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The Nicene Creed: An Introduction
Understand and celebrate what we believe
For centuries, the Nicene Creed has been central to the church's confession. The Nicene An Introduction by Phillip Cary explores the Creed's riches with simplicity and clarity. Cary explains the history of the Creed and walks through its meaning line by line. Far from being abstract or irrelevant, the words of the Creed carefully express what God has done in Christ and through the Spirit. The Nicene Creed gives us the gospel. It gives biblical Christians the words for what we already believe. And when we profess the Creed, we join the global church throughout history in declaring the name and work of the one God—Father, Son, and Spirit. Gain a fresh appreciation for the ancient confession with Phillip Cary's help.
For centuries, the Nicene Creed has been central to the church's confession. The Nicene An Introduction by Phillip Cary explores the Creed's riches with simplicity and clarity. Cary explains the history of the Creed and walks through its meaning line by line. Far from being abstract or irrelevant, the words of the Creed carefully express what God has done in Christ and through the Spirit. The Nicene Creed gives us the gospel. It gives biblical Christians the words for what we already believe. And when we profess the Creed, we join the global church throughout history in declaring the name and work of the one God—Father, Son, and Spirit. Gain a fresh appreciation for the ancient confession with Phillip Cary's help.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 28, 2025
Excellent summary of the Nicene Creed for the 1,700 year anniversary of Nicaea.
June 5, 2023
The more I learn about the significance of the Nicene Creed throughout the history of the church, the more I am troubled by how little I knew of it and how infrequently I encountered it the first 30 or so years of my life. So I was thrilled to see this little book provide an introduction to a sadly neglected source of rich teaching and reflection. Philip Cary is a highly respected scholar and teacher who writes clear and concise explanations of each phrase of the creed. I hope to use this as a resource for teaching in multiple settings and it is now my go-to recommendation for anyone wanting to understand the Nicene Creed.
Cary provides an excellent introduction explaining what a creed is, how and why a creed would come into existence, and how understanding the Nicene Creed can help Christians today. For example, in the introduction he says, "The aim is this is to show biblical Christians how the Creed gives words to what they already believe, so that they can hear these words a gospel, the story of our God."
He also provides a brief epilogue with one of the most simple and useful explanations of the doctrine of the trinity that I have encountered. It is not novel (he says he learned it from Augustine), but it will likely be new to many and hopefully helpful to many more.
I have frequently commented on the aesthetic aspect of Lexham's books - they consistently publish some of the most beautiful theological books available (and seem to have influenced the Christian publishing world for the better in this regard), but they have outdone themselves with this one. The book is small, almost pocket-sized, but stunning. The goldleaf on the hardcover itself makes for one of the most beautiful covers I have seen in a long time.
My one critique of the book is that it gets a little too technical at times (frequently mentioning Greek and Latin words for example) for a general church audience. Those interested in studying theology will likely not be deterred by this, but church small groups and Sunday school classes may find it a little off-putting to keep encountering references the words in other languages. Personally, I enjoy it, but I do think it makes the book less accessible than I had wished it would be.
4.5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review.
Cary provides an excellent introduction explaining what a creed is, how and why a creed would come into existence, and how understanding the Nicene Creed can help Christians today. For example, in the introduction he says, "The aim is this is to show biblical Christians how the Creed gives words to what they already believe, so that they can hear these words a gospel, the story of our God."
He also provides a brief epilogue with one of the most simple and useful explanations of the doctrine of the trinity that I have encountered. It is not novel (he says he learned it from Augustine), but it will likely be new to many and hopefully helpful to many more.
I have frequently commented on the aesthetic aspect of Lexham's books - they consistently publish some of the most beautiful theological books available (and seem to have influenced the Christian publishing world for the better in this regard), but they have outdone themselves with this one. The book is small, almost pocket-sized, but stunning. The goldleaf on the hardcover itself makes for one of the most beautiful covers I have seen in a long time.
My one critique of the book is that it gets a little too technical at times (frequently mentioning Greek and Latin words for example) for a general church audience. Those interested in studying theology will likely not be deterred by this, but church small groups and Sunday school classes may find it a little off-putting to keep encountering references the words in other languages. Personally, I enjoy it, but I do think it makes the book less accessible than I had wished it would be.
4.5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review.
May 3, 2024
The Nicene Creed was such an amazing book! I enjoyed reading it, although I wish I would've read it sooner. This book provided MANY Latin and Greek terms for words in phrases in the Nicene Creed, explaining each phrase with detail and precision. Every scripture reference seemed to line up, nothing iffy about this book at all. 10/10 would recommend :)
December 12, 2025
Probably my favorite book on the Nicene Creed that I have read. It’s concise but really doesn’t leave much out. I have a few squabbles with some less essential conclusions that Cary draws, but I would have no hesitation recommending this book to anyone.
August 26, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. An excellent introduction to Christianity’s most crucial creed. It’s clear and concise. I would like to have seen more development in the doctrines atonement and the final judgment. However, I plan to recommend it to others without reservation.
March 28, 2025
This was a beautiful devotional book. I did the apostle creed and now this. I'm now off to the athanasius Creed.
June 10, 2025
While I would quibble with a few minor things here and there, this is a good, well-written, and succinct commentary on the Nicene Creed. It was a delight to read and helpful as I preach through the Nicene Creed in this the 1700th year since the Council of Nicaea.
April 9, 2023
Happy Easter! This was a wonderful book to read the week leading up to this most holy of days. This book was a great way to get deeper into the word and allow myself to truly dig deep and understand why my faith is important to me. You can tell this was a thoughtful, well researched and informative guide to the Nicene Creed. I can see myself going back to this whenever either I have a question or as a great resource to guide someone new to the faith.
Phillip is well versed in the Bible and used it as the backbone of this book. Well written and easy to read I never felt like I was being talked at but rather I was in a conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Final Thoughts: if you have every wanted to get deeper into your faith or wondered what it is people find attractive about Jesus or the Creed, I would highly recommend this as a great starting point and resource.
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Lexham Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Phillip is well versed in the Bible and used it as the backbone of this book. Well written and easy to read I never felt like I was being talked at but rather I was in a conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Final Thoughts: if you have every wanted to get deeper into your faith or wondered what it is people find attractive about Jesus or the Creed, I would highly recommend this as a great starting point and resource.
Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Lexham Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
March 16, 2023
There are times when you can read a book and fall more in love with God and be more in awe of him than you were before. This is one of those books! In it, Carey walks through each of the articles of the Creed giving a short but meaty explanation of what the Creed is saying about God, who he is, and what he has done for us. In a nutshell, this book is saturated with the Gospel proclaimed by the Triune God. That said, if you'd like to better understand the Creed and what Christians believe, or if you'd simply like to drink in the good news of the Gospel once again (which you should do), this is an excellent book to pick up! (Also, kudos to the folks at Lexham Press for making the book look so beautiful as well!)
November 9, 2024
“To confess the faith is to make what we believe into something shared, public, and recognisable, not just a fleeting thought in the heart.”
A wonderful book. I spent more time on it than was probably necessary, but it was a delight to sit in and meditate upon the different statements of the Creed. For anyone what to spend time thinking about the fundamental beliefs of a Christian, this book is a great tool. Well written, and clear, there is nothing excessive about it. A really good book to help a person meditate the faith they hold to.
A wonderful book. I spent more time on it than was probably necessary, but it was a delight to sit in and meditate upon the different statements of the Creed. For anyone what to spend time thinking about the fundamental beliefs of a Christian, this book is a great tool. Well written, and clear, there is nothing excessive about it. A really good book to help a person meditate the faith they hold to.
September 20, 2024
This is a must-read—especially for those, like me, who are not in a church with any historical liturgy. Cary presents the truths of the Nicene Creed as the backbone for confessing the orthodox faith (little “o”) and proclaiming the Good News of Christ Jesus and his work for us. The gospel has a distinct Trinitarian shape, and the Nicene Creed helps guide and guard the church in biblical-theological faithfulness as we grow in learning and living out what it means to be Christian.
May 23, 2023
A great book! See my full review here: https://anglicancompass.com/the-nicen...
June 7, 2023
A very helpful and short commentary on the Nicene Creed
December 22, 2024
The church’s understanding of who is this God we worship is crucially important. This introduction is excellent in what it seeks to accomplish. It is perfect for personal meditation or study. It is accessible to read with others in pursuit of either deepening an understanding of the Trinity or exploring Christianity.
This stuff matters. I had a conversation just this week with a professing Christian who doesn’t think Jesus will physically return but who has already returned through the Spirit. Nicene theology helps us sort out what the Scriptures teach concerning God.
This stuff matters. I had a conversation just this week with a professing Christian who doesn’t think Jesus will physically return but who has already returned through the Spirit. Nicene theology helps us sort out what the Scriptures teach concerning God.
November 25, 2024
The Nicene Creed is the Christian confession of faith in the gospel message. This is the overarching idea behind Phillip Cary’s theological-grammatical commentary on this ecumenical creed. This book is a truly fantastic and accessible commentary on the creed as Cary recognizes the complexity of theological grammar and how words have changed since the creed was first written. Cary seeks to capture the uniqueness and depth of the language of the creed. There is also an introduction to the book that explains the historical situation in which the creed was drafted, though I wish the commentary itself could’ve been more historically-contextually oriented at times. Cary divides the book into parts based on the three articles of the creeds. Part 1 is about God the Father, part 2 is about God the Son in his divinity, part 3 is about God the Son in his humanity, and part 4 is about God the Spirit and his work towards us. This functions as a helpful outline of the creed. I particularly appreciated Cary’s chapter on the suffering of the Son in light of the impassibility of God. I particularly found Cary’s affirmations of God’s death on the cross and God’s impassibility to be both compelling and convincing. I also really enjoyed his chapter on Scripture. There were a few areas here and there where I differed from Cary, but overall I appreciated his ecumenical vision of the Christian faith as he recognized the creed as the confession of the gospel made by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians. If you desire a summary of the gospel message, look no further than the Nicene Creed. If you want to go deeper after reading this book, I highly recommend Torrance’s “Trinitarian Faith.” With that, here is an excerpt from Cary’s book that very much echoes Torrance’s theological and Nicene-inspired vision:
“The Nicene teaching is that the Son has the same essence as the Father, in the sense that everything essentially divine is the same in God the Son as God the Father…every divine attribute in the Son is exactly the same thing as in the Father (pp. 79, 81). In other words, “There is no God behind the back of Jesus” (Torrance), and when we have seen the Son, we have seen the Father (John 14:9).
“The Nicene teaching is that the Son has the same essence as the Father, in the sense that everything essentially divine is the same in God the Son as God the Father…every divine attribute in the Son is exactly the same thing as in the Father (pp. 79, 81). In other words, “There is no God behind the back of Jesus” (Torrance), and when we have seen the Son, we have seen the Father (John 14:9).
May 10, 2023
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE NICENE CREED ABOUT?
The subtitle says it's an introduction to the Creed, and that's the best way to describe it. Cary breaks the Creed down line by line—subdividing many of the lines to bite-size pieces.
Once in those pieces, Cary takes a variety of approaches—sometimes it's a commentary on that part of the Creed, sometimes it's historical background, sometimes it's a point of grammar about the translation (or the text). Each chapter is short, clear, and to the point—most of all, they're helpful for the reader to better understand the Creed.
EPILOGUE
The Epilogue presents "The Trinity in Simple Terms"—it's the bare bones of the doctrines, drawing upon Augustine, in seven simple points.
I heard Cary give this on a podcast episode recently (calling it something like "Teaching the Trinity in Under Two Minutes", and it's a great way to present this material.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE NICENE CREED?
On the one hand, I can be really brief here—this is a fantastic introduction to the Creed and/or some of the doctrines taught by it. In many cases, it'll be a review of ideas—but even in those cases, Cary will likely shed a different light on it, or make you think about the idea in a way you're not used to.
There's a temptation to go in-depth on various chapters or sections—but I'm going to resist it for a variety of reasons.
This can be a quick and breezy read. It's a mistake to let Cary's simple and straightforward text let you read quickly—because there's a lot to think about and reflect on here. Even if—especially if, actually—you recite the Creed on a regular or frequent basis every Lord's Day. This is a great way to stop and meditate on these essential truths of the Christian faith.
Now, each section could easily be 2-3 times as long, and I'd read it—but I can see why Cary made the choice he did (but, I'm just saying, if someone wanted him to give a longer introduction, there's at least one buyer out there)
Cary's a trustworthy guide through this Creed, and I heartily encourage you to follow him through it.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE NICENE CREED ABOUT?
The subtitle says it's an introduction to the Creed, and that's the best way to describe it. Cary breaks the Creed down line by line—subdividing many of the lines to bite-size pieces.
Once in those pieces, Cary takes a variety of approaches—sometimes it's a commentary on that part of the Creed, sometimes it's historical background, sometimes it's a point of grammar about the translation (or the text). Each chapter is short, clear, and to the point—most of all, they're helpful for the reader to better understand the Creed.
EPILOGUE
The Epilogue presents "The Trinity in Simple Terms"—it's the bare bones of the doctrines, drawing upon Augustine, in seven simple points.
I heard Cary give this on a podcast episode recently (calling it something like "Teaching the Trinity in Under Two Minutes", and it's a great way to present this material.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE NICENE CREED?
On the one hand, I can be really brief here—this is a fantastic introduction to the Creed and/or some of the doctrines taught by it. In many cases, it'll be a review of ideas—but even in those cases, Cary will likely shed a different light on it, or make you think about the idea in a way you're not used to.
There's a temptation to go in-depth on various chapters or sections—but I'm going to resist it for a variety of reasons.
This can be a quick and breezy read. It's a mistake to let Cary's simple and straightforward text let you read quickly—because there's a lot to think about and reflect on here. Even if—especially if, actually—you recite the Creed on a regular or frequent basis every Lord's Day. This is a great way to stop and meditate on these essential truths of the Christian faith.
Now, each section could easily be 2-3 times as long, and I'd read it—but I can see why Cary made the choice he did (but, I'm just saying, if someone wanted him to give a longer introduction, there's at least one buyer out there)
Cary's a trustworthy guide through this Creed, and I heartily encourage you to follow him through it.
April 18, 2023
I loved this book. Though an "introduction" to the Nicene Creed, I personally learned a TON of information. And as someone who is not, by nature, a systematician, this book did more to re-affirm the truth of the Triune God. Cary is a philosopher before he is a theologian, I do believe that even a non-Christian could read this book and learn a lot . . . if they just wanted to give a good-faith attempt in understanding what Christians believe. The style of writing is so clear and simple. Six stars to this book if I could. I suspect I'll buy many of these and give them as gifts.
February 25, 2023
As a Catholic I have recited the Apostle's Creed more times than I can count. To understand it in this detail and depth was very rewarding. I loved how the author went piece by piece to explain and describe where the specific sentence originated and biblical ideology behind it. I thought this was well organized, easy to follow, and insightful. Anyone wanting a deeper understanding into a frequently recited prayer would love this book.
December 17, 2025
This is a fantastic little volume! Cary offers a succinct commentary on the creed that at once embodies simplicity and sophistication. He handles technical language sparingly yet strategically. The volume helps readers understand the dogmatic shape of the creed as well as the specific doctrinal content it confesses. Warmly recommended for those preparing for baptism or for those engaged in the lifelong task of comprehending just how deep those baptismal waters were.
November 13, 2024
Quite an excellent primer that is still theologically rich. This book helps explain the creed, referencing both the Latin and Greek, so that the reader in English can comprehend the full intended meaning of the creed. There are many who say we don’t need the creeds, only the Bible. Yes, the Bible is the Word of God, but creeds like the Nicene Creed give us guardrails that protect us from heresy that repeats every generation.
January 14, 2024
A brief and insightful introduction to the ideas, translations, and history that make up the most common Christian creed in the world. The Council of Nicaea did not mince words.
April 6, 2023
If you're looking for an unbiased explanation of the beliefs put forth by the Nicene Creed, then this is not the book for you. The author insults other beliefs constantly while proclaiming his own to be the infallible truth, all while contradicting himself at every turn of the page.
"Pagans can say Jupiter is a god and Venus is a god and Apollo is a god, but they end up with three gods. The doctrine of the Trinity is different, because it literally doesn't add up." (pg. 215, 216)
I don't see how this is any different than belief in the Trinity. The Trinity has the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three distinct individuals, yet it still claims that they are one God. It also says that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. If these three are not each other, then either there are three Gods, or two of these individuals are not God. The author attempts to use a lack of logic as evidence of truth, which does not work.
I'm not here to preach one belief or another, but that's what this book is going to boil down to because it is an explanation of the author's beliefs.
The author fails to explain many concepts and says that this is due to them being abstract. However, abstract does not mean that something is unexplainable. We can explain the concepts of love and beauty. We cannot explain how God came into existence, the mechanism by which Mary was impregnated, or *where* heaven is.
To clarify, I do not have a problem with people believing in God. I have a problem with it being presented as fact while also claiming that it is unexplainable. If this book were merely a presentation of the Trinitarian beliefs, then I would have rated it at least a 3.
As for the actual writing... It's okay. Any chapter can basically be read without needing to read the others, which can be good or bad. It tends to be a bit repetitive. There were numerous points where I just zoned out. Then I reread it and realized that I zoned out because he was repeating himself.
He does go pretty in-depth on some of the terms, and the first section of the book is pretty decent. There was a decent amount of interesting history.
When you get into the second section of the book, he gets heavily biased. Though he "quotes" scripture a lot, he doesn't do so in a way that helps provide evidence to support his belief. At times, he contradicts himself specifically by quoting the Bible.
Anything else I say about the book is going to delve into the belief itself, and I've already spoken more about the belief than I meant to.
"Pagans can say Jupiter is a god and Venus is a god and Apollo is a god, but they end up with three gods. The doctrine of the Trinity is different, because it literally doesn't add up." (pg. 215, 216)
I don't see how this is any different than belief in the Trinity. The Trinity has the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as three distinct individuals, yet it still claims that they are one God. It also says that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. If these three are not each other, then either there are three Gods, or two of these individuals are not God. The author attempts to use a lack of logic as evidence of truth, which does not work.
I'm not here to preach one belief or another, but that's what this book is going to boil down to because it is an explanation of the author's beliefs.
The author fails to explain many concepts and says that this is due to them being abstract. However, abstract does not mean that something is unexplainable. We can explain the concepts of love and beauty. We cannot explain how God came into existence, the mechanism by which Mary was impregnated, or *where* heaven is.
To clarify, I do not have a problem with people believing in God. I have a problem with it being presented as fact while also claiming that it is unexplainable. If this book were merely a presentation of the Trinitarian beliefs, then I would have rated it at least a 3.
As for the actual writing... It's okay. Any chapter can basically be read without needing to read the others, which can be good or bad. It tends to be a bit repetitive. There were numerous points where I just zoned out. Then I reread it and realized that I zoned out because he was repeating himself.
He does go pretty in-depth on some of the terms, and the first section of the book is pretty decent. There was a decent amount of interesting history.
When you get into the second section of the book, he gets heavily biased. Though he "quotes" scripture a lot, he doesn't do so in a way that helps provide evidence to support his belief. At times, he contradicts himself specifically by quoting the Bible.
Anything else I say about the book is going to delve into the belief itself, and I've already spoken more about the belief than I meant to.
January 12, 2025
Mere Fidelity is my favorite podcast because it is a podcast about ideas and books and theology and it keeps my mind busy while my body is busy doing things like chores or exercise.
One muggy summer morning while I was huffing and puffing my way through five miles I heard Phillip Cary on an episode of Mere Fidelity say something along the lines of “any friend of Nicea is a friend of mine” and I knew then that I had to read this book.
“The Nicene Creed” is a lovely little book that takes the creed line by line and expounds on it clearly and meticulously (as I’ve come to expect from Cary). If I were still a youth leader I’d consider buying it for kids when they graduate as a guide to what you have to affirm to claim the name of Christ and what’s just frosting. Highly recommend.
Added bonus: the endnotes are excellent.
One muggy summer morning while I was huffing and puffing my way through five miles I heard Phillip Cary on an episode of Mere Fidelity say something along the lines of “any friend of Nicea is a friend of mine” and I knew then that I had to read this book.
“The Nicene Creed” is a lovely little book that takes the creed line by line and expounds on it clearly and meticulously (as I’ve come to expect from Cary). If I were still a youth leader I’d consider buying it for kids when they graduate as a guide to what you have to affirm to claim the name of Christ and what’s just frosting. Highly recommend.
Added bonus: the endnotes are excellent.
August 24, 2025
The Nicene Creed is perhaps the best short summary of orthodox Christian belief; however, the American church in the 21st century has largely ignored this ancient confession, much to its detriment. We would do well to recover the Nicene Creed's rich and lively description of what it means to confess belief in the Triune God of the Bible and this book provides an accessible, devotional understanding of its major tenets.
January 1, 2025
As an Orthodox Christian (OCA), I couldn't resist picking up this book at Shepherd's Conference 2024 (which is arguably reformed evangelical/Baptist, certainly not Orthodox.) This book is outstanding, and it should be part of the Orthodox catechism. It is so well written; it is at the same time accessible by any reader, but deeply theological. It is very meticulous and non prejudicial in its historical content. This little book is perfect for study or devotion. Highly recommended.
June 17, 2025
This book is phenomenal. Deeply theological, and yet very accessible and wonderfully devotional. The experience is enhanced when you have met Dr Cary and can read it with his voice in mind!
June 13, 2023
Cary is Anglican, but he edits the ecumenical academic journal "Pro Ecclesia" and his approach in this book is ecumenical. His target audience seems to be undergraduate theology students at Eastern University, a private Christian university. Problems arise when anyone else tries to read it.
I can recommend this over other introductions I've seen by Scott Hahn, Robert Barron, Timothy Luke Johnson (accentuating the negative and over-emphasizing Catholic distinctives), George Forrell (long out of print), and Marianne Micks (more assault than explanation). "Confessing the One Faith" by the World Council of Churches is excellent, but it isn't really an introduction.
Cary's book still left me looking for an introduction to the Nicene Creed for a broader audience. He explains very clearly what the words mean, but not what they mean *for us*.
Lacking such a book, it's completely understandable when, after years of well spoken sermons that would be sound advice even if every sentence in the Creed is false, some Christians conclude that it's meaningless and replace it with a homegrown jumble.
There are several brilliant introductions to the Apostles' Creed. Luther's Small and Large catechisms, the Reformed Heidelberg Catechism, and Ronald Knox's "The Creed in Slow Motion" come to mind. Cary knows how to write that way. He's done it in "Good News for Anxious Christians." I wish he'd do it for the Nicene Creed.
I can recommend this over other introductions I've seen by Scott Hahn, Robert Barron, Timothy Luke Johnson (accentuating the negative and over-emphasizing Catholic distinctives), George Forrell (long out of print), and Marianne Micks (more assault than explanation). "Confessing the One Faith" by the World Council of Churches is excellent, but it isn't really an introduction.
Cary's book still left me looking for an introduction to the Nicene Creed for a broader audience. He explains very clearly what the words mean, but not what they mean *for us*.
Lacking such a book, it's completely understandable when, after years of well spoken sermons that would be sound advice even if every sentence in the Creed is false, some Christians conclude that it's meaningless and replace it with a homegrown jumble.
There are several brilliant introductions to the Apostles' Creed. Luther's Small and Large catechisms, the Reformed Heidelberg Catechism, and Ronald Knox's "The Creed in Slow Motion" come to mind. Cary knows how to write that way. He's done it in "Good News for Anxious Christians." I wish he'd do it for the Nicene Creed.
July 15, 2023
A frustrating book. I was excited to read it, and in many places, that excitement was more than warranted. There are passages of breathtaking beauty, of deeply helpful pastoral care, and of a succinctness in explanation that is rare.
Then there's the whole discussion about not pronouncing the Tetragrammaton (i.e., YHWH or Yahweh). He makes the case that hallowing God's Name (for which we pray in the Our Father) means not pronouncing it. That is, we hallow it by not saying it. God inspired His prophets to pen His name over 6800 times in the Old Testament but never intended for us to say it? And that hallows it?
Also, there's the bad reading of Psalm 110. Cary reads 110:1 as David calling his son "Lord," but neither Psalm 110 nor Jesus' use of it with the Pharisees allows such a reading. The whole point of the text as Jesus points out is that David as King overhears a conversation between Yahweh (sorry not sorry) and his Lord (The LORD said to my Lord = Yahweh said to Adonai). Jesus' point is this: Yahweh is speaking to someone other than David who is higher than David, but David is King. Who is He talking to?
Overall, it actually is a helpful book. There are repeated emphases on inseparable operations and simplicity, and there's language and teaching on processions and missions that's very good. The above passages just put a bad taste in my mouth that tainted the rest of the book (which is probably unfairly pedantic on my part).
Then there's the whole discussion about not pronouncing the Tetragrammaton (i.e., YHWH or Yahweh). He makes the case that hallowing God's Name (for which we pray in the Our Father) means not pronouncing it. That is, we hallow it by not saying it. God inspired His prophets to pen His name over 6800 times in the Old Testament but never intended for us to say it? And that hallows it?
Also, there's the bad reading of Psalm 110. Cary reads 110:1 as David calling his son "Lord," but neither Psalm 110 nor Jesus' use of it with the Pharisees allows such a reading. The whole point of the text as Jesus points out is that David as King overhears a conversation between Yahweh (sorry not sorry) and his Lord (The LORD said to my Lord = Yahweh said to Adonai). Jesus' point is this: Yahweh is speaking to someone other than David who is higher than David, but David is King. Who is He talking to?
Overall, it actually is a helpful book. There are repeated emphases on inseparable operations and simplicity, and there's language and teaching on processions and missions that's very good. The above passages just put a bad taste in my mouth that tainted the rest of the book (which is probably unfairly pedantic on my part).
March 16, 2023
The Nicene Creed
An Introduction
by Phillip Cary
Pub Date 29 Mar 2023
Lexham Press
Christian | Religion & Spirituality
I am reviewing a copy of The Nicene Creed through Lexham Press and Netgalley:
The Nicene Creed will help you understand as well as to celebrate what to believe.
The Nicene Creed has been central to the church’s confession. The Nicene Creed: An Introduction by Phillip Cary explores the Creed’s riches with simplicity and clarity for centuries.
In this book Cary explains the history of the Creed and walks through its meaning line by line. Far from being abstract or irrelevant, the words of the Creed carefully express what God has done in Christ and through the Spirit.
The Nicene Creed gives us the gospel. It gives biblical Christians the words for what we already believe. And when we profess the Creed, we join the global church throughout history in declaring the name and work of the one God Father, Son, and Spirit. Gain a fresh appreciation for the ancient confession with Phillip Cary’s help.
I give the Nicene Creed five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
An Introduction
by Phillip Cary
Pub Date 29 Mar 2023
Lexham Press
Christian | Religion & Spirituality
I am reviewing a copy of The Nicene Creed through Lexham Press and Netgalley:
The Nicene Creed will help you understand as well as to celebrate what to believe.
The Nicene Creed has been central to the church’s confession. The Nicene Creed: An Introduction by Phillip Cary explores the Creed’s riches with simplicity and clarity for centuries.
In this book Cary explains the history of the Creed and walks through its meaning line by line. Far from being abstract or irrelevant, the words of the Creed carefully express what God has done in Christ and through the Spirit.
The Nicene Creed gives us the gospel. It gives biblical Christians the words for what we already believe. And when we profess the Creed, we join the global church throughout history in declaring the name and work of the one God Father, Son, and Spirit. Gain a fresh appreciation for the ancient confession with Phillip Cary’s help.
I give the Nicene Creed five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
March 20, 2024
This is a beautiful book in format and appearance and that alone made me glad for the purchase. But the content is great too. Cary takes each line and phrase of the familiar (or maybe not so familiar) creed and expounds on it with depth but also, with perfect clarity for the common reader. It was beautifully enriching and I can't wait to put it in the hands of others. Not my copy of course! That, I'm keeping!
I recommend adding this to your devotional time and reading the sections slowly, allowing yourself time to meditate, pray, digest, and incorporate Cary's insights into your walking doctrine and Christian thinking. It is practically helpful and equipping for the work of the gospel. A real blessing.
I recommend adding this to your devotional time and reading the sections slowly, allowing yourself time to meditate, pray, digest, and incorporate Cary's insights into your walking doctrine and Christian thinking. It is practically helpful and equipping for the work of the gospel. A real blessing.
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