The Creeds of Christendom, Vol 1.1: History of the Creeds

by Philip Schaff

Philip Schaff's The Creeds of Christendom is a massive set, originally published in three volumes and here reproduced across five volumes, cataloging and explaining the many different creeds from the myriad Christian denominations. The differences in belief between Calvinists, Lutherans, and Presbyterians, for example, can often be subtle, so a thorough examination of the particulars as well as an explanation for how those different beliefs result in a different worldview is necessary. Volume One: Part I covers: . creeds in general . the Ecumenical creeds . the creeds of the Greek Church . the creeds of the Roman Church . the creeds of the Evangelical Churches . the creeds of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches . the creeds of the Evangelical Reformed Churches. This volume contains the table of contents for all of Volume One. Swiss theologian PHILIP SCHAFF (1819-1893) was educated in Germany and eventually came to the United States to teach at the German Reformed Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He wrote a number of books and hymnals for children, including History of the Christian Church and The Creeds of the Evangelical Protestant Churches.

Genres: Theology, Church History, Reference

492 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Philip Schaff was educated at the gymnasium of Stuttgart, and at the universities of Tübingen, Halle and Berlin, where he was successively influenced by Baur and Schmid, by Tholuck and Julius Müller, by David Strauss and, above all, Neander. At Berlin, in 1841, he took the degree of B.D., and passed examinations for a professorship. He then traveled through Italy and Sicily as tutor to Baron Krischer. In 1842 he was Privatdozent in the University of Berlin, where he lectured on exegesis and church history. In 1843 he was called to become professor of church history and Biblical literature in the German Reformed Theological Seminary of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, then the only seminary of that church in America.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.

Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.

He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.

Reviews

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE FIRST OF SCHAFF'S THREE-VOLUME STUDY OF CHRISTIAN CREEDS

Philip Schaff (1819-1893) was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and Church historian, who was a professor at Union Theological Seminary. His 8-volume History is a classic (History of the Christian Church: Apostolic Christianity, A.D. 1-100 (Vol. 1); also available as a set: History of the Christian Church. Complete in Eight Volumes.). His 'Creeds of Christendom' was first published in 1877; the second volume in this series is 'The Creeds of Christendom, Vol. 2, The Greek and Latin Creeds.'

He begins with the observation, "(Creeds) emanate from the inner life of the Church, independently of external occasion. There would have been creeds even if there had been no doctrinal controversies." (Pg. 5) He admits that "In the best case a human creed is only an approximate and relatively correct exposition of revealed truth, and may be improved by the progressive knowledge of the Church." (Pg. 7) He admits that the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed "leave room for a certain subordination of the Son to the Father, and the Holy Spirit to both." (Pg. 38) He later claims, "The difference between the Heidelberg and Westminster Catechisms is chiefly one of nationality." (Pg. 545)

He suggests that "The masses of Roman Catholics are either too ignorant or too indifferent to care much whether another dogma is added to the large number already adopted, and have no more difficulty to believe blindly in Papal Infallibility than in the daily miracle of transubstantiation and the sacrifice of the mass." (Pg. 195) He asserts, "Whether consistent or not, the doctrine of infant (condemnation, if unbaptized) is certainly cruel and revolting to every nobler and better feeling of our nature." (Pg. 381)

He notes that in the persecution of heretics, "Protestants differed from Romanists only in their definition of heresy, and by greater moderation in its punishment." (Pg. 465) About the "bloody civil wars... which devastated Europe for more than a century," he claims, "the fault is primarily on the side of Rome." (Pg. 702)

Schaff's set is an excellent resource for the various Christian creeds, and is a welcome addition to any complete theological library.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a history, but not as boring as you read history book. You could learn many things, The history of creeds, though not every creed explained here (the content of each creeds not all presented in this book).

[Steve Bauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall not a bad survey. But, like in his other books, he shows a lack of understanding of the Lutheran understanding of the sacraments and sheer distain for what he begins to understand. Consider his words about the "defects" of Luther's catechism: "It gives undue importance to the Sacraments by making them co-ordinate parts with the three great divisions, and elevates even private confession and absolution, as a sort of third sacrament, to equal dignity." It's sad to see a man write so many words about Lutheran doctrine and yet understand it so little. I suppose, at least he is transparent with his contempt for Lutheran doctrine, which is somewhat better than the pseudo-commendations that others give today.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. I can't stop. I actually have the hardback, vol 1 (3 total) that I'm going through know and it is fascinating to see the basis for not only the baseline creeds (Apostle's, Nicene) but also the development in Eastern, Roman, and Protestant creedal thought. Schaff is the great 19th century history, and he does write this with both the straight (and VERY readable) history, but also with a Protestant critique. I have learned a great deal from this and am looking forward to being able to utilize the Apostle's/Nicene creed on a more regular basis.

[Derek DeMars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolute treasure trove of information on historical theology and the beliefs of every major branch/denomination of the Christian church. Schaff summarizes the doctrinal developments that separated each segment of Christianity and discusses many of the critical creeds/confessions/doctrinal statements. A very valuable resource.

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only give this 4 stars because it is dated. But, it's a classic in the field.