‘Classical Christian faith’ is still a useful concept today

This year marks an anniversary that unites the entire global Christian world: it is 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea in 325. The Nicene Creed was finally confirmed at the Council of Constantinople in 381.

The anniversary is being marked in various ways, and the celebrations are underway. I would like to draw attention here to a specific issue that is easily overlooked, namely, that the creed also implies obligations. Yes, it actually defines what a ‘classical Christian faith’ can be considered to be.

For some of us, it is a positive and natural concept. For others, it is a problematic and contested concept. In the latter case, it is enough to describe one's own position as ‘classical Christian faith’ to be accused of engaging in control techniques. This is probably because the concept can be said to draw some kind of boundary: if certain theologies can be described as classical, then others must be regarded as deviations from these; they must be more or less in accordance with ‘the faith once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3).

The unifying power of creeds has, of course, to do to some extent with what they do not address. They do not go into depth on classically divisive issues such as the doctrine of the Church, the sacraments or the ministry. But we should not be fooled into thinking that they say less than they actually do.

Two issues on which different messages can be heard even from the pulpits of some progressive churches, namely the historicity of Mary's virginity and the physical resurrection of Jesus, are clearly mentioned in all three creeds. In plain language, this means that one can certainly be a Christian without professing these truths – but it cannot be Christian not to do so.

Having a ‘classical Christian faith’ thus means adhering to what the three creeds of the Church put into words.

But the wording of the Nicene Creed also implies respect for both the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God. Jesus is described as ‘the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God,’ and from this it reasonably follows that we can trust his own words. Especially since these words are the same living words that brought the world into being in the beginning; as Christians, we believe ‘in him through whom all things were made.’

It would be strange if we did not trust what he says!

The authority of the Old Testament is also confirmed by the Nicene Creed. Jesus is said to have risen ‘on the third day ... according to the Scriptures’, and the Holy Spirit is described as God himself and as ‘speaking through the prophets’.

The Church of Sweden's constitution describes this position as follows: ‘Its faith, confession and teaching ... are based on the holy words of God, as given in the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments.’ And the truth is that the Lutheran heritage on which our Nordic national churches are based points in the direction of greater respect for the inspiration of the Bible, rather than less.

One of the slogans of the Reformation was, as we know, Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone, and this is a true Lutheran position – both in contrast to Catholic and Orthodox theology and in contrast to various forms of liberal theology.

The expression ‘classical Christian faith’ thus appears to be highly useful even today. It simply stands for a traditional understanding of God’s revelation of himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a belief in the Gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and a fundamental trust in the entire Bible as the inspired Word of God.

If we can agree on this, we can go a long way – both in our intra-church and inter-church efforts to achieve unity!

Olof Edsinger, General Secretary of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance.