In 14 pages you will take a simple easy-to-understand look back to the historical teachings of the church, and bring them to life for today's believers. During the time of the early church (AD 30-AD 400) some key beliefs were misunderstood by Gnostics and other religious groups. Some people couldn't tell the difference between the teachings of Jesus' apostles and the notions that were common in society. It was important to put together short summaries of the essential doctines of the faith. Many of the phrases were written to address particular false beliefs. The pamphlet shows that many of the questionable teachings of 2000 years ago are still around. Understanding how the church dealt with these issues in the past helps us to deal with those same issues today.
14 panels, fits inside most Bibles, 8.5 x 5.5 inches, unfolds to 38 inches long.
A clear simple explanation of the church's response to ancient heresies, many of which are common in today's cultic groups and other religions.
CHART 1
Concise easy-to-understand chart with explanations of these groups. They are important to know because so many modern heresies are similar to them. Without a chart such as this, it is difficult to tell the truth from an incorrect belief because groups use the same terms.
- Docetism
- Ebionitism
- Adoptionism
- Manicheanism
- Marcionism
- Modalism
- Montanism
- Apollinarianism
- Arianism
- Macedonianism
- Pelagianism
- Nestorianism
These charts explain each part of the three Creeds line by line and give Bible references for each phrase.
- Apostles Creed
- Nicene Creed
Side-by-side comparison of Gnostic and Christian beliefs on:
- Jesus, Salvation, Origin of Evil
- Cosmonogy (origin of the universe) and Cosmology (the nature, order, and function of the universe)
Ideas for using this pamphlet:
- Confirmation and baptism and communion-preparation classes
- Parents of confirmation students
- Teacher training on the basic beliefs of Christianity
- Personal devotional reading
- Small group or Bible study
Copy Reader's Note: I loved reading this pamphlet because it answers the question: "How would I summarize the key teachings of Christianity in one 2-minute explanation?" Have you ever tried it with someone from another country? It's really tough to go through Christian beliefs and word them just right. The Creeds were the ancient version of today's "elevator pitch." It was the two-minute clarification of what Christians believed and what they didn't.
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