Download The Creed: part I

The Creed: part I
Trinitarian Theology and Christology
©All rights reserved Dr. George P. Bithos
The climate in which the emergence of
the Creed:
(The Symbol of Faith) Occurred

Prior to Constantine the Great
 The
Church grew and spread to all the
corners of the Roman World.
 Great centres of the Church began to be
established.
 There were intermittent periods of peace or
persecution.
 Great Persecutions at the beginning of the
Fourth Century under Diocletian (284 – 305)
produced an age of Martyrs.
Changes brought about by
Constantine the Great

Constantine was declared Emperor. Starting in
Britain, fighting across Italy and used “XP” to
rally his troops. He won the decisive battle at
the Milvian Bridge.

Edict of Milan 313 A.D. allowed Freedom of
Religion for Christians.

Two heresies that arose at this time were
Donatism and Arianism.

Donatism was a power struggle in the
North African Church. Resulted in
DIRECT intervention of the Emperor. This
set a precedent for the Church to appeal
to the Emperor to settle ecclesiastical
disputes.

Arianism – Teaching of a priest of the
Alexandrian Church, Arius. He did not
believe the Son was co-equal to the
Father, i.e. “The Son was created and
inferior to God the Father.”
Arian Teachings
The Divine Logos, the Word of God, who
became man – Jesus Christ is not the
divine Son of God
 He was merely a creature like everything
else created out of nothing by God.
 Therefore, God is not the uncreated
Trinity.
 Jesus is not the uncreated divine Son of
God and the Holy Spirit is also created by
God the Father.

All Seven Great Councils
of the Church
Dealt with two questions and their
derivatives.
Who is Christ?
What is the Nature of the
Holy Trinity?