Clivedurdle

Is there a good summary of credal statements anywhere, with their approximate dates, comments about if they look like they have been edited, etc?

None of them were heretical until someone at some point declared them heretical - they thus provide good evidence of beliefs at certain points and how those beliefs evolved.

Toto

Have you looked at Creeds.net?

Clivedurdle

Anything that has clear dates against them and assumes it is all man made? Heretical versions are especially important because they might show an evolution of thinking.

In Evolution, there is a term co-evolution. Arms races occur, species co-evolve the most amazing adaptations - orchids and various species are classic.

Can various credal statements be seen as giving clues to how people thought at different times?

There seems to be an assumption that creeds follow the gospels - is that so? What if the gospels are attempts to "flesh" out various creeds?

andrewcriddle

This may be of interest. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/creeds2.html

Andrew Criddle

andrewcriddle

Various NT scholars particularly Michael Goulder have attempted to explain the Gospels as an expansion of Christian Worship and Liturgy.

Whether or not they are correct about the role of Liturgy in general it seems unlikely that the early creeds in particular played much of a part in Gospel origins.

The earliest forms of the creeds seem to have been very brief.

Andrew Criddle