MTH 804 – Creeds & Confessions

Description

MTH 804 – Creeds & Confessions

MTH 804 – Creeds & Confessions, a 4 credit hour course of studies in the Masters programs of Reformation International Theological Seminary.

Course Description: 4 credit hours

The creeds are the church’s systematic expressions of her understanding of the teaching of Scripture.  The purpose of this course is to ascertain why the creeds are necessary, what they involve, how we are to evaluate several representative types, and why we believe the Reformed creeds are the most consistent expressions of biblical truth.  There is an examination of the development, structure, and theology of the principal Christian creeds and confessional standards throughout the history of the Christian church.  Special emphasis will be given to the confessional statements that have arisen in Reformed Churches from the time of the Reformation until the present.

Required Materials for the Course

MTH 804 – Course Payment – Creeds & Confessions (4 credit hours)

This covers the tuition payment for this 4 credit course.

LECTURES: Creeds & Confessions Lectures (DOWNLOADABLE  audio MP3 lectures (21), PDF transcripts, PDF Outline, PDF version of Schaff’s Creeds of Christendom 3 Volumes and 19 PDF versions of various creedal statements that are required reading.)

These lectures were given in a classroom seminary setting in the 1990s by Dr. Robert Grossmann. They include many student questions and practical applications.  The lectures are fully transcribed in an outline format, and also provide the professor’s outline of his class notes handed out to the students.  As these are available in pdf files, the student can print them if needed. Most students have found the transcripts and especially the outlines invaluable as they cut down substantially on the necessity of most note-taking.

TEXTBOOK: Creeds of the Churches Revised Edition by John H. Leith (Paperback)

This book is required reading.

TEXTBOOK: Scripture and Confession by John Skilton

This book is required reading.

TEXTBOOK: Assembly at Westminster by John H. Leith

 This book is required reading.

TEXTBOOK: The Creeds of Christendom  by Philip Schaff

This book is required reading. It is available at no additional cost in PDF format supplied along with the lectures.  It is an exhaustive 3 volume set of books.

In 1876, this three volume collection of cross-denominational creeds was deemed by its publisher a “symbolical library” well worth visiting. In Volume I, Schaff introduces the creeds by providing general information regarding their origin, value, authority, and classification. First, Schaff presents the Ecumenical Creeds, which contain the most basic doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation. These fundamental creeds are the Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Creed of Chalcedon, and the Athanasian Creed. Next, Schaff considers the Greek and Roman Creeds, which differ significantly from Protestantism and from each other. Schaff then explores the Evangelical Protestant Creeds, which emerged around the time of the Reformation and are divided into two camps, Reformed and Lutheran. Schaff concludes by giving some attention to the Creeds of Modern Evangelical Denominations. Through Creeds of Christendom, Schaff aims to bring understanding to those who adhere to different creeds. Schaff wisely reminds us that despite varying Christian denominations, Christ always remains at the center of the creeds.

TEXTBOOK: Various creeds, confessions and catechisms  by various authors and councils

These are provided in an easier reading form than those found in Schaff’s 3 volumes.  Most are required reading and are all in PDF format.  Some additional, but non-required reading are supplied as suggested reading.  The following are included and will be supplied along with the lectures:

39 Articles of Religion
Apostle’s Creed
Athanasian Creed
Belgic Confession of Faith
Canons of Dort
Chalcedonian Creed
Confession of Cyril Lucaris
French Gallican Confession of 1559
Heidelberg Catechism
Irish Articles of Religion
London Baptist Confession of Faith-1689
Luther’s Small Catechism
Nicene Creed
PCUSA Creed of 1967 w/ Inclusive Language 2002
The Second Helvetic Confession
The Geneva Catechism
The Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order-1658
The Westminster Confession of Faith of 1643-47
The Westminster Larger Catechism
The Westminster Shorter Catechism

RECOMMENDED BOOKS FOR REVIEW WITH THIS COURSE: 

These books are not required books, but are strongly recommended both for this course and every pastor’s library.

Reformed Confessions of the 16th Century by Arthur C. Cochrane.

Heresies:  Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church  by Harold O. J. Brown.

You will receive an email from us with a link that will allow you to download course lectures, PDFs, etc., after you complete your order.