Description

This clear and concise text helps readers grasp the doctrines of the Christian faith considered basic from the earliest days of Christianity. Ronald Heine, an internationally known expert on early Christian theology, developed this book from a course he teaches that has been refined through many years of classroom experience. Heine primarily uses the classical Christian doctrines of the Nicene Creed to guide students into the essentials of the faith.This broadly ecumenical work will interest students of church history or theology as well as adult Christian education classes in church settings. Sidebars identify major personalities and concepts, and each chapter concludes with discussion questions and suggestions for further reading.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 15 mars 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441240477
• Langue: English

Extrait

© 2013 by Ronald E. Heine
Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakeracademic.com
Ebook edition created 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means for example, electronic, photocopy, recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-4047-7
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture translations are those of the author.
Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.
“Contemporary Protestants greatly benefit from discovering how much our faith can be traced back to the wisdom of the ancient church. In Ronald Heine’s fine introduction to central Christian doctrines, he unpacks the true ‘catholicity’ (universality) and ‘classical’ nature of our faith, inviting us not only to recognize our debt to the past but also to grow in our theological understanding in the present.”
Kelly M. Kapic , Covenant College
“Ron Heine offers his usual wise words for the beginner in Christian theology. Although written in simple language and sentence structure, this book comes out of broad knowledge and depth of study. It is much needed in an age adrift in a sea of religious confusion and uncertainty. Classical Christian Doctrine may also provide an introductory text for the early period in the history of doctrine.”
Everett Ferguson , Abilene Christian University
“Heine has provided the beginning student of theology with a reliable and readable guide to Nicene Christianity. This book will help cement the turn toward patristic orthodoxy that is taking place in evangelical thought.”
Adonis Vidu , Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“In recent decades there has been a noticeable resurgence of interest in the early church and its classical faith. In Classical Christian Doctrine , Ronald Heine provides a very useful resource for those seeking a travel guide to this intriguing ecclesiastical terrain. Using the topics posed by the Nicene Creed as a heuristic framework, Heine expertly explores a range of theological issues and debates that eventually came to define historic orthodox Christianity. A wonderful choice for an undergraduate textbook.”
Paul Rhodes Eddy , Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota
Contents
Cover i
Title Page ii
Copyright Page iii
Endorsements iv
Preface vii
Abbreviations ix
1. What Is Classical Christian Doctrine? 1
2. Christian Scripture: The Source of Classical Christian Doctrine 9
3. “The Lord Our God Is One”: The Jewish God and the Christian Faith 24
4. “And the Word Was God”: The Christian Faith and the Greek Philosophers 34
5. “He Who Has Seen Me Has Seen the Father”: The Monarchian Approach to God 46
6. “Today I Have Begotten You”: Origen and the Eternal Generation of the Son 57
7. “One God the Father” and “One Lord Jesus Christ”: Arius and the Council of Nicaea 68
8. Truly God and Truly Man: Defining the Nature of Jesus 78
9. “And in the Holy Spirit”: The Struggle to Understand the Spirit 90
10. God the Father: “Maker of Heaven and Earth” 104
11. Binding the Strong Man: The Redemptive Work of Christ 116
12. “I Will Build My Church”: Defining the Church 129
13. “The Washing of Regeneration”: “One Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins” 144
14. The Christian Eschatological Hope: The Resurrection of the Dead 155
15. “And They Came to Life and Reigned with Christ a Thousand Years”: The Millennium 166
Notes 179
Index 182
Back Cover 185
Preface
The past several decades have seen an increased interest in returning to the ancient sources of the Christian faith. There has been an expanding interest in the academic field known as patristics, which is the study of the Christian writers of the first five centuries. There have been new commentary series that have drawn their explanations of the Scriptures from these early Christian authors. There has also been an increased interest in understanding what the early Christians believed. This book has been written to serve as a gateway into the beliefs and teachings of the early Christians. The doctrines treated in this book are those set forth in the Nicene Creed of the fourth century. I have used the creed to provide the topics discussed in the various chapters; however, the book is not a commentary on the creed. The inclusion of these topics in this important creed means that they were central topics in the early Christians’ understanding of their faith. Some of the chapters focus on the topics before they reached their final formulation in the creed. Others reach some years beyond the creed as understandings expressed there were fleshed out in later debates. The chapter on Scripture (ch. 2) is an exception. There is no doctrine of Scripture in the statements of faith found in the Nicene Creed. A very definite concept of Scripture, however, is presupposed and used in the creed. It is for this reason that I have included this chapter.
I have written this book to be used in undergraduate classes introducing students to the study of Christian doctrine. Short excerpts from original sources are placed in sidebars so the student can get an idea of how some of the early Christians reasoned and expressed themselves on these topics. The translations of these excerpts are my own, except where a translator or translation is indicated at the end of the excerpt. Each chapter concludes with questions for discussion and suggestions for further reading. These readings are primarily in translations from original sources. The book does not presuppose any special understanding or skills in theology. It is intended to be a primer. It might also be found useful for church groups interested in coming to grips with the roots of the Christian faith. It is offered in the service of him who said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. . . . For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:29–30 NRSV).
Ronald E. Heine October 2011
Abbreviations General ANF The Ante-Nicene Fathers . Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. 1885–87. 10 vols. Reprint, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951–53. ch./chs. chapter/chapters FOTC The Fathers of the Church KJV King James Version LCL Loeb Classical Library NHL The Nag Hammadi Library in English . Edited by James M. Robinson. New York: Harper & Row, 1977. NPNF The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers . Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. 1886–90. 1st and 2nd series. 28 vols. Reprint, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979–83. NRSV New Revised Standard Version OTP The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha . Edited by J. H. Charlesworth. 2 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1983, 1985. PG Patrologia graeca. Edited by J.-P. Migne. 162 vols. Paris, 1857–86. v./vv. verse/verses Old Testament Gen. Genesis Exod. Exodus Lev. Leviticus Deut. Deuteronomy Josh. Joshua Judg. Judges Ps./Pss. Psalm/Psalms Song Song of Songs/Song of Solomon Isa. Isaiah Jer. Jeremiah Ezek. Ezekiel Dan. Daniel New Testament Matt. Matthew Rom. Romans 1–2 Cor. 1–2 Corinthians Gal. Galatians Eph. Ephesians Phil. Philippians Col. Colossians 1–2 Thess. 1–2 Thessalonians 1–2 Tim. 1–2 Timothy Philem. Philemon Heb. Hebrews 1–2 Pet. 1–2 Peter Rev. Revelation Apocrypha Bar. Baruch 1–2 Macc. 1–2 Maccabees Wis. Wisdom of Solomon Old Testament Pseudepigrapha 2 Bar. 2 Baruch 1–2 En. 1–2 Enoch Apostolic Fathers Barn. Epistle of Barnabas 1–2 Clem. 1–2 Clement Did. Didache Herm. Mand. Shepherd of Hermas, Mandate(s) Herm. Sim. Shepherd of Hermas, Similitude(s) Herm. Vis. Shepherd of Hermas, Vision(s) Ign. Magn . Ignatius, To the Magnesians Ign. Smyrn . Ignatius, To the Smyrnaeans Ign. Trall . Ignatius, To the Trallians Pol. Phil . Polycarp, To the Philippians
1 What Is Classical Christian Doctrine?
Let that which you heard from the beginning remain in you.
1 John 2:24

Identifying the Major Personalities
Irenaeus: A Christian bishop in Lyons, France, in the last quarter of the second century; he was raised in the ancient Christian center of Smyrna (see Rev. 1:11 and 2:8) on the coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), where he knew Polycarp.
Polycarp: Bishop of Smyrna from the early to the mid-second century; may have known the apostle John; recipient of a letter from Ignatius; martyred at age eighty-six in the mid-second century.
Ignatius: Bishop of Antioch in Syria in the early second century; martyred in Rome, probably in the reign of Trajan (AD 98–117); authored seven letters as he was being taken to Rome to be executed.
“Doctrine” is a term that is often misunderstood. It is sometimes connected with particular views of the end of the world or with complicated views about who can receive salvation. Some Christians think that they hold no doctrines. They just believe in Jesus. But when one claims to believe in Jesus, that implies that one believes certain things about Jesus, such as who he was or is and why believing in him is important. All Christians have always held doctrines about Jesus and other topics related to Jesus. It is important, therefore, to understand what these doctrines are and why they came to be. This book introduces the most basic doctrines of the Christian faith that have been held by a majority of Christians since the earliest centuries of the faith. I have called them cl