Christianity - Other

This is based on Philip Schaff’s Creeds of Christendom taking only the creeds that he selected, using the translations he supplied where possible but rearranged chronologically (using the dates he supplied) but excluding his commentary and notes. “He who wishes to grow strong in his religious life, let him, I say, next to the Bible, feed himself on the great Creeds of the Church. There is a force of religious inspiration in them which you will seek in vain elsewhere. And this for good reasons. First, because it is ever true that it is by the truth that sanctification is wrought. And next, because the truth is set forth in these Creeds with a clearness and richness with which it is set forth nowhere else. For these Creeds are not the products of metaphysical speculation, as many who know infinitesimally little about them are prone to assert, but are the compressed and weighted utterances of the Christian heart. “I do not think I go astray, therefore, when I say to you in all seriousness that the second and third volumes of Dr. Schaff?s Creeds of Christendom have in them more food for your spiritual life ? are ‘more directly, richly and evangelically devotional’ ? than any other book, apart from the Bible, in existence.” (Summary by B.B. Warfield, “Spiritual Culture in the Theological Seminary”, p.84-85)

This collection begins with Augustine’s exposition of the Apostles’ Creed, a confession of faith (particularly addressing the Trinity) attributed to Gregory Thaumaturgus and a series of statements on christology. Then come two works attributed to Hippolytus and a treatise addressed to Tatian arguing, without using Scripture, for the existence of the soul. Dionysius of Alexandria comments on the authorship of the book of Revelation and Alexander, archbishop of Alexandria excommunicates Arius (this was probably ghostwritten by Athanasius). What remains of “a discourse on the Divine Nature and the Incarnation, against the heretics Beron and Helix” is followed by several exegetical works by Dionysius of Alexandria and the beginning of a treatise of the resurrection usually attributed to Justin Martyr. “Discourse on all the Saints” concerns martyrs and the fragments of Lactantius were written by the adviser of Constantine, the first Christian Romans emperor. A survey of Christian novels follows (some of the works referenced can be found here and here). The Phoenix may or may not have been written by Lactantius and formed the basis for a well-known Old English poem. Amongst several short works, there are Cyprian’s extracts from the Old testament prophets exhorting to repentance and his treatise on chastity. Augustine preaches a sermon on the virtue of patience, Gregory of Nyssa laments the death of Meletius (a bishop) and then advises Christians not to go on pilgrimages to Jerusalem. This collection ends with the martyr story of Symphorosa and her family. – Summary by InTheDesert

Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona in the Pyrenees, of chastened eloquence, eminent for his life as for his writings, wrote various works, of which is the Cervus and against the Novatians. He died lately in the reign of Theodosius, in extreme old age; i.e. before A. 392. He was born then probably about 30 years after the martyrdom of St. Cyprian, was a younger contemporary of Hosius, and through him joined on to the Council of Eliberis, and the restoration of discipline in the Spanish Church. His memory was kept with great affection at Barcelona on May 9, on which he is commemorated in the Martyrologium Romanum, in words taken from St. Jerome. It is of the good Providence of God, that, of the same father, works should have come down, vindicating the doctrine of the Church on penitence, as a doctrine, against the heresy of Novatian, practically, against the neglect of careless sinners. The Epistles to Sympronian and the exhortation to Penitence, combined, shew how compatible are tenderness to the sinner with a strict and, as it would now seem, severe doctrine of penitence; that not earnest calls to a self-avenging and self-chastening penitence, but the denial of its fruits and of the power of the keys, is the essence of Novatianism. Well versed as St. Pacian was in the writings of St. Cyprian, who also insists on the same acts of penitence, his language approaches more both in style and vividness of expostulation to that of Tertullian, whose work on penitence he claims, as having been written by him while a Catholic. It is hoped that from this very combination, his works might be useful in these days, in which, for want of that more frequent special application of the power of the keys, which our Church suggests, any mention of more earnest penitence is thought to partake of the hard and uncompassionating heresy of Novatian. – Summary from the Preface

This volume of the Reformation collection, which has a particular focus on the English Reformation, begins with William Tyndale’s lively tract on the key Reformation doctrine of Justification by faith alone. Then follow two historical accounts of the reception that Reformation ideas received. Martin Luther works line by line through the popular Marian hymn Salve Regina expressing his disagreement. Christ the End of the Law is John Calvin’s summary of the gospel message, written as the preface to the Geneva Bible. Calvin’s Admonition against Astrology was translated into Early Modern English and has lain relatively forgotten for many years. There follow a number of documents authorised by Henry VIII and Edward VI of England showing the progress and regression of the Reformation in their reigns, including an essay against the claims of the Pope, written by Edward VI at age 12. Next come two letters relating to the English Reformation: Thomas Cromwell commenting on the reception of Tyndale’s ideas by Henry VIII and Peter Martyr Vermigli writing to Heinrich Bullinger from England during the writing of the prayer book, expressing sadness that Calvin’s doctrine of the sacraments had not found universal acceptance. Then come a series of short pieces by the ‘Oxford Martyrs’ – Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley – carrying out the business of reforming the church. John Bradford’s Preface to Melanchthon’s book on prayer is “of interest, in showing the feeling entertained in England, by the faithful worshippers, during the brief period between the decease of Edward VI. and the imprisonment of the godly Protestant Bishops and other Clergy.” This volume of the Reformation collection ends with an eyewitness account of the final days of Martin Luther. (Summary by InTheDesert) Other volumes of this collection: Volume 1 Volume 3

This volume of the Reformation collection, begins with John Calvin’s summary of the contents for the Bible from the preface to the Geneva Bible. Catherine Parr, last wife of Henry VIII, contributes her “Prayers or Meditations”, intended as a shortened Protestant equivalent to Thomas ? Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ. Next come accounts of trials and martyrdoms: Walter Mill, the last martyr of Scotland, John Bradford, an anonymous account of Protestants in Norfolk and Suffolk to commissioners sent by Mary I, Hugh Latimer’s examination as an old man and the execution of Henry Grey, father of Lady Jane Grey. Following these are a series of prayers: Lady Jane Grey, John Knox, Edward VI as well as Knox’s instructions on prayer. Knox also gives instructions for Christian gatherings in a time of persecution and John Wycliffe gives a rule of conduct for Christians in various life circumstances. Tyndale’s Prologues covers the gospel of Matthew and, more briefly, John. There follows a selection of Reformation thinking about the relationship between church and state: Thomas Cranmer’s sermon during the so-called “Prayer Book Rebellion” (the sermon notes he presumably preached from are included), Luther urging peace during the Peasants’ Revolt and Bullinger explaining that civil magistrates have the right to declare and fight wars (contrary to the pacifism of the Anabaptists).Next come treatises on various ethical questions: Peter Martyr’s opinion of dancing, Martin Bucer on almsgiving, Wolfgang Musculus on usury. There follow two controversial matters – James Waddell Alexander writes a history of Calvin’s involvement in the execution of Michael Servertus and showing that it had the universal support of the age in which he lived, rather than resulting from any personal animosity from Calvin. Then comes a controversial dialogue by Bernardino Ochino, ostensibly arguing against polygamy (Ochino himself appears as one half of the dialogue but makes close to no case against polygamy while his interlocuter is given twice the airtime) but in reality arguing for it, for which Ochino was exiled from Zurich. Calvin’s letter to Edward Seymour (Lord Protector of England) comes next which includes his opinion on the Church of England Books of Homilies. Next come a series of resulting from struggles to coexist between Protestants and Roman Catholics (not least on the question of the sacraments), intersperced with a short biography of John Wicklyffe and Oecolampadius’ sermon to teenagers, expounding the Apostles’ Creed. This volume of the Reformation collection ends with an eyewitness account of the final days of Oecolampadius. Other volumes of this collection: Volume 1 Volume 2

“In the latter part of the second and in the former part of the third century there flourished at Carthage the famous Tertullian, the first Latin writer of the church whose works are come down to us. All his writings betray a sour, monastic, harsh, and severe turn of mind. “Touch not, taste not, handle not,” might seem to have been the maxims of his religious conduct. The abilities of Tertullian, as an orator and a scholar, are far from being contemptible, and have doubtless given him a reputation to which his theological knowledge by no means entitles him. Yet the man seems always in good earnest, and therefore much more estimable than thousands who would take a pleasure in despising him, while they themselves are covered with profaneness. It is not for us to condemn, after all, a man who certainly honoured Christ, defended several fundamental Christian doctrines, took large pains in supporting what he took to be true religion, and ever meant to serve God. The Montanists, whose austerities were extreme, and whose enthusiasm was real, seduced at length our severe African, and he not only joined them, but wrote in their defence, and treated the body of christians from whom he separated with much contempt. He, in a great measure, left the Montanists afterwards, and formed a sect of his own, called Tertullianists, who continued in Africa till Augustine’s time, by whose labours their existence, as a sect, was brought to a close.” (Extracted from Joseph Milner, The History of the Church of Christ, p.267-275)