Questions about the REC

[tbstor]

That is inaccurate. Indeed, they use the Book of Common Prayer to help guide worship services they are really a Bible centered church.

Admittance to their seminary requires affirmative answers to two questions:

1. Do you believe the Bible to be fully inerrant in the original languages; the only rule for the faith and the practice?
2. Will you test everything we teach you by that standard?

In general, how are the Creeds viewed within the REC? I've noted that they name three as "authorities" (The Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian). I personally have my problems with small portions of the Creeds, but I am not sure if this is an issue or not.

 

[JohnT]

In general, how are the Creeds viewed within the REC? I've noted that they name three as "authorities" (The Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian). I personally have my problems with small portions of the Creeds, but I am not sure if this is an issue or not.

I cannot speak for the Seminary, but I can speak to the manner in which they were addressed. But to do that adequately I first need to speak of the nature and limit of the word "authority" because people take it differently.

At RES, there are essentially two levels of authority:

1. Scripture in its context in the original languages
2. Everything else

Primary is Scripture, as it should be in any Evangelical graduate school. It is from Scripture alone that we derive our doctrine, polity and theology.

BTW if you are really interested in a historical viewpoint of the Creeds and the conditions that surrounded them. I highly recommend Early Christian Doctrines by JND Kelly for less than $15.00 you get a great read. Here is one source: Early Christian Doctrines book by J.N.D. Kelly

By reading this book and listening to the professors, we learned that the Creeds were not created in a vacuum, but were the results of spiritual giants fending off heresies during their lifetimes. They are remarkable for their clarity, and definition of what was to become the historic and orthodox faith, (small o) once given to the Apostles.

Actually the creed most referenced is the 39 Articles of Faith:
The 39 Articles of Religion are the essential beliefs of the Anglican church codified. The articles were established by a Convocation of the Church in 1563, using as a basis the 42 Articles written under the direction of Thomas Cranmer in 1553....

The articles repudiate Catholic beliefs such as transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the Mass, and affirm the supremacy of scripture. They allow clergy to marry, and affirm the right of the monarch to influence church policy. (You can read the full text of the 39 Articles here).
from The 39 Articles of Religion.​

The Seminary also uses the Book of Common Prayer that Cramner created.

Posted in hopes of helping.

 

[tbstor]

I cannot speak for the Seminary, but I can speak to the manner in which they were addressed. But to do that adequately I first need to speak of the nature and limit of the word "authority" because people take it differently.

At RES, there are essentially two levels of authority:

1. Scripture in its context in the original languages
2. Everything else

Primary is Scripture, as it should be in any Evangelical graduate school. It is from Scripture alone that we derive our doctrine, polity and theology.

BTW if you are really interested in a historical viewpoint of the Creeds and the conditions that surrounded them. I highly recommend Early Christian Doctrines by JND Kelly for less than $15.00 you get a great read. Here is one source: Early Christian Doctrines book by J.N.D. Kelly

By reading this book and listening to the professors, we learned that the Creeds were not created in a vacuum, but were the results of spiritual giants fending off heresies during their lifetimes. They are remarkable for their clarity, and definition of what was to become the historic and orthodox faith, (small o) once given to the Apostles.

Actually the creed most referenced is the 39 Articles of Faith:
The 39 Articles of Religion are the essential beliefs of the Anglican church codified. The articles were established by a Convocation of the Church in 1563, using as a basis the 42 Articles written under the direction of Thomas Cranmer in 1553....

The articles repudiate Catholic beliefs such as transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the Mass, and affirm the supremacy of scripture. They allow clergy to marry, and affirm the right of the monarch to influence church policy. (You can read the full text of the 39 Articles here).
from The 39 Articles of Religion.​

The Seminary also uses the Book of Common Prayer that Cramner created.

Posted in hopes of helping.

*scribbles in yet another book to my reading list*

I appreciate your response! I had been starting to look at the Creeds in that way (i.e., "not created in a vacuum, but were the results of spiritual giants fending off heresies during their lifetimes"). Kelly's book may be exactly the right point of entry.

 

[Shane R]

Also consider The Way to Nicaea by Fr. John Behr (available from SVS Press). That book is very technical though and he assumes the reader has some familiarity with Greek.

 

[PloverWing]

BTW if you are really interested in a historical viewpoint of the Creeds and the conditions that surrounded them. I highly recommend Early Christian Doctrines by JND Kelly for less than $15.00 you get a great read.

I heartily second this recommendation! I have found Kelly's book to be very helpful in my understanding of the reasoning behind the church's creeds and doctrines.

 

[Athanasius377]

I heartily second this recommendation! I have found Kelly's book to be very helpful in my understanding of the reasoning behind the church's creeds and doctrines.

Yes. This. That book changed my understanding of church history.