Why ‘No Creed but the Bible’ is a lousy creed

Posted on September 30, 2016 
Filed under Resources, Theology

ligon-duncan-2016“First, it’s impossible not to be confessional. Everyone is confessional; now, whether it’s written and whether it’s biblical is another matter. And everyone is a theologian…

It’s always better when we’re clear on our theology, and for that nothing beats writing it down on paper. Writing does not guarantee infallibility, of course, but it does make it easier to determine whether the doctrine we’re confessing aligns with Scripture.

Second, the point of a confession of faith isn’t to put something above Scripture. The point of a confession is to ensure the public teaching of the church is as close to the teaching of Scripture as possible. When we don’t write down our theology and confess it publicly as a church, it leads not to healthy freedom but to unhealthy restriction.”

– Is it biblical for the church to use confessions of faith? How should a confession be used? What makes a good confession of faith?

At The Gospel Coalition, Jeff Robinson put these and other questions to Ligon Duncan, Chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary.

Sadly, many churches seem to think creeds are outdated. It’s not too late to repent – check out:

Creeds and other affirmations of faith – from the Diocese of Sydney’s Better Gatherings.

The Athanasian Creed – from Church Society’s An English Prayer Book.