The document provides an overview of major Christian doctrines, including: - The inspiration of Scripture comes from God superintending human authors to compose the Bible without error. - Key doctrines like the Trinity, deity of Christ, salvation, and last things are based on what is clearly stated in the Bible. - Heresies and errors arose when people rejected what was written in Scripture and accepted their own revelations instead of what the apostles and prophets taught. - Church councils helped formally define doctrines to protect the clear meaning of Scripture in response to heresies.

1. Major Doctrines of Christianity © 2008 Multimedia Apologetics www.MultimediaApologetics.com

25. Challenges from Inside The Church God is one person appearing in different modes Modalism Denied that Jesus was fully God Arianism Posited that human and divine natures in Christ are commingled Monophysitism Mo-naw-fi-si-tism Posited that Christ was two person, both divine and human—only human person died on the cross Nestorianism Required asceticism and believed in continual revelation from God Montanism Affirms deity of Christ but denied humanity and appearance in the flesh Docetism Taught that matter was evil and spirit was. Merged pagan beliefs and dualism with Christianity Gnosticism Rejected the gospel of grace and stressed keeping of the law (see Galatians) Ebionism

26. The Development of Doctrine AD33 95 170 313 325 381 451 Cross NT Complete Constantine Converts Nicea Chaceldon Constantinople Councils Muratorian Fragment Persecution of the Church “ Survival Mode” Doctrine Formalized to Protect Clear Meaning of Scripture Gnostics Heretics

69. The Divinity of Christ in the Words of the Early Church Fathers “ Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, is the Son of God the Father and Creator.” c. 256 A.D. Seventh Council of Carthage “ Jesus Christ Himself is the Lord and Creator of the soul.” c. 225 A.D. Origen “ To all He is equal, to all King, to all Judge, to all God and Lord.” c. 197 A.D. Tertullian “ Our Instructor is the holy God Jesus, the Word.” c. 195 A.D. Clement of Alexandria “ He is God, for the name Emmanuel indicates this.” c. 180 A.D. Irenaeus “ There is one God and the Logos proceeding from Him, the Son. We understand the Son to be inseparable from Him.” c. 175 Athenogoras “ The Father of the universe has a son. And He, being the First Begotten Word of God, is even God.” c. 160 Justin Martyr “ The Christians trace the beginning of their religion to Jesus the Messiah. He is called the Son of the Most High God. It is said that God came down from heaven. He assumed flesh and clothed Himself with it from a Hebrew virgin. And the Son of God lived in the daughter of man.” c. 125 A.D. Aristides “ Continue in intimate union with Jesus Christ our God.” c. 105 A.D. Ignatius “ Let us reverence Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was given for us” c. 96 A.D. Clement of Rome Views Expressed Date Church Father