Confessing the One Faith, Revised Edition: An Ecumenical Explication of the Apostolic Faith as it is Confessed in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (381)

by Theodore Gill, Mary Tanner (Introduction)

Overview

Visible unity means that churches recognize in one another a witness to the fullness of the apostolic faith which they profess. Will Christians be able one day to declare together before the world, in common confession and praise, their faith in who God is and what God has done? This text-growing out of many years of study and consultation, involving theologians from various Christian traditions and from all parts of the world-is a unique instrument for drawing the churches toward such a common confession. As a contemporary explication of the creed that emerged from the ecumenical councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381) and is used in both Eastern and Western Christian liturgies, Confessing the One Faith relates the subject matter of those ancient affirmations to the challenges of today's world-in which the language and philosophy of the fourth century sound alien to many, and the basic affirmations of the Christian faith are widely questioned. This new edition includes an introduction written by Dame Mary Tanner, a president of the World Council of Churches.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498271752
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	03/05/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	174
File size:	2 MB

Table of Contents

Preface to the Revised Edition Mary Tanner vii

Preface to the 1999 Edition Jean-Marie Tillard xi

Introduction

A The Goal of Visible Unity xix

B Towards the Common Expression of the Apostolic Faith Today: the Project xix

C The Method of the Study Project xxi

D An Instrument of Recognition: Confessing the One Faith xxvi

Appendices xxviii

The Texts of the Creeds

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed xxix

The Apostles' Creed xxxi

Explication xxxiii

Part I We Believe in One God

A The One God 1

B The Father Almighty 12

C The Creator and his Creation 20

Part II We Believe in One Lord Jesus Christ

A Jesus Christ-Incarnate for Our Salvation 29

B Jesus Christ-Suffering and Crucified for Our Sake 41

C Jesus Christ-Risen to Overcome all Evil Powers 52

Part III We Believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church, and the Life of the World to Come

A The Holy Spirit 61

B One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church 69

C One Baptism for the Forgiveness of Sins 79

D The Resurrection of the Dead and the Life of the World to Come 85

Appendix I Historical Background of the Apostolic Faith Today-Gennadios Limouris 93

Appendix II Glossary-Gennadios Limouris 101

Appendix III Bibliography-Gennadios Limouris 113

Appendix IV Participants in Consultations on the Apostolic Faith Study 120

Appendix V For Further Reading 138