The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters

by Luke Timothy Johnson

Book Overview

This thoughtful, fully accessible exploration of the creed, the list of beliefs central to the Christian faith, delves into its origins and illuminates the contemporary significance of why it still... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385502486
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Image
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.2" x 0.7" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

The reason to believe

Over the pat couple of years I have increasingly become aware of the controversy that Christian Creed, and Creedal Christianity, invoke. The more fundamentalist Christians tend to think of creeds as a later development, and by extension a corruption, of the original pristine New Testament Christianity. On the other hand, theological liberals of all stripes perceive creeds as a straitjacket and a tool of control and exclusion of the heterodox views that were suppressed by the Orthodox "faction". Furthermore, secularists and atheist equate any and allegiances to creeds as a credulity, an infantile instinct that needs to be eradicated if we are to move ahead as a society. Luke Timothy Johnson in this wonderful little book goes a long way in defending The Creed against all these major detractors, and he does it with a great deal of skill, scholarship and finesse. The early chapters of this book explore how did particular statements in The Creed come about, what were the historical and theological disputes that lead to their inclusion. However, this is not the main focus of the book, and some other works on this topic may be more relevant. The major part of the book is dedicated to taking each one of the statements in The creed (and The Creed in question is theNiceno-Constantinopolitan Creed), elaborating on its meaning, providing the relevant biblical proof-texts that support it, and providing the significance of it in our dailylives and in the world at large. It is here that Luke Timothy Johnson is at his best, and this book brought new freshness to the old statements of faith that I've been reciting in Church for many years. This is a wonderful modern book that I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in the Christian beliefs.

Timely explanation of Christianity's statement of faith in our post-modern and post-Christian times

Timely explanation of Christianity's statement of faith in our post-modern and post-Christian times For someone who grew up in a neo-Protestant denomination, where the Nicene-Constantinople Creed (or any other) have never been mentioned (from the pulpit or during Sunday School), I found this read not only enlightening but also upbuilding for my faith. While I have to say there are a few statements that Luke Timothy Johnson makes without providing any evidence (and which I would like to challenge), this read is not a light read and neither a dry one. The first chapter briefly discusses the history of the early Christian creeds. The rest of the book is a treatise and explanation of every sentence, phrase, or words found in the Nicene-Constantinoplean creed. There are sub-chapters that are full of wisdom, and many of them are replete with Bible verses and quotations. While Dr. Johnson comes from a Roman-Catholic tradition, his writing is very Protestant and Orthodox friendly, and for that matter Heathen or non-believer friendly. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn what Christians believe now and what they have believed since the early Church times. Also, if you want to better understand the Creed which is recited every Sunday in church, this is an excellent read. The only companion in this subtopic (Christian Creeds) that I would recommend is "Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition" by Jaroslav Pelikan.

Worth Reading on So Many Levels

Regardless of your faith tradition, The Creed is a book worth exploring, studying, and discussing in your church. Agreement with Johnson's arguments and conclusions is not necessary -- it is the questions that Johnson raises that are important. Contemporary Christianity suffers a monumental credibility problem and identity crisis. Few Christians can clearly articulate what they believe, why it is important, and what ultimate meaning it has for their lives. Rigid fundamentalism to anything-goes liberalism paint a wide spectrum for confused seekers. Church-goers often simply go through the motions, mouthing professions of faith that have little or no meaning in their daily lives. Johnson calls all Christian believers to take seriously what we claim to believe, and he challenges us to act counter-culturally -- first and foremost by defining ourselves in relationship to community, rather than as individuals. This is a fine historical review as well as a clarion call to create a future grounded in a clear, compelling identity that says once and for all who we are, what we believe, and why we are here.

Why Does It Matter?

Is the Creed still relevant? Johnson answers with a resounding, "Yes!!" He offers an historical perspective in which he shows how the early believers sorted through the Scriptures to summarize the essence of the faith. He takes on the Enlightenment mindset and reminds the reader that the New Testament (and our own faith today) comes out of an experience of the resurrection and not out of an empirical analysis. I preached a series based on this book and got more positive feedback from it than any other series in the last two years. If you only have a few minutes, read his thoughts regarding, "on the third day he rose again according to the scriptures" (page 180 ff). You will not be disappointed.

LTJ ( Roman Catholic) Inspires A Baptist

Luke Timothy Johnson does a superb job describing the history and early function of the Nicene Creed, then he skillfully produces compelling arguments for modern day functions of the Creed for all Christians who confess Christ as Lord. Although it may be a bit idealistic of me, I think The Creed could potentially close the gap that formed in the Church as a result of the Protestant Reformation.A must read for all Christians who believed Jesus wanted unity in his body when he prayed in John 17.