It seems that I have enjoyed the presumptuous life. I have heard many arduous conclusions called forth in strength of so called factual ardor having complacently absorbed many conclusions I should have questioned. Who was Helen Keller? What was the Plague that claimed the life of 90% of New Englanders in 1617? Pilgrim was a termed coined in the nineteenth century?
History calls forth the reality of events and happenings that once occurred in a particular manner for a particular reason through particular agents. Yet, maybe by the force of my textbooks, I have listened to the settling niceties and well refurbished stories that retell historical actions according to a different prerogative. These stories heroify villains and demean giants all for a kind of monumental leveling that covers controversy.
As I survey my own grasp of history, I am ashamed to think I have once celebrated the lives of men and women I now see as wicked. I have supported institutions I now see as corrupt. The ideas and individuals I thought were virtuous, I now have good reason to question or despise. While textbooks tone down wars odiousness, and the enduring travesty of mans insatiable desire for conquest, the reality of on-going horrors are neglected.
Today, evangelicals are no better. Many among us would rather hear feel good messages filled with half-truths than hear the truth of the matter of the fact. While the Gospel's historical reality entails the suffering, bleeding, wounding, stripes and cruxifiction of God, so called "evangelicals" would rather rent the good news of the Jack-in-the-box Jesus because he comes out after a few cranks. We are so easily beguiled from the true nature of actual events and seemingly disinterested in the truth.
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The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm
Symbolum Nicaenum A.D. 325
Πιστεύομεν εις ΄ενα Θεον Πατερα παντοκράτορα, πάντων ορατων τε και αοράτων ποιητήν.
Πιστεύομεν εισ ΄ενα κύριον `Ιησουν Χριστον, τον υ΄ιον του θεου, γεννηζέντα εκ του πατρος μονογενη, τουτέστιν εκ της ουσίας του πατρός, θεον εκ θεου αληθινου, γεννηθέντα, ου ποιηθέντα, ΄ομοούσιον τωι πατρί δι οϋ τα πάντα εγένετο, τα τε εν τωι ουρανωι και τα επι της γης τον δι ΄ημας τους ανθρώπους και δα την ΄ημετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα και σαρκωθέντα και ενανθρωπήσαντα, παθόντα, και αναστάντα τηι τριτηι ΄ημέραι, και ανελθοντα εις τους οθρανούς, και ερχόμενον κριναι ζωντασ και νεκρούς.
Και εις το ΄Αγιον Πνευμα.
Τους δε λέγοντας, ΄οτι ΄ην ποτε ΄ότε οθκ ΄ην, και πριν γεννηθηναι ουκ ΄ην, και ΄οτι εξ ΄ετερας ΄υποστάσεως η ουσιας φάσκοντας ειναι, [η κτιστόν,] τρεπτον η αλλοιωτον τον υ΄ιον του θεου, [τούτους] αναθεματίζει ΄η καθολικη [και αποστολικη] εκκλησία.
Martin Luther - 16th century
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