Heidelcast 207—What Must A Christian Believe? (23): Life Eternal

by on January 10, 2022 | 1 Comment

This is the 23rd and final episode in the series, What Must A Christian Believe? In our survey of the rule of faith, i.e., the Apostles’ Creed, we have reached the twelfth article, “life eternal.” The twelfth article has been a part of the rule of faith since Irenaeus c. AD 170. He speaks about God granting “life and immorality and eternal glory to the righteous and holy…”. It does not appear again (not even in the Nicene Creed of AD 325) until the creed of Cyril of Jerusalem about AD 350. He used the same language that would be adopted at Constantinople in AD 381: “the life of the world to come” in the revision of the Nicene Creed. By AD 400 the twelfth article appears in the Apostles’ Creed in North Africa and it by then it was a fixed part of the creed. That there is a heaven now and that there will be a new heavens and new earth is basic Christianity but it is surprising how often I have heard Christians say that they hope heaven is busy and that it is more than worship or else they fear that they will be bored. This seems like an odd thing for Christians to say. In this episode we will explore what might make Christians say such a thing and why, for some, the biblical idea of  heaven seems almost unpleasant. In this episode we are also going to play some audio from Erick Erickson and interact with it a bit as discuss the briefly the question of what it means to think critically in an age that demands conformity to “the pack.”

Next week is our call-in show. Load up the phone line at (760_ 618-1563 with the questions or send a voice memo from your smart phone to the Heidelcast for our next episode. Beginning with episode 209 we are planning to begin a new series on prayer: “Our Father In Heaven.”

 

 

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One comment

  1. Hello Mr. Clark
    I have a question about the difference between the content of the apostles creed and the understanding of that creed. You obviously laid down a reformed understanding of the apostles creed.
    A catholic for example would affirm the apostles creed but not your understanding of it, the same goes for a baptist who would disagree with you when you explain the content of that creed by saying “Christians follow in the footsteps of Abraham and Moses by initiating their children into the visible covenant community in baptism and, upon profession of faith, communing with him at the Lord’s Table.” (Article “What must a Christian Believe?”).
    So must someone believe the content of that apostles creed or the reformed understanding of the apostles creed to call himself a Christian?

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