The Origins, Division, and Authority of the Four Cs of Doctrinal History

In the development of Christian doctrine throughout history, we see a fascinating progression of how biblical truths have been articulated, defended, and preserved through various documents and councils. This progression doesn’t represent a change in doctrine itself but rather demonstrates how believers have carefully formulated and expressed doctrinal truth in response to challenges and theological errors arising in different eras.

Consider the ancient Jewish practice of reciting the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5: “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This declaration served multiple purposes: it affirmed the Israelite faith, established their identity, and through repetition embedded these truths into their very being. However, this statement, while foundational, doesn’t provide a complete doctrine of God.

When we discuss the doctrine of the Trinity, we now accept as fundamental that God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Spirit — one God in three persons, co-equal in essence and glory. However, this precise articulation developed over centuries. The term “Trinity” doesn’t appear in Scripture, nor does the phrase “God in three persons.” Tertullian, in the second century, appears to be the first to use the term “Trinity” in his writings.

As early Christians wrestled with questions about worshiping both God (the Father) and Jesus Christ (God the Son), they needed to carefully articulate biblical truth about the nature of the Trinity. This led to the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and the resulting Nicene Creed, which provided clear statements on the nature of God and Christ. Similar processes occurred with doctrines like the hypostatic union of Christ (being fully human and fully divine), the gospel itself during the Reformation period, and in modern times, the doctrine of man.

Origins of Doctrinal Documents

The origins of creeds, confessions, and catechisms vary considerably. Some, like the Apostles’ Creed, emerged without a particular known author. Others came from ecumenical councils — large gatherings of Christian leaders from various places. The term “ecumenical” originally simply meant widespread representation, though it has taken on different, negative connotations in modern times.

Seven ecumenical councils from early church history are widely recognized:

• First Council of Nicaea (325)
• Constantinople (381)
• Council of Ephesus (431)
• Chalcedon (451)
• Constantinople II (553)
• Constantinople III (680-681)
• Nicaea II (787)

During this early period, there was simply “the church” — no denominations existed yet. The formal term “Roman Catholic Church” emerged out of the Great Schism of 1054 AD, when the Western Church (centered in Rome) and Eastern Church (centered in Constantinople) split over issues like papal authority and clerical marriage. The Eastern branch became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church, including Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox traditions; the Western church was formally recognized as the Roman Catholic Church.

Divisions in Church Documents

We can divide church documents into four main historical categories:

1. Early Church History – Including the Apostles’ Creed and documents from the seven ecumenical councils.
2. Roman Catholic Church – While recognizing the seven ecumenical councils, Roman Catholicism claims a total of 21 councils. Notable among these are the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) which introduced the term “transubstantiation”; the Council of Constance (1414), which ended a period of papal conflict; the Council of Trent (1545-1563), which responded to the Protestant Reformation; and Vatican II (1962-1965), which modernized many practices within the Church, including allowing languages other than Latin to be used.
3. Protestant Reformation – Key figures like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli produced significant documents during this period. Luther’s catechisms, the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church, the Westminster Confession, and the First and Second London Baptist Confessions all emerged during this fertile time of doctrinal articulation.
4. Modern Writings – Building on Reformation foundations, more recent documents include the New Hampshire Baptist Confession from the 1800s and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Baptist Faith and Message adopted in 2000.

The Value of Doctrinal Documents

While these documents hold subordinate value to Scripture — only the Bible has divine and absolute authority — they serve several important functions:

• They have ecclesiastical and relative authority within their respective church bodies.
• They articulate, clarify, and summarize key biblical teachings that would be difficult for most individuals to formulate with such precision.
• They provide unifying statements that help bond believers together in common understanding.
• They offer apologetic value by providing theological and historical standards of orthodox Christian belief, helping believers recognize theological error.

For instance, we find value in “The Trinitarian Shield” which emerged from early church writings. It concisely illustrates that while God is Father, Son, and Spirit, the Son is not the Spirit or Father, the Spirit is not the Father or Son, and the Father is not the Son or Spirit—refuting errors like modalism.

As we study these historical documents, we can appreciate how they have served the Christian church through the centuries, even while recognizing that we may not agree wholeheartedly with every “dotted i and crossed t” they contain. They remain valuable tools for understanding and articulating the rich doctrinal heritage of Christian faith. Modern Baptists would do well to give more attention to them.

---

Previously in this series:

Introducing the Four “Cs” of Doctrinal History – Proclaim & Defend

---

Taigen Joos is the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Dover, NH. This article was created by Claude.AI from a transcript of a lesson taught by Pastor Joos on Jan 19, 2025. The audio is available here. Pastor Joos reviewed and approved this article for publication.