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In this episode we heard the so-called “Fourth Creed” from the council of Antioch – or a group soon after it – which is a actually a letter from eastern bishops assembled there to their western brethren, to explain their views about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We also hear about why the writers of the creeds from Antioch are called by historians “Eusebians,” and a little about the lives of Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260-340) and Eusebius of Nicomedia. (d. 342)
This “Fourth Creed” was offered as a non-controversial, “big tent,” ecumenical summary of faith. And surprisingly, given its initial reception, its language ended up being re-used several times after, as catholics struggled to replace the language of Nicea with something more widely acceptable. This is why I call it “the recycled creed.” If you count the initial one, it was used half a dozen times, the latest being in 359. But like many re-usable goods, it could not be reused ad infinitum.
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Links for this episode:
- Eusebius of Caesarea
- his History of the Church
- Pamphilus of Caesarea
- Constantine
- Eusebius of Nicomedia
- Origen of Alexandria
- podcast 24 – How to be a monotheistic trinitarian [on Origen’s theology]
- Young, Ayres, and Louth (eds.) The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature.
- books quoted from in this episode
- The SCM Press A-Z of Patristic Theology
- Charles Freeman, The Closing of the Western Mind
- Athanasius, De Synodis (On Synods)
- R.P.C. Hanson, The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God
- Leo Donald Davis, The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787): Their History and Theology
- This week’s thinking music is “Always the Teasmade Never the Tease” by Doctor Turtle.
