ABOUT THE EPISODE

Listen in as David Schrock and Stephen Wellum interview Bryan Litfin on his Christ Over All essay: "From Nicaea to the “Nicene Creed”: Sixty Years of Confusion and Controversy"

Timestamps

00:48 – Intro
04:15 – Introducing Dr. Litfin’s Book on the Trinity
05:30 – What Has Helped Dr. Litfin to be a Good Storyteller?
07:18 – What Is
10:44 – Why Does the History Around the Nicene Creed Matter?
13:08 – Did the Council of Nicaea Anticipate the Fight that was Going to Come?
15:10 – The Legend of Saint Nicholas
17:13 – The Demise of Arius
19:35 – How Did Athanasius Become a Main Figure in the Fight for Orthodoxy?
24:38 – Athanasius’ Two Volumes Against the Arians
26:25 – The Different Theological Groups Around the Time of Nicaea
30:26 – How Athanasius Made His Arguments
32:20 – History of the Political Influence Between 325-381
34:24 – The Cappadocians
37:56 – Why Was There Less Participation in the Time of Theodosius?
39:57 – What Changes Took Place in the Statements Between 325 and 381?
42:38 – Why Was There Not as Much Said about the Holy Spirit?
48:14 – The Pneumatomachians
50:27 – What Conception Did They Have in Terms of the Spirit’s Saving Power?
53:08 – The Nicene Fathers’ Understanding of the Church and Baptism
56:08 – Should We Go Back to the Apostolic Fathers to Clarify Our Doctrine?
1:00:57 – A Trinitarian Approach to the Gospel
1:03:57 – The Trinity and Salvation
1:06:21 – Outro

Resources to Click

“From Nicaea to the “Nicene Creed”: Sixty Years of Confusion and Controversy” – Bryan Litfin
com – Bryan Litfin
Rufinus of Aquileia: Historia Ecclesiastical, Book 10, chs. 1-6 (Excerpt on the First Council of Nicaea)
Letter of Eusebius of Nicomedia and Theognis of Nicaea to a Council – Fourth Century Christianity
The Death of Arius (Post Nicene Fathers Excerpt) – Philip Schaff
The Dialogue Against the Luciferians – Jerome; Philip Schaff
The Nicene Creed – Book of Common Prayer
Theme of the Month: The Nicene Creed: 1700 Years of Homoousios
Give to Support the Work

Books to Read

The Story of the Trinity: Controversy, Crisis, and the Creation of the Nicene Creed – Bryan Litfin
The Church History of Rufinus of Aquileia: books 10 and 11 – Rufinus of Aquilea trans. Philip R. Amidon
The Theodosian Code and Novels and the Sirmondian Constitutions – Clyde Pharr

4.34 Bryan Litfin, David Schrock, Stephen Wellum • Interview • "From Nicaea to the “Nicene Creed”: Sixty Years of Confusion and Controversy"