What All Christians Believe in Common:

Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, & Protestant

by Philip Schaff, Author: "Creeds of Christendom"

       "Ni neart go cur le chéile."                       ("No unity, no strength."  -Old Gaelic Saying)

 

 

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"... forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.                 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."   

-Ephesians 4:2-6

 

 

Photo: The Holy Bible.

The Nicene Creed 325 A.D. / 381 A.D.

"In essentials, unity.  In non-essentials, liberty.  In all things, love."

Related: Book Review: "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis

PImage: portion of illuminated manuscript page from "The Book of Kells."Photo: Canadian Rockies, Icefields Parkway, Alberta. Photo Copyright 2006 S.G.P. All Rights reserved.

"Ever since I became a Christian I have thought that the best, perhaps the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbors was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times."  -C. S. Lewis (Mere Christianity) __________________________________________________________________

The Catholic Consensus of Greek, Latin, and Evangelical Christendom.

The Consensus is contained in the Scriptures, and in the œcumenical Creeds...  

It may be more fully and clearly specified as follows: ______________________________________________

Push-pin bullet I.—RULE OF FAITH AND PRACTICE.

  • The Divine Inspiration and Authority of the Canonical Scriptures in matters of faith and morals. (Against Rationalism.)

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Push-pin bullet II.—THEOLOGY.

  • 1. The Unity of the Divine essence.  (Against Atheism, Dualism, Polytheism.)

  • 2. The Trinity of the Divine Persons.  Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.  (Against Arianism, Socinianism, Unitarianism.)

  • 3. The Divine perfections.  Omnipotence, omnipresence, omniscience, wisdom, holiness, justice, love, and mercy.

  • 4. Creation of the world by the will of God out of nothing for his glory and the happiness of his creatures. (Against Materialism, Pantheism, Atheism.)

  • 5. Government of the world by Divine Providence.

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Push-pin bullet III.—ANTHROPOLOGY.

  • 1. Original innocence.  Man made in the image of God, with reason and freedom, pure and holy; yet needing probation, and liable to fall.

  • 2. Fall: sin and death.  Natural depravity and guilt; necessity and possibility of salvation. (Against Pelagianism and Manichæism.)

  • 3. Redemption by Christ.

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Push-pin bullet IV.—CHRISTOLOGY.

  • 1. The Incarnation of the eternal Logos or second Person in the Holy Trinity.

  • 2. The Divine-human constitution of the Person of Christ.

  • 3. The life of Christ.  His superhuman conception; his sinless perfection; his crucifixion, death, and burial; resurrection and ascension; sitting at the right hand of God; return to judgment.

  • 4. Christ our Prophet, Priest, and King forever.

  • 5. The mediatorial work of Christ, or the atonement.  "He died for our sins, and rose for our justification."

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Push-pin bullet V.—PNEUMATOLOGY.

  • 1. The Divine Personality of the Holy Spirit.

  • 2. His eternal Procession (εκπόρευσις, processio) from the Father, and his historic Mission (πέμψις, missio) by the Father and the Son.

  • 3. His Divine work of regeneration and sanctification.

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Push-pin bullet VI.—SOTERIOLOGY.

  • 1. Eternal predestination or election of believers to salvation.

  • 2. Call by the gospel.

  • 3. Regeneration and conversion. Necessity of repentance and faith.

  • 4. Justification and sanctification.  Forgiveness of sins and necessity of a holy life.

  • 5. Glorification of believers.

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Push-pin bullet VII.—ECCLESIOLOGY AND SACRAMENTOLOGY.

  • 1. Divine origin and constitution of the catholic Church of Christ.

  • 2. The essential attributes of the Church universal.  Unity, catholicity, holiness, and indestructibility of the Church.  Church militant and Church triumphant.

  • 3. The ministry of the gospel.

  • 4. The preaching of the gospel.

  • 5. Sacraments: visible signs, seals, and means of grace.

  • 6. Baptism for the remission of sins.

  • 7. The Lord's Supper for the commemoration of the atoning death of Christ.

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Push-pin bullet VIII.—ESCHATOLOGY.

  • 1. Death in consequence of sin.

  • 2. Immortality of the soul.

  • 3. The final coming of Christ.

  • 4. General resurrection.

  • 5. Judgment of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • 6. Heaven and Hell.  The eternal blessedness of saints, and the eternal punishment of the wicked.

  • 7. God all in all (I Corinthians 15:28).

   Photo: of our actual Celtic Cross Shield (TM). The Prayer Foundation Logo and Trademark. Phot Copyright 2007 S.G.P. All Rights Reserved.™

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Source:

  • Main Text: "Creeds of Christendom: Vol. I", P. 919-921; by Philip Schaff (Baker Books).

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Related Pages:

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 Main Text (by Philip Schaff) is in the Public Domain.  Commentary, Logos, Photo of lone monk, and Layout, Copyright © 2009 S.G.P. All rights reserved. 

 GOD'S WORD Category  Nicene Creed  Celtic Pages

    

  

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“...that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all.”                 -Vincent of Lerins (450 A.D.)

"Fulfill you my joy, that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."  -Philippians 2:2

(Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant.)

Exception: so-called Liberal (or "Modernist") Theology, of whichever of the three areas of Christianity; by rejecting most, if not all, of accepted Biblical, historic Christian doctrine; has therefore placed itself outside of the pale of universal Christian orthodoxy.  

This has resulted in the driving away of tens of millions of  its former congregants (and their children) over the past century, causing the entire movement to grow increasingly irrelevant.   So-called "Modern Theology" is actually based on the teachings of a few apostate German so-called "Theologians" of the 1840's. __________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PNEUMATOLOGY: The doctrine or study of the Christian doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

SOTERIOLOGY: The theological doctrine of salvation as effected by Jesus Christ.

ECCLESIOLOGY AND SACRAMENTOLOGY: The branch of theology that is concerned with the nature, constitution, and functions of the Church (or of a Church) and of the Sacraments.

6.& 7.): The Society of Friends (Quakers) historically have not observed either Baptism or Communion, but many modern Friends Churches, if they hold to Christian orthodoxy, now observe both. 

The Salvation Army as a group, does not observe either Baptism or Communion, but does not oppose them, and allows its members to be baptized (and receive Communion) in other Churches, if they so desire. 

For additional information on this subject of Baptism, See our Notes and Commentary in the right-hand column of our webpage: Nicene Creed: Scripture Basis.

ESCHATOLOGY: The branch of theology that is concerned with the end of the world or of humankind.

A belief or a doctrine concerning the ultimate or final things, such as death, the destiny of humanity, the Second Coming, or the Last Judgment. ______________