Author: David E. Henderson
Publisher: UNC Press Books
ISBN: 1469631423
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 144
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Book Description
Constantine and the Council of Nicaea plunges students into the theological debates confronting early Christian church leaders. Emperor Constantine has sanctioned Christianity as a legitimate religion within the Roman Empire but discovers that Christians do not agree on fundamental aspects of their beliefs. Some have resorted to violence, battling over which group has the correct theology. Constantine has invited all of the bishops of the church to attend a great church council to be held in Nicaea, hoping to settle these problems and others. The first order of business is to agree on a core theology of the church to which Christians must subscribe if they are to hold to the "true faith." Some will attempt to use the creed to exclude their enemies from the church. If they succeed, Constantine may fail to achieve his goal of unity in both empire and church. The outcome of this conference will shape the future of Christianity for millennia. Free supplementary materials for this textbook are available at the Reacting to the Past website. Visit https://reacting.barnard.edu/instructor-resources, click on the RTTP Game Library link, and create a free account to download what is available.
Author: John Anthony McGuckin
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830897240
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 215
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Book Description
"Who do you say that I am?" This question that Jesus asked of his disciples, so central to his mission, became equally central to the fledgling church. How would it respond to the Gnostics who answered by saying Jesus was less than fully human? How would it respond to the Arians who contended he was less than fully God? It was these challenges that ultimately provoked the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. In this volume covering the first half of the article in the Nicene Creed on God the Son, John Anthony McGuckin shows how it countered these two errant poles by equally stressing Jesus' authentic humanity (that is, his fleshliness and real embodiment in space and time) and his spiritual glory or full divinity. One cottage industry among some historical theologians, he notes, has been to live in a fever of conspiracy theory where orthodox oppressors dealt heavy-handedly with poor heretics. Or the picture is painted of ancient grassroots inclusivists being suppressed by establishment elites. The reality was far from such romantic notions. It was in fact the reverse. The church who denounced these errors did so in the name of a greater inclusivity based on common sense and common education. The debate was conducted generations before Christian bishops could ever call on the assistance of secular power to enforce their views. Establishing the creeds was not a reactionary movement of censorship but rather one concerned with the deepest aspects of quality control. Ultimately, what was and is at stake is not fussy dogmatism but the central gospel message of God's stooping "down in mercy to enter the life of his creatures and share their sorrows with them. He has lifted up the weak and the broken to himself, and he healed their pain by abolishing their alienation."
Author: John William Eadie
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132
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Book Description
Explores two areas of Constantine's religious affiliation: his conversion to Christianity and the specific details connected to his actions.
Author: Joshua Christian
Publisher: Fifth Estate Publishing
ISBN: 9781933580722
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 300
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Book Description
"Are You Really That Stupid?" explores the history, politics, and missteps behind the formation of our accepted Christian doctrines, and does so in a most unusual way. The author examines some of our sacred theological cows using humor, irony, and science. The result is a book that will enlighten and enrage. "Are You Really That Stupid?" will make you laugh, and write hate-mail to the author. At the end, you will have a better understanding of your faith.
Author: Justin S. Holcomb
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780310178071
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
In every generation, the Christian church must interpret and restate its bedrock beliefs, answering the challenges and concerns of the day. This accessible overview walks readers through centuries of creeds, councils, catechisms, and confessions--not with a dry focus on dates and places, but with an emphasis on the living tradition of Christian belief and why it matters for our lives today. As a part of the KNOW series, Know the Creeds and Councils is designed for personal study or classroom use, but also for small groups and Sunday schools wanting to more deeply understand the foundations of the faith. This book has everything you need for a full personal or group study experience. Includes individual access to 15 streaming video sessions that cover a key statement of faith along with a discussion of its historical context, a simple explanation of the statement's content and key points, reflections on contemporary and ongoing relevance, and discussion questions. An individual access code to stream all video sessions online. (You don't need to buy a DVD!) Sessions and video run times: 1 - Introduction (13 min) 2 - Apostles' Creed (20 min) 3 - Council of Nicaea and the Nicene Creed (23 min) 4 - Councils of Ephesus (22 min) 5 - Council of Chalcedon (16 min) 6 - Athanasian Creed (18 min) 7 - Councils of Constantinople (15 min) 8 - Councils of Carthage and Orange (19 min) 9 - Council of Trent (19 min) 10 - Heidelberg Catechism (17 min) 11 - Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (17 min) 12 - Westminster Confession of Faith (13 min) 13 - Second Vatican Council (15 min) 14 - Modern Confessions: Lausanne Covenant and Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (22 min) 15 - Conclusion (8 min) Streaming video access code included. Access code subject to expiration after January 14, 2030. Code may be redeemed only by the recipient of this package. Code may not be transferred or sold separately from this package. Internet connection required. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Additional offer details inside.
Author: Peter J. Leithart
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
ISBN: 0830827226
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 374
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Book Description
Peter Leithart weighs what we've been taught about Constantine and claims that in focusing on these historical mirages we have failed to notice the true significance of Constantine and Rome baptized. He reveals how beneath the surface of this contested story there lies a deeper narrative--a tectonic shift in the political theology of an empire--with far-reaching implications.
Author: John H. Leith
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
ISBN: 9780804205269
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 760
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Book Description
"An excellent compendium of Christian creeds. Especially valuable are the informative notes and comments by the editor which introduce both creedal sections and individual creeds".----Presbyterian Journal
Author: Marianne H. Micks
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 9781596280083
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 132
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Book Description
Who is God? Who is the Creator? Who is the Christ? What is Salvation? Who is God the Spirit? What is the Church? What is Baptism? What is our future? Loving the Questions is a series of reflections on the questions raised by the Nicene Creed, a fourth-century statement of the Christian faith still used regularly in worship in churches around the world. Taking us through the creed step-by-step, Marianne Micks not only poses the questions most asked by contemporary Christians, but also teaches us to delight in the questions themselves. Faith accompanied by doubt, she believes, is far healthier that faith that never asks "why?" In short, accessible chapters Micks informs us of the historical background of the Nicene Creed and reminds us of the creed's theological, communal, and personal relevance today.
Author: Dean Dudley
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Council of Nicaea
Languages : en
Pages : 98
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Book Description
Author: David L. Dungan
Publisher: Fortress Press
ISBN: 9781451406122
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 248
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Book Description
Most college and seminary courses on the New Testament include discussions of the process that gave shape to the New Testament. David Dungan re-examines the primary source for the history, the Ecclesiastical History of the fourth-century Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea, in the light of Hellenistic political thought. He reaches new conclusions: that we usually use the term "canon" incorrectly; that the legal imposition of a "canon" or "rule" upon scripture was a fourth- and fifth-century phenomenon enforced with the power of the Roman imperial government; that the forces shaping the New Testament canon are much earlier than the second-century crisis occasioned by Marcion, and that they are political forces. Dungan discusses how the scripture selection process worked, book-by-book, as he examines the criteria used-and not used-to make these decisions. He describes the consequences of the emperor Constantine's tremendous achievement in transforming orthodox, Catholic Christianity into imperial Christianity. --From publisher's description.
