Why did the early church need creeds? The answer is not merely historical. Christians needed to confess clearly who God is, who Christ is, and what distinguishes the Christian faith from the beliefs surrounding it.
In this message from the 2026 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology pre-conference Anchored in Truth: A Confessional Faith, Chad Van Dixhoorn traces the development of the early creeds against the backdrop of Roman persecution, theological controversy, and sometimes deeply flawed church politics. He explains how the councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon responded to serious errors concerning the Trinity and the person of Christ.
Along the way, Dr. Van Dixhoorn shows why theological words must be understood carefully, why clarity matters for those who teach, and why sound doctrine must be defended in a manner consistent with Christian truth. The early creeds remain valuable because they help us confess the Bible’s teaching faithfully: Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, one person with two distinct natures—the only Savior able to redeem us.
“It’s not enough just for someone to say the right words. We need to know what they mean.” —Chad Van Dixhoorn
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📚 Recommended Reading:
Confessing the Faith: A Reader's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn
https://reformedresources.org/confessing-the-faith-a-readers-guide-to-the-westminster-confession-of-faith-paperback/
Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader's Edition
https://reformedresources.org/creeds-confessions-and-catechisms-a-readers-edition-clothbound/
🎧 Audio from this conference:
https://reformedresources.org/PCRT/2026/
📍 About PCRT
The Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology is a ministry of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, dedicated to recovering and proclaiming the great truths of the historic Reformed faith for today’s Church.
To support the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals:
https://alliancenet.org/donate/
In this message from the 2026 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology pre-conference Anchored in Truth: A Confessional Faith, Chad Van Dixhoorn traces the development of the early creeds against the backdrop of Roman persecution, theological controversy, and sometimes deeply flawed church politics. He explains how the councils of Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon responded to serious errors concerning the Trinity and the person of Christ.
Along the way, Dr. Van Dixhoorn shows why theological words must be understood carefully, why clarity matters for those who teach, and why sound doctrine must be defended in a manner consistent with Christian truth. The early creeds remain valuable because they help us confess the Bible’s teaching faithfully: Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, one person with two distinct natures—the only Savior able to redeem us.
“It’s not enough just for someone to say the right words. We need to know what they mean.” —Chad Van Dixhoorn
➡️ Be sure to hit Subscribe for more Reformed teaching like this.
📚 Recommended Reading:
Confessing the Faith: A Reader's Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith by Chad Van Dixhoorn
https://reformedresources.org/confessing-the-faith-a-readers-guide-to-the-westminster-confession-of-faith-paperback/
Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader's Edition
https://reformedresources.org/creeds-confessions-and-catechisms-a-readers-edition-clothbound/
🎧 Audio from this conference:
https://reformedresources.org/PCRT/2026/
📍 About PCRT
The Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology is a ministry of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, dedicated to recovering and proclaiming the great truths of the historic Reformed faith for today’s Church.
To support the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals:
https://alliancenet.org/donate/